Dispute on Morality of Baby Box

There was dispute on ‘baby box’ in the second half of 2011. In 2009, clergyman, Lee Jong-rak made a baby box on church wall. Actually, 26 new born babies were abandoned in the ‘baby box’. The babies who had disability were thrown out from the unmarried mothers with letters. If there was no baby box,the babies could die by hypothermia in the cold weather. But Ministry of health and welfare, and Gwanak Ward Office are requesting to remove baby box because it is illegal for non-authorized facility to look after baby. Baby box was installed to prevent from abandonment of baby in cold weather and risk. But it is on dispute between ‘protection of infant’ and ‘encouragement of abandonment’. Like dispute surrounding abortion or contraception, baby box is a complicated problem and it is not easy to conclude. It is a difficult subject that anybody cannot judge awkwardly. This is because the subject is related to human life. This thesis tried to evaluate this problem from ethical view. First, contradictory views are reviewed - the views are if baby box is for encouragement of abandonment, or if it is for protection of infant. Second, this problem is investigated from positions of Deontology and Teleology which are representative views of ethics. And this paper applies principles of modern medical ethics from the dispute to evaluate the problem. Finally, this subject is treated with from positions of personal ethic and social ethic.