- Headline: "Cruelty in the Bitter Cold: Abandoned Infant Lives"
- Source: Kyunghyang Shinmun
- Date of Publication: January 28, 1977
- Summary:
On the night of the 27th, as a brutal cold wave swept through the city with temperatures plunging to 12 degrees below zero Celsius (10°F), two shocking cases of abandoned infants were reported on the streets of Seoul. Fortunately, both children were rescued. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Children's Hospital, a total of 816 abandoned infants were taken in last year. This year, the number has already reached 48, with more children continuing to be placed under protective care. Most of those who abandon their babies are reported to be unwed mothers, individuals involved in affairs, or families struggling with extreme poverty. In a society that is lenient toward men regarding premarital sex while placing the burden of shame solely on women, the likelihood of women resorting to infanticide, child abandonment, or adoption increases. The persistent reports of child abandonment and the rising number of unwed mothers indicate that South Korea has long functioned as such a society. (see Hee Jung Kwon, This Is a Record of the Lost Children (unofficial translation))
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