Fearing financial and social struggles, 96 percent of unmarried pregnant women have abortions, and of those who choose to give birth, 70 percent give up their children for adoption, the state-run Korean Women's Development Institute reports.

In the United States, only 1 percent of unwed moms choose adoption, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department.

"Unmarried pregnant women, desperate to seek help, contact adoption agencies. However, they persuade the mothers to give up their children rather than encourage them to raise the kids. Without knowing what's going on exactly, they agree for adoption," said an unwed mom and the director general of the Korean Unwed Mothers and Families Association, who requested not to be named.

Of the total 2,556 babies born to unmarried women and then adopted in 2008, 1,250 found their home abroad, the Health Ministry said.

Since 1958, Korea has sent more than 200,000 children abroad.

When it comes to welfare services, Korea still legs far behind other developed countries. Childcare, in particular, is one of the biggest obstacles for working moms, regardless of their being married or not.

However, while married or divorced women receive support from their expanded family members for childcare and other family affairs, such support is absent for unwed moms, making them more vulnerable.

"Unwed mothers come to have less choices. Because the children can be looked after only at nursery school, they have to find a job near the place and can't work overtime at night," said the director general of the unwed mothers' association.

Teenage pregnancy and, more recently, rampant abortions have emerged as serious social problems in Korea. And the issue of supporting unwed moms has just started gaining public attention.

Last year, the government has earmarked a budget of 1.6 billion won ($1.4 million) to provide assistance to unwed moms aged under 24.

However, the mothers and activists point out that the financial assistance should be given for the babies, regardless of their mothers' age.

When she started a campaign supporting unwed moms three years ago, Kwon Hee-jung, coordinator of the Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network, said she could not meet the mothers anywhere.

"I didn't know whom I was speaking for," she said.

Now, however, it's great for me to see moms work and speak for themselves."

A growing number of unmarried mothers, mostly those in their 20s and 30s, are deciding to raise their children recently. In 1984, the rate was only 5.8 percent. However, the figure surpassed 30 percent currently, according to the women's policy institute.

And they started joining forces and speaking out for the rights of unwed moms and their children.

Choi Houng-suk, a 39-year-old hairdresser, is one of them.

Along with other three unmarried moms, she opened last year an online community "Miss Momma Mia," which is aimed at sharing information and brining up the issue of unwed moms to be discussed.

Their campaign was linked to the foundation of the Korean Unwed Mothers and Families Association on Dec. 19. With some 40 members joining currently, the nation's first association of unwed moms aims to become a non-government organization in March.

"I'm not an activist, just the mother of my son. I am still hesitant to reveal myself in public," Choi said.

"When the media portrays our problems sensationally, I sometimes want to quit doing this. But I can't. If I don't take any action now, the social prejudice will be prolonged, affecting our children finally."

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