It has been 10 years since the first baby box was introduced in Korea. The first generation of baby box children is going through puberty. A baby box is designed to allow parents who cannot raise their children due to unavoidable circumstances to abandon their babies safely. Baby boxes, which began in Europe during the middle ages, now exist worldwide including 100 in Germany, 67 in Poland, and 76 in the Czech Republic. There are currently two boxes in Korea, one in Seoul and one in Gyeonggi-do. This year, 42 children were reportedly placed in the baby boxes.
A baby box was first installed at Jusarang Community Church in December 2009 to prevent unsafe infant abandonment. The 70cm wide, 45cm long, and 60cm high box is small enough for a newborn baby. The bottom of the small space is covered with several layers of towels, with a heating wire under it to keep the infant warm. When the box is opened, a bell rings in the office, and a volunteer goes out to take care of the child. If confirmed that the parents gave up their child, a police report will be written, and the infant will be sent to a government-run childcare facility. The baby boxes are entirely operated by volunteers’ participation and donations.
An initiative called the “Baby Box Project” was carried out by the BtoB non-profit organization to end the baby box crisis. It began with the question of what made people abandon their children? According to their analysis of 500 babies and parents who came to the baby box, there were eight common elements: severe economic difficulties, unstable housing, single-parent families, lack of family members, ignorance of pregnancy and contraception, baby health problems, the birth of a baby in a relationship other than a typical socially defined marriage, and unwanted pregnancy. This study has shed light on the many social structure problems. Adult can no longer dismiss this crisis as simply individual irresponsibility
