Pink subway seat blues? Pregnant women not receiving consideration in public, survey indicates.
Published: 23 Dec. 2025, 13:52
Updated: 23 Dec. 2025, 18:55
![A pregnant woman touches her belly during an event for pregnant women held in Seoul in October. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/23/fb2c55d0-25d6-4359-957c-b6430edfedf1.jpg)
A pregnant woman touches her belly during an event for pregnant women held in Seoul in October. [NEWS1]
Nearly half of pregnant women in Korea say they have received absolutely no extra consideration because of their pregnancy, with street smoking cited as the most common nuisance.
The Korea Population Health and Welfare Association released the results of its 2025 survey on public consideration for pregnant women on Tuesday. The online survey, conducted between October and November, polled 1,000 pregnant women and 1,000 members of the general public.
According to the survey, 82.6 percent of the general public said they had shown consideration toward pregnant women. However, only 56.1 percent of pregnant respondents said they had actually received such consideration, leaving a perception gap of 26.5 percentage points between the two groups.
The association asked respondents about positive and negative experiences at home, in the workplace and in daily life. Among negative experiences in everyday settings, pregnant women overwhelmingly cited street smoking, with 82.2 percent selecting it. The result reflects concerns not only for their own health but also for their unborn child's.
In the workplace, the most common negative experience was feeling pressured by supervisors or colleagues, cited by 41 percent. At home, the most frequently cited issue was a lack of understanding of the physical and emotional changes associated with pregnancy, at 30.4 percent.
By contrast, the most common form of consideration pregnant women experienced at home was sharing household chores such as cleaning and laundry.
In the workplace, the most appreciated form of consideration was flexible commuting hours. Adjusted start and end times were also cited as the most necessary form of support for pregnant workers, highlighting flexible work arrangements as a key factor in sustaining employment during pregnancy.
![Employees of Seoul Metro and others hold a joint campaign promoting consideration for pregnant women inside a Line 2 subway train in Seoul. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/23/612a24e0-d18c-4fb3-bf8f-db225e3a0018.jpg)
Employees of Seoul Metro and others hold a joint campaign promoting consideration for pregnant women inside a Line 2 subway train in Seoul. [NEWS1]
The survey found that 79.5 percent of pregnant women had used priority seats on public transportation such as subways, down from 92.3 percent in 2024. Six in 10 respondents, or 60.9 percent, said they felt uncomfortable when using such seats.
The association attributed the discomfort to a lack of empathy and practical cooperation from surrounding passengers. The most common reason cited was that people did not give up their seats. Still, similar proportions of pregnant women at 69.3 percent and the general public at 68.6 percent agreed that priority seats for pregnant women should be left vacant when possible.
When asked to rate the overall level of societal consideration for pregnant women, the general public gave an average score of 69.1 points, up 6.2 points from 2024. Pregnant women, however, rated it lower at 64.9 points, a decrease of 2 points from the previous year.
“The survey shows that while social awareness of the need to consider pregnant women is improving, a gap remains between perception and lived experience,” said Lee Sam-sik, president of the Korea Population Health and Welfare Association.
“Daily inconveniences such as the use of priority seats on public transportation and street smoking are difficult to resolve through policy alone,” Lee said. “They require changes in civic awareness and consistent efforts in practice.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG JONG-HOON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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