From children to unwed mothers
Child welfare has resurfaced as a rallying cry in Korea, particularly after a series of heartbreaking cases of abandonment and infanticide. This renewed attention reflects domestic concerns as well as a global shift in how adoption and child protection are understood. The 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption embodied this change, shifting focus from the interests of prospective parents toward the rights of children. Ratified by more than 100 countries and set to take effect in Korea this October, the convention reframes adoption as child-centered, emboldening many adoptees to organize and press for recognition of their lived experiences.
While adoptees have gained a stronger voice, unwed mothers — the primary source of children placed for adoption — remain marginalized. Society views unwed motherhood as an individual failing that signifies moral inferiority, even as intercountry adoption was shaped by broader structural forces.
It began in the devastation of the 1950-53 Korean War, with tens of thousands of children orphaned and dependent on foreign relief. Stigmatized in a society that prized ethnic homogeneity, mixed-race children born to Korean women and foreign servicemen fueled intercountry adoption. Declining birthrates and concerns reflecting existing racial hierarchies in the United States further heightened demand for Korean children.
The 1997 Asian financial crisis undermined government efforts to curb intercountry adoption by producing new waves of poverty and family dissolution. In its aftermath, the government embraced a market-oriented welfare model characterized by deregulation. Above all, powerful, profit-driven adoption agencies — shielded by lax oversight — perpetuated the system. In this context, lacking both institutional support and societal acceptance, unwed mothers were often left with adoption as their sole recourse, a constrained choice that nevertheless exposed them to further stigma.
The Korean government has taken steps in recent years to strengthen support for unwed mothers and reduce stigma. By adopting the more inclusive term “single-parent family,” policymakers have sought to reshape public perception while expanding services for childbirth, child care and residential programs.
The monthly child care subsidy for single-parent households has increased to approximately $190 per child in 2025. Building on these efforts, the government introduced a protected birth system in 2024, enabling women in crisis to give birth confidentially with full state coverage of medical costs. Additionally, government-established regional counseling centers and 24-hour crisis hotlines have improved access to care.
Despite reforms, Korea still has far to go in dismantling structural barriers faced by unwed mothers. Public discourse continues to frame unwed motherhood as a woman’s burden while fathers often evade responsibility.
According to Statistics Korea, in 2024 there were four times as many unwed mothers (20,137) as unwed fathers (5,003). Prevention is equally critical. Korea’s sex education curriculum has not changed for decades and fails to address important topics like relationships, sexual autonomy, consent and diverse forms of sexuality and family. Contraception education is opposed by many parents who fear it may encourage sexual behavior. Consequently, young people often enter adulthood ill-prepared to make responsible choices about sexual activity.
Korea’s legal reforms, including the abolition of the male-headed family registry, or “hoju” system, have advanced women’s rights on paper, but Confucian patriarchal norms still shape lived realities. For many unwed mothers, pregnancy can lead to severed family ties and job loss, with one study reporting that over 70 percent left their jobs due to discrimination.
Access to public housing is fiercely competitive, and minimum living assistance and medical aid are assessed on both the birth mother and her parents’ earnings, disadvantaging those estranged from their family.
Korea needs comprehensive government-funded support programs responsive to the experiences of unwed mothers, while also ensuring that birth fathers are held accountable through enforceable legal recognition, mandated financial support and active involvement in child-rearing. Without such reforms, mothers are likely to see adoption not as a genuine choice but as an unavoidable necessity.
Ending the stigma against unwed mothers demands cultural transformation alongside policy adjustments. Grassroots organizations, such as the Korean Unwed Mothers Families Association (KUMFA), advocate for legal change and public visibility. Through initiatives like the Human Library program, where unwed mothers share their experiences, KUMFA seeks to challenge prejudice and foster compassion. Nonetheless, broader social acceptance remains elusive. The government must support advocacy groups, collect accurate data on birth mothers and design policies informed by their lived realities. Social workers, activists and lawmakers should collaborate to amplify mothers’ voices.
Meanwhile, media portrayals often reinforce harmful stereotypes, depicting older birth mothers as longing for their children’s return and younger mothers as immature or promiscuous. Accurate and nuanced representation is essential to foster public understanding and reduce stigma.
The Hague Adoption Convention rightly affirms that the child’s best interests must come first, but those interests cannot be fully realized until mothers are recognized and supported.
Ma Kyung-hee is a social work researcher based in Seoul.