- Headline: "Ramblings"
- Source: Dong-A Ilbo
- Date of Publication: March 15, 1975
- Summary:
A recent case in which a Korean child adopted to Switzerland jumped from a three-story building while under interim care has caused significant alarm. Adding to the sorrow is the recent fire at Angel’s Home, which claimed the lives of 14 infants. All of these infants were born to unwed mothers, the tragic result of reckless sexual indulgence—a fleeting moment of passion leading to the creation of what some view as "seeds of misfortune."
Unwed motherhood is said to be a byproduct of rapid industrialization. The trend is particularly evident in newly developed industrial zones such as Masan, Ulsan, Incheon, and Yeongdeungpo, where the number of unwed mothers is on the rise. Young factory girls who leave rural areas to work in factories far from parental oversight often find themselves exposed to temptation and misconduct. Without the guidance of family or authority figures, they can easily fall victim to improper relationships. This is reflected in the sharp annual increase in the number of orphans born to unwed mothers since 1970.
What is even more concerning is that the age of unwed mothers continues to decline each year. Reports indicate that unwed mothers are not only increasing in industrial zones but are also becoming more prevalent throughout society. Such trends underscore a deterioration of societal values and sexual morality, which is at the root of this social ill. It is imperative that measures to protect unwed mothers and the orphans born of such circumstances are implemented before it is too late. In 1969, the Christian Adoption Program of Korea (CAPOK) began offering counseling services for unwed mothers. By 1970, CAPOK started publishing statistical reports based on surveys conducted with unwed mothers who sought assistance at their counseling centers. These women, often in desperate circumstances, became the basis for narratives portraying unwed mothers as young, poorly educated, and sexually promiscuous, with statistical data used to reinforce these claims. Such stereotypical depictions of unwed mothers were directly reflected in a column published on March 15, 1975. In these narratives, the children of unwed mothers, described as “seeds of misfortune,” were equated with “orphans” by both adoption agencies and the media. This framing effectively legitimized their adoption. Meanwhile, the men responsible for the pregnancies, often portrayed as seducers, disappeared from discussions of sexual morality. In contrast, unwed mothers were depicted as having succumbed to temptation, making them the sole focus of scrutiny. This selective framing of unwed motherhood led to a highly gendered discourse. CLICK the article belowto view the original scanned article as it appeared in print, complete with text and images, on the Naver News Library, which archives Korean newspapers from the 1920s to the 1990s. For easier reading, click “텍스트 보기” (View text) in the top right corner to open a text-only window.
Note: Articles are in Korean, and English translations are not provided in the library.  The English summary and translation of this article is provided by UMI4AA.
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