[News Today] Over 50 migrant children missing

[LEAD]
It's been a year since Korea's birth notification system took effect, but children born to undocumented foreign parents remain outside its reach.

A government report obtained by KBS revealed at least 54 migrant babies had birth records, but couldn't be located.

[REPORT]
Parents who can't care for their babies leave them in this baby box.

The center recently saw many babies born of parents who are foreigners.

Hwang Min-suk / Director, Baby Box Center
I asked her to talk to me but she just ran away.

Since the parents' status isn't secure, their babies' births are not registered.

Sometimes, such children even end up dead as they are left without medical benefits and other assistance.

Hwang Min-suk / Director, Baby Box Center
Since the mother is an illegal alien, she couldn't register her baby's birth. The baby wasn't treated properly and eventually died before Chuseok.

KBS has obtained the findings of the government's last survey on unregistered children of migrants conducted two years ago when infant abandonment was rampant.

The findings showed that at least 54 out of roughly 5,100 babies could not be located.

They couldn't be found because their biological mothers wrote down wrong personal information or fell out of contact.

Song In-seon / Fmr. Justice Ministry's Immigration Policy Committee
I think they died. When they are neglected and not treated properly, conditions deteriorate rapidly for children with pulmonary diseases.

Police have confirmed that 53 children have died.

Abandonment or neglect could have caused their deaths, but they're left unattended even after death.

The government surveyed about 5,100 babies, but it's estimated that the actual number of unregistered migrant children stands at over 20,000.

The survey couldn't include babies born at home in fear of being reported or arrested.

Although lives are being threatened outside of the social system, there are no additional studies or measures to help them.