In many ways Sweden have come a long way, especially if you compare with (South) Korea and look at gender issues. But I wouldn't dare to say that it needs to develop like the Western world because of its culture which makes a liberal development theory almost impossible to implement. If you do look upon Asia and Korea that way than you might start to believe that...
But is really the Western worlds' way of doing things the right way? Is it even the only acceptable method? I wouldn't go as far...
I have been able to gain some insight on what life in Korea for a married woman loks like today 2010. I have heard of a woman that is almost double my age with young children who is trying to divorce her husband now. That is not very easy though because if she does she is forced to repay everything she gained in terms of wedding gifts and also the husband's montly salary over the years. Only after the wedding gift expenses and the husband's salary has been repayed would she be able to apply for divorce if there is a valid reason for it that is...
Regarding the children once a married couple is divorced any children within the marriage is avorded to the husband not the mother, the only likely exception would be if the father is nice enough to sign over custody of the children on the mother. But usually the children in case of divorce is taken care of by the father's family...
A married Korean woman's freedom usually comes with a great price; losing the custody of her supposed children to the husband's family... Maybe this could explain why there isn't so many divorces in Korea...
When I hear this my urge to move back to Korea is not as strong and I don't feel as passionatly for it, but that is only temporarily though. But I also know that once a woman marries into a Korean family she is usually expected to resign from work to become a full time housewife and mother. This may of course be wrong depending on the husband's social status and attitude towards his own wife..
The population in Korea is estimated too 48758000 and in Seoul about 10465000, and that would mean that 24379000 out of the population in Korea would be women while 5232500 would be women out of the population in Seoul. With that many people and so many women one woman's faith doesn't dictate the life of all Korean women or women living in Seoul. It is like saying that your ethnicity dictates your future and life...
♥쳐음은안녕. Bye for now.♥
© Taste of Kimchi, Elle
Related posts:
Dirty Secrets
Female Suffrage
As far as I know, Korea is still a lot more traditional than other countries in terms of marriage and the roles that people play within marriage, particularly when it comes to the group mentality and the idea that everyone needs to strictly honour their elders. Although these are some nice sentiments, I know I'd struggle to live in a society like this.
ReplyDeleteParadoxically, Korea has a very low birth rate at the moment. They're sacrificing their having of children for work and career lives. When I look at these things, I don't think living in Korea really would suit me... I prefer having the freedom to choose my life for myself and not have to have perpetual obligation to my family and ancestors.
Yeah, I'm the same. I considered living there a couple of years ago, but what of the life that I have here? I'd miss my parents and my sister too much, and what about my husband? Plus, my values just don't match up with that of Korea's... *sigh*...
ReplyDelete