Power of the People Jong-in Kim, Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee. Central photo
Single mother organizations such as the Korea Single Parents Association demanded an apology from Kim Jong-in, the leader of the Emergency Response Committee, the power of the people who was caught up in controversy over remarks on single mothers.
The single-parent group made a statement on the day and said, “We regret that Chairman Kim visited the single mother living facility in Seoul and said that it was abnormal about the single mother.”
Chairman Kim visited a family welfare facility for single-parent and single mothers in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the 9th and heard the difficulties of single mothers with mental illness and intellectual disabilities. “It seems difficult to manage mothers and children. I don’t think there are many.”
The head of the welfare facility appealed for support, saying, “There are a lot of mentally difficult people, but it is very difficult because there are no night workers in the facility. Pregnant women do not get hospitalized because they cannot take medicine.” In response, Chairman Kim said, “(Some single mothers) are in a very vulnerable state mentally, so it would be difficult for mothers to care for them well.”
The single-parent group said, “At this point in demanding a family policy that encompasses family diversity, it is heartbreaking for single mothers who are courageous to raise their children even in difficult conditions for a representative of a responsible party to speak abnormally about single mothers. “It is a very worrisome remark that can promote social prejudice against the people.”
He added, “Chairman Kim immediately apologizes for any abnormal remarks that may lead to prejudice against single mothers and urges them to take the lead in raising awareness and supporting single mothers.”
Reporter Hao Soo-min [email protected]