[Exclusive] Naming Controversy Over 'Eomma-ui Jeongseok' Distributed at 1st Grade Preliminary Gathering

Even the Usually Quiet Dad Faces an Unexpected Defeat
Yeongdeungpo Health Center's Informational Booklet
"Many People Unaware of the World's Changes"

Cover of the book 'Mom's Guide' published by Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center (Photo by Reader)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] A booklet guiding the vaccinations and other preparations that first-grade elementary school students should receive has sparked controversy after being named "Eomma-ui Jeongseok" (The Mom’s Guide).

According to Yeongdeungpo District Office in Seoul on the 11th, complaints were raised one after another immediately after the booklet titled "Eomma-ui Jeongseok" was distributed during the preliminary gathering for first-grade elementary school students held on the 6th and 7th. This booklet provides guidance on vaccinations and mental health that new elementary school students need to take care of. It was produced directly by the Yeongdeungpo District Public Health Center and was handed out to children and guardians who came to school along with other informational leaflets during the preliminary gathering. Although the content was largely appropriate, the use of the word "Eomma" (mom) as the subject of the action in the title caused issues. It gives the impression that the responsibilities for preparing children entering elementary school fall solely on the mother. The front cover of the booklet also depicts a mother alone taking her child to and from school and managing after-school studies.

There were also criticisms regarding the use of the word "Jeongseok" (guide or proper way). "Jeongseok" means "a fixed method for handling things," and critics argued that it is inappropriate to suggest there is a fixed way to raise children. It is known that Yeongdeungpo District Office is preparing a five-part YouTube lecture series on child-rearing titled "Elementary Grade 1 Eomma-ui Jeongseok Special Lecture."

Parents who saw this expressed unanimous disapproval of the inappropriate title. One parent who received the booklet said, "I feel sad wondering if no one was aware of the problem until it was printed and distributed," and added, "They should have considered other titles to accommodate children from families without parents." Another parent said, "I attended the preliminary gathering yesterday, and there were children holding their fathers’ hands," adding, "The world keeps changing, but it seems many people fail to recognize that." A Yeongdeungpo District Office official said, "We didn’t expect this to become an issue," and added, "The booklets have already been distributed and the preliminary gathering is over, so it is difficult to recall them."

Meanwhile, the Seoul Pregnancy and Childbirth Information Center faced strong criticism and deleted content from its website’s "Must Know" section on the 6th that included advice such as "Don’t postpone housework," "Prepare side dishes in advance for husbands who are poor at cooking," and "Organize clothes for husbands and children to change into," after receiving backlash.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.