"Unmarried Mothers Avoid Facilities, Saying They Actually Hinder Social Adaptation"

[Crisis of Single-Parent Families Part 1]

Avoidance Due to Conflicts with Administrators
Only 60-70% of Capacity Occupied

Criticism for Not Reflecting Changed Housing Needs Despite Increased Housing Support and Public Rentals

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunju Lee and Byungseon Gong] Broadcaster Fujita Sayuri (41) donated sperm and gave birth as a single mother. The response was mostly supportive. However, if an unmarried woman in our country were to have a child, especially if she were a minor, it is highly likely that she would not even be able to share the news of her pregnancy with those around her, let alone receive congratulations. In situations referred to as 'crisis pregnancies,' prospective single parents usually went to 'facilities.' However, recently, admissions to such facilities have significantly decreased. We explore the reasons why single-parent families have come to avoid these facilities and seek possible solutions. (Editor's note)

"I worry dozens of times a day whether to give birth, raise the child, or put the child up for adoption. It's not that I give birth thinking I have to abandon the child. Labels like 'a kid gave birth to a kid' or 'they caused trouble' get attached, so in the end, they can't even tell their own family. These days, people also avoid facilities. You could say they are places only convenient for the administrators. The restrictions are so severe that they actually don't help with social adaptation," said Choi Hyung-sook, CEO of the Single Mothers Association Intry, in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 17th.

According to Statistics Korea, among the total 20.89 million households in our country, single-parent families account for 7.3%. According to the Single-Parent Family Status Survey (2018) released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, divorce accounts for 77.6%, followed by bereavement (15.4%), and unmarried status (4.0%). Single-parent families often face economic difficulties because one person is responsible for the family's livelihood. The government provides support by offering housing through three main programs: public rental housing, housing cost support policies, and single-parent family welfare facilities. Single-parent facilities originated in 1952 as spaces for widows after the Korean War. In the 1960s, facilities for single mothers were also established. Currently, 124 such facilities remain.

In the past, many welfare facility admissions were recorded, but recent usage has significantly declined. The Single-Parent Family Status Survey showed that only 0.9% of single-parent families reported using facilities, down from 1.3% in the 2015 survey. Facilities are currently about 60-70% occupied. In contrast, housing cost support and public rental housing increased to 22.4% and 29.2%, respectively, during the same period. Some single parents who have experienced facility admission reported deep conflicts with facility administrators and staff. There are opposing views between claims that personal freedom is infringed and opinions that rules are part of communal living. Single parent A said, "A mother undergoing alcohol addiction treatment was made to write a letter of reflection by the facility because they thought she was neglecting her child. We who lived together hardly noticed any disturbance, but that mother was made to read the letter of reflection in the auditorium where all the children and residents gathered," she recounted.

While there is criticism that the changing housing needs of single-parent families are not understood, there are also voices emphasizing the necessity of facilities for minors and disabled women. Kang Young-sil, director of Aeranwon, a single mother living facility in Daesin-dong, Seodaemun-gu, said, "About 70% of the teenage parents who come to the facility often have difficulty receiving care at home. There are also cases where we support pregnant women who suffer from domestic violence through a 24-hour hotline," she said.