Jin Jinsook: "Children of Unmarried Fathers Left in Legal and Institutional Blind Spots"

Loopholes Found in Consumer Coupon Distribution Process
Children Excluded Due to Birth Registration Restrictions
"Need for Support Linked to Social Security Electronic Management Number"

Jin Jinsook, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker.

Recently, concerns have been raised over the urgent need for measures after it was revealed that children from unmarried father households were excluded from government consumer coupon support simply because their birth registration was delayed.

Currently, Article 844 of the Civil Act and the Family Relationship Registration Act still enforce the rule that only mothers can register a child's birth. As a result, unmarried fathers must go through a court confirmation process, which can take anywhere from one to five years.

This structural loophole, where children are excluded from basic welfare such as child allowances or childcare services during the period of delayed birth registration, has been highlighted by the recent case of children of unmarried fathers being excluded from the consumer coupon program.

Jin Jinsook, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker representing Gwangju Buk-gu-eul, pointed out the issue during a Ministry of Health and Welfare work report on August 18, noting that children of unmarried fathers who could not receive a resident registration number due to birth registration restrictions were excluded from the consumer coupon program.

Jin stated, "The 'Social Security Electronic Management Number' system was introduced precisely to address these issues," and added, "Individuals such as those without family ties, those with unknown resident registration, and children of unmarried fathers are already registered in the 'Haengbokium' system to receive welfare services. The government should quickly coordinate with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to enable the provision of consumer coupons using the Social Security Electronic Management Number."

She continued, "Our system remains stuck in the mindset that raising a child is solely the mother's responsibility, leaving unmarried father households and diverse family types in legal and institutional blind spots. This is not simply an administrative delay, but a form of structural discrimination created by the state. I will do everything I can in the National Assembly, including sponsoring legal amendments, to address this issue."

Jin added, "Ensuring that not a single child falls through the cracks of the system is the starting point of the 'basic society' that President Lee Jaemyung has advocated."

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