SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — The Seoul metropolis authorities is going through a well-liked backlash after advising pregnant girls to prepare dinner their husbands a number of meals and guarantee they’ve a provide of fresh underwear earlier than going to hospital to present beginning.
This may keep away from inflicting household “inconvenience,” the federal government of the South Korean capital posted on a web site for expectant moms.
The rules — initially posted in 2019 — had been eliminated final week from the web site after they got here to public discover and triggered a groundswell of criticism.
As of Monday afternoon, greater than 20,000 folks had signed a petition posted on the presidential web site calling for the officers chargeable for the content material to be punished.
Throughout the early levels of being pregnant, girls had been suggested to hold up a small-sized outfit that they wish to put on after giving beginning to “encourage” them to not overeat or skip workout routines.
“By not pushing aside family chores like cleansing and doing the dishes, it can assist with sustaining your weight even with out doing further train,” the Being pregnant and Childbirth Data Centre web site stated.
As their due date approaches, an expectant mom ought to put together just a few meals prematurely for her husband who will likely be “unfamiliar with cooking”, and guarantee he has clear underwear, socks, shirts and handkerchiefs to final him till his spouse returns from hospital.
“Keep away from inflicting inconvenience to your loved ones by checking if there are sufficient bathroom paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, cleaning soap and detergent,” the web site acknowledged.
South Korea is going through a demographic disaster as its beginning fee plunges with girls going through a double burden of labor and childcare.
“The target of the web site appears to be to advertise singlehood and never motherhood,” the petition reads, including: “Does Seoul metropolis consider girls as public items that give beginning?”
In a press release to AFP on Monday, the Seoul metropolis authorities acknowledged that it had did not “completely evaluate” the contents earlier than posting them on its web site.
“We are going to set up a basis for normal inspection of the general operation to stop this from ever taking place once more.”
© Agence France-Presse
