'Wigi Imsanbu Tonghap Jiwon Center' Opens... Oh Se-hoon: "Crisis Pregnancy Is Not a Personal Issue"

'Seoul City Crisis Pregnant Women Integrated Support Center' Opens
Supports Over 200 People Since Nationwide First Integrated Support Launch
Expansion of Dedicated Staff and Strengthening of One-on-One Counseling and Case Management

Seoul City's 'Integrated Support Center for Pregnant Women in Crisis' opened its doors on the 21st. It is an expansion of the existing 'Integrated Support Project Group for Pregnant Women in Crisis' and is responsible for counseling and supporting childbirth and parenting for pregnant women in crisis.

Earlier, when unregistered births of infants became a serious social issue, Seoul City launched integrated support last September for the first time nationwide, based on the principle of strict confidential counseling.

Prior to the launch of the 'Seoul City Integrated Support Center for Pregnant Women in Crisis,' the dedicated staff increased from 4 to 10 since July. This decision was made because the role of counselors is crucial in supporting pregnant women in crisis, and it is necessary to help them make the best choices by providing information tailored to individual circumstances and emotional support.

There have been achievements as well. In July, during the pilot operation period of the integrated support center following the implementation of the protected childbirth system, two pregnant women in crisis applied for protected childbirth. Among them, one withdrew the application through one-on-one counseling, emotional support, and case management provided by the center and is currently caring for her child. Since Seoul City started integrated support for pregnant women in crisis last September until July this year, a total of 2,729 instances of assistance?including counseling, facility protection, medical expense support, and childcare supplies?have been provided to 206 pregnant women in crisis.

Support from companies that have signed business agreements with Seoul City for 'Walking Together with Vulnerable Households' continues steadily. The Korea Economic Association, centered on its member companies (Samyang Group, Poongsan, Hanwha, Hoban), has extended helping hands to pregnant women in crisis. Poongsan and Hanwha helped improve spaces for counseling pregnant women in crisis, while Samyang Group, Hoban, and the Korea Economic Association provide sponsorship funds to support livelihood and housing in urgent situations.

The 'Seoul City Integrated Support Center for Pregnant Women in Crisis' also serves as a regional counseling agency (16 nationwide) under the Crisis Pregnancy Protection and Childbirth Act. Pregnant women in crisis nationwide can call the national representative number regardless of their region and be connected to a nearby regional counseling agency for confidential counseling. Additionally, if a pregnant woman in crisis requests facility admission, she is actively protected in single-parent family welfare facilities regardless of income. Seoul City plans to establish 10 new protection shelters for pregnant women in crisis in the second half of this year and will protect those who have difficulty living in facilities due to psychological and emotional challenges in individual spaces.

At the opening ceremony, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, "A crisis pregnancy is not just an individual issue but one that our entire society must continuously care about and support." He added, "Thanks to the help of many people, the crisis pregnancy support project, which started as a pilot project, was able to expand its organization and scale within less than a year and lead to the launch of the integrated support center. We will continue to do our best to support pregnant women in crisis so that they can decide to give birth and raise their children in a healthy and safe environment."

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