Single mothers in Korean society suffer cultural stigmatism that is matter-of-factly inflicted upon orphans in Korean society as well. Approximately 200,000 Korean children have been adopted out of Korea since the 1950’s, with the majority having been abandoned. Korean society exacts a multitude of social and cultural pressures on single mothers and their children within a number of  unwritten norms and prejudices that are causing Korean women to abandon their children. If Jane Re was born in Korea from the same mother and father, she would not be considered a Korean citizen. In Korea, children of Korean citizen women, who had either a non-Korean father or no known Korean father were not Korean citizens, even if born in Korea. However, children whose “right of blood” could not be determined (orphaned, abandoned, or stateless), but are found within Korean sovereign territory are considered Korean citizens under South Korea’s citizenship laws. Mothers often abandon their children because by doing so, the abandoned child will have the rights and access to services, education, and employment as a Korean citizen.

Peterson, Joel, “The Surprising Facts Behind Korean Child Abandonment”. HuffPost, 

                October 10, 2017, pp. 1-4.