Group Resists Korean Stigma for Unwed Mothers

Jean Chung for the International Herald Tribune

Mok Kyong-wha, with her son, said that she broke up with her boyfriend while she was pregnant and refused when he asked her to have an abortion.

This is one of those issues that is so deep, culturally, it’s unlikely that it will change significantly in the near future. The education system will change before this does.

It’s easy to blame the families, but to do so ignores the social realities in which they operate. As she says in the end, she found her father weeping in the bathroom reading one of her letters. It is not easy for the families, either.

It’s a sad reality that the government can address in many ways. One of the most important is to support these women with child care and anti-discrimination laws with teeth. Another way, is a public service campaign. It’s amazing how effective these are in Korea.