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Korean women take their babies almost everywhere. Only in the last decade or so have western-style
strollers started to catch on. I suspect that, as with many things Western, there's some status connected
with them.
But strollers haven't yet fully replaced the old way. Traditional Koren moms still carry their young ones on their
backs. These "baby backpacks" are called
podegi.
They developed from the shawls that women used to wear during the cold Korean winters. Podegi and their modern replacements, chunei, strike me as way more suited than strollers to a crowded nation. They also don't get stuck in ruts and potholes -- a problem we saw several parents struggling with on the dirt paths at Kangnung (Gangneung) Tano. Still, I wonder how healthy they are for mum's back.
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