A program providing financial assistance for the independent living of single parent has been implemented by the Gyeonggi-do Province is not producing actual results due to few applications.

The provincial government has instituted a program to support the households of single parent under the age of 24 by providing financial support for child rearing and medical expenses. 

This was for improving negative concept towards unwed mothers because single parent who are under 24 years and rearing child are presumed as unwed mothers. This was also implemented for preventing the youth unwed mothers from giving up their babies for adoption.

Aiming for 4225 recipients, the provincial government secured a budget of 3,284,390,000 KRW for 31 counties and cities in Gyeonggi-do Province.

As of June, only 197 single parent under 24 years old, 4.6% of the total registered single parent in Gyeonggi-do, applied for the support.

29 single parent out of 499 in Suwon City, 27 out of 426 in Ansan City, 21 out of 209 in Uijeongbu City, and only 12 out of 204 in Namyangju City has applied so far.

Particularly there was no single applicant from Gwangju City, Kimpo City Anseong City Gapyeong-gun County which expected 73, 53, 74, and 10 single parent under 24 years would apply. In the meantime, Hwaseong City and Guri City have not secured any budget yet for the young single parent.

The reason why few applicants have applied is viewed as young unwed mothers are reluctant to expose themselves in the community due to severe stigma against them. The prevailing stigma also hiders finding out more youth child rearing unwed mothers and understand the realities of their everyday life.

The provincial government has sent official documents to cities and counties to request active cooperation in seeking out young unwed mothers in order to the success of the program. Along with this, Hwaseong City and Guri City were asked to secure budget to support single parent under 24 years old by making up revised supplementary budget as early as possible.

A government official from Gyeonggi-do Province said, “Removing stigma on unwed mothers and improving social concept towards them are most urgently required in our society because unwed mothers are afraid of being exposed in the community even though various supporting programs are available.”

Reported by Jang Chung-sik.jjang@ekgib.com

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