[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A study has found that at least 550 children in South Korea have lost one or both parents due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest data on COVID-19-related orphanhood by country, posted on the website of Imperial College London (ICL) on the 13th, at least 550 children under the age of 17 in South Korea have lost a parent since the pandemic began in early 2020 through June 5 of this year.
Including cases where grandparents in grandparent-headed households died from COVID-19, the number of children in South Korea who have lost their "primary caregiver" is at least 630.
The research team explained, "While the primary caregiver may be alive, if we expand the scope to include cases where a co-residing grandparent has passed away due to this crisis, resulting in the loss of a 'secondary caregiver,' the number of children in South Korea who have lost a caregiver due to COVID-19 could be at least 1,600."
Meanwhile, among the 35 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), excluding Iceland and Luxembourg, at least 565,950 children have lost one or both parents due to COVID-19.
In particular, Mexico (210,900), the United States (199,600), and Colombia (50,400) had the highest numbers of children who lost parents.
They were followed by Turkey (26,000), the United Kingdom (13,100), Poland (9,900), Israel (7,500), France (6,600), Germany (5,900), Chile (5,000), and Italy (4,700).
The research team reported that in Japan, 1,400 children, and in China, 1,600 children lost one or both parents.
India, where the damage from COVID-19 was severe and the population approaches 1.4 billion, was analyzed to have 2,169,000 children who lost at least one parent.
In Russia, at least 72,100 children lost one or both parents, resulting in unstable caregiving environments.
Globally, it is estimated that at least 7,453,400 children have lost one or both parents. Children who lost a primary caregiver number 7,876,000, and those who lost either a primary or secondary caregiver exceed 10,382,400.
The research team estimated the number of children who lost parents or grandparents based on COVID-19 death counts by country. However, they noted, "These estimates represent minimum numbers," adding, "There may be many more unreported cases."
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