About 60 people from single mother families and organizations, such as In-tree, Korean Single Mother Family Association and Daegu Single Mother Family Association, walked from Seoul Plaza to Cheonggye Stream. (image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 12 (Korea Bizwire) — A multitude of organizations for unmarried mothers, single-parents and families with adopted kids from foreign countries walked in the streets of Seoul on May 10 to campaign for making a society with no discrimination towards non-traditional families.
About 60 people from single mother families and organizations, such as In-tree, Korean Single Mother Family Association and Daegu Single Mother Family Association, walked from Seoul Plaza to Cheonggye Stream.
They protested for the implementation of a welfare system that understands single parents.
According to a report by the Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) which was published in 2012, the average monthly salary of single parents in Korea was between 933,000 won to 989,400 won (US$ 857-909), while the average expenses was between 1,018,800 won to 1,155,000 won (US$ 936-1,062).
Costs related to child-rearing were almost half of the expenses.
Although the Korean government supports single-parents with 100,000 won to 150,000 won (US$ 91-137) monthly for rearing a child, 100,000 won monthly for a child under 24 years old and 50,000 won (US$ 45) yearly for buying supplies for a child.
The support money is reported to be a small contributor to improving hard economic conditions that single parents are facing.
The organizations also held a conference where single parents had their say on welfare, on May 11th at the National Assembly Member’s Office Building.
By J. W. Choi (summerchoi@koreabizwire.com)
