South Korea is in the midst of a population crisis, but there is one segment of society where there are now more babies than before — the children born to unmarried mothers.

The Asian country of some 51 million people saw its birth rate hit a record low in 2023. It is widely seen as a conservative and traditionally minded society, but analysts suggest that a gradual shift is taking place among the younger generations in modern Korea, with changing attitudes towards marriage, work and family.

At the same time, older Koreans cling to what they see as the appropriate standards.

"There is a deeply ingrained prejudice against women who become mothers outside of marriage in Korean society," said Hyobin Lee, an adjunct professor of politics and ethics at Chungnam National University.

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"In Korea, a woman who has a child without being married is perceived as having no defense; she is automatically seen as guilty," she told DW. "That is not only the attitude towards unwed mothers, but also divorced women and widows, who are often looked down-upon and stigmatized in traditional Korean society."

"These women were often considered less desirable for remarriage and, in some cases, the woman's parents would register the child under........

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