Top star Jung Woo Sung’s extramarital child scandal sparks public discourse on single-parent births, prompting a government response.

On November 28th KST, Yoo Hye Mi, the chief of low birthrate response, held a briefing at the Presidential Office regarding measures to address the country’s declining birthrate. During the subsequent Q&A session, a senior official was asked about single-parent births and stated, “The government will explore ways to ensure that every life can grow up without discrimination.”

According to the ‘2023 Birth Statistics’ released by Statistics Korea, 4.7% of last year’s births—10,900 babies—were born outside of marriage, the highest figure since such data collection began in 1981. While single-parent births are gradually increasing in South Korea, the figure remains significantly lower compared to other developed nations.

The senior official elaborated on policies supporting childbirth and childcare in non-marital families, saying, “Programs such as child allowances, parental pay, and parental leave are designed based on the child, regardless of the parents’ marital status. The government maintains a consistent philosophy of actively supporting and protecting every child, regardless of their family situation. We will continue to improve any shortcomings in these policies.”

On societal attitudes toward single-parent births, the Presidential Office stated, “There are aspects, such as social discrimination, that cannot be addressed solely through policies. The government will continue to evaluate how to support every life to grow up healthy and happy without discrimination.”

This comes amid revelations that Jung Woo Sung is the father of a child born to 16-years-younger model Moon Ga Bi, who gave birth in secret earlier this year. On November 24th, Jung’s agency confirmed his intention to focus solely on raising the child rather than pursuing marriage, sparking a nationwide debate on single-parent births.

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