'Ding-dong~' A Tiny Life in the Box... On Christmas Eve, the Mother Took Her Baby Back

A Total of 26 Babies Entrusted to the Baby Box Last Year
Lowest Number Since 2011

On the evening of December 24 last year, an alert sounded at the Jusarang Community Baby Box in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. A childcare worker on duty checked the condition of a baby inside the box, dressed in a newborn undershirt. The baby was less than two weeks old. A counselor persuaded the mother, and in the end, she changed her mind and decided to raise the baby herself.

According to a report by Yonhap News Agency on January 4, a total of 26 newborns were left at the Baby Box last year. This is the lowest number since 2011.

(This photo is not directly related to the article.) Pixabay Pixabay

The Baby Box has provided counseling and support to pregnant women in crisis and has served as a temporary shelter for infants. The number of babies reached as high as 217 in 2018, but has been declining due to the ongoing low birth rate and the Constitutional Court's 2019 decision deeming the abortion ban unconstitutional. Analysts also point to the implementation of the protected birth system in July 2024, which allows mothers to give birth under an alias, as a contributing factor.

The role pursued by the Baby Box is also gradually shifting from temporary protection to joint parenting with mothers. They provide formula and diapers to mothers, and also guide them to medical and housing services.

Because there is a time gap in support from the government and local authorities, the Baby Box offers immediate relief from practical difficulties and instills hope that mothers can raise their children. Thanks to this, out of the 26 mothers who brought their babies to the Baby Box last year, 14 (53.8%) decided to raise their children themselves-about twice the rate in 2024 (28.8%).

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 2024 report on children eligible for protection, the number of abandoned children nationwide last year was 30, a third of the number from the previous year (88).

Some Baby Box operators believe there are loopholes in the protected birth manual. Currently, the principle is that mothers must enter a facility and have a minimum seven-day deliberation period when giving birth under the protected birth system. However, some mothers find it difficult to comply due to work obligations or the need to keep their pregnancy secret from others. While there are exceptions, these are strictly limited to unavoidable cases where the health or safety of the mother or child is at risk.