- Headline: "Number of Unwed Mothers on the Rise"
- Subheading: Holt Children's Services Reports on Causes and Solutions
- Source: Chosun Ilbo
- Date of Publication: February 3, 1976
- Summary:
A recent Holt Children's Services study examines the causes of rising unwed motherhood and potential solutions.
1) Causes of Unwed Motherhood Urbanization, industrialization, and modernization have led to the breakdown of traditional family structures, depriving many young women of proper home education. Additionally, schools and factory dormitories provide little to no sex education for young women and female workers. Adding to these concerns is the rising trend of sexual liberalization, which has contributed to greater social promiscuity and a sharp increase in unwed pregnancies.
2) Current Situation Over the past three years, 4,843 cases have been reported to five major welfare institutions, including Holt Children's Services, Korea Welfare Services, Korea Social Service, Aeran Welfare Society, and the Salvation Army Yŏjagwan (a mother and baby home). More than 70% of unwed mothers became pregnant after running away from home. 40% were in relationships lasting between six months and two years. A notable number became pregnant after just two or three encounters.
3) Prevention & Solutions Proposed solutions include greater parental oversight and guidance at home, sex education programs in schools, regular lectures and counseling for young female factory workers, publication and distribution of educational pamphlets, and organized opportunities for healthy social interactions among young people. In 1975, the Christian Adoption Program of Korea (CAPOK) merged with Holt Children's Services. Prior to this merger, CAPOK actively shaped the discourse on unwed motherhood by compiling statistical data from counseling sessions and asserting that unwed mothers were increasing in number, predominantly young, of low educational attainment, and sexually promiscuous. However, following its integration into Holt, CAPOK ceased to be a visible entity in the media. The same discourse on unwed motherhood was subsequently reproduced by Holt Children's Services and state-approved international adoption agencies such as the Korea Welfare Services, Korea Social Service, and Eastern Social Welfare Society. These institutions, drawing upon demographic data from their in-house counseling services, continued to construct and reinforce a stereotype of unwed mothers. This persistent discursive entrapment ensured that unwed mothers remained marginalized within dominant narratives, thereby continuously legitimizing the international adoption of their children as a necessary and morally justified intervention.
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