- Headline: "Sunday Essay: Lost Sense of Shame"
- Source: Chosun Ilbo
- Date of Publication: August 8, 1976
- Summary:
We are gradually losing our sense of shame. The moral values of our spiritual heritage and the ethical teachings of the Three Bonds and Five Relationships (Samgang Oryun) have faded. The principles of filial piety and respect for teachers are disappearing. There is nothing more disgraceful than a society in which people no longer feel shame. But above all, when women lose their sense of modesty, it is like a flower that has lost its fragrance, lacking beauty or charm. The sight of women walking about without brassieres, the growing trend of tight-fitting trousers that accentuate the hips and thighs, and the soaring number of unwed mothers all reflect the changing times. Each month, hundreds of beautiful orphaned infants are sent abroad in search of parents they have never known. And when we come to realize that most of them are the children of unwed mothers who have surrendered their parental rights, we cannot help but feel a deep and sorrowful regret. (Hyun-hee Hong, a children's story author) Men who share equal responsibility for unwed pregnancy are absent from the discourse, while blame is disproportionately placed on women. Due to social stigma, unwed mothers who relinquished their children often faced not only the emotional toll of their decision but also additional condemnation for having abandoned their infants. This editorial highlights the compounded burden placed on these women.
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