'한부모가족의날' 첫 법정기념일... "모든 가족에 차별 없어야"
May 10th,... is Single Parent's Day here in Korea.
Set aside to promote awareness of single parent families, today marks the first time the occassion is being celebrated.
Choi Si-young explains what this special day is all about.
"With All Families" was the slogan at the first celebration of Single Parent's Day. At the event,... the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family recognized the achievements of those,... who helped raise awareness and build an "inclusive" society that does not discriminate against single parents.
"With prejudice and discrimination behind us, I hope that our society treats all families with respect and understanding and ushers in a culture where all families live equally."
The ministry said it hopes to encourage more people to embrace single parent families,... with Single Parent's Day to be celebrated annually from this year.
"Designating May 10th as single parent's day is one thing, but single parents say they need more wide-ranging measures and support from the government and the public."
"Single parents and their children still face discrimination. Every child is the same whether they're from a single parent or not. We need to not discriminate against them based on their parents."
A survey conducted last year by the family ministry on twenty-five hundred single parents showed,... the majority of them felt discriminated against in their neighborhoods and at their children's school.
The government alone cannot eradicate discrimination against single parent families and hopes that by celebrating Single Parent's Day annually, the public can change their outlooks.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News
