Mail-order Brides in South Korea

 

 

Mail-order Brides in South Korea
 
By Rigoberto Banta Jr., Guest Reporter
 
Every Korean can note the steady increase of foreign migration to the nation—a growth not only in the population of migrants but in the groups of Korean children. Once can notice the mixed features of some children in kindergartens, non-Korean looking mothers shopping for groceries in local stores or probably even a group of migrant workers talking in their native language. In this growth of migrant population in South Korea, multi-cultural marriages are inevitable. Following events of the past decade in Korea we can trace how an international marriage has developed into one of the top options of Koreans pressed by the cultural norm of compulsory matrimony, especially for men.
Acknowledged now as one of the world’s emerging powers, South Korea has achieved the population pattern of other developed countries—an aged populace with people in the reproductive years opting not to bear children. Men and women left unmarried until in the latter part of their life may become a burden to the government and ultimately to the Korean society without an attending family. On the other hand, many people from developing countries are drawn to migrate to such countries as South Korea to find better opportunities which in turn helps their home countries with increased foreign revenues. Poor people from developing countries such as the Philippines opt to seek ways to escape poverty through arranged marriages with people from developed countries that have passed their prime for marriage and reproduction. In the bigger picture, international marriages might be one of the ways of balancing the line between the poor and rich and even population issues—on a world scale.  
Now we have it all cleared-up: it is a fair trade between both parties, intrinsically and extrinsically. Consider as well that the two parties have undertaken marriage on their own account and full responsibility. Social stigma should not be labelled upon these people who are plainly exercising their own options. But still, what seems to be the problem in these kind of, let us say, ‘transactions’? Can this be considered human trafficking?
Before South Korea entered its developed stage as a country with an emerging economy, it had housed mail-order brides for the western market, most of them women. Korean women, with their consent, were paired with European or American men to be able to migrate to western countries and start a ‘better life’. As the South Korean economy improved, this trend began to change. People from developing countries now flock to South Korea with marriage contracts between them and Korean people, as you may have guess, most of them women. You can guess what may happen to women escaping poverty by migrating to a foreign land to seek matrimony with an able man.. Domestic violence is common in this scenario. Women are often socially out-caste by the closed Korean society and multi-cultural sons and daughters are ignored by their fellow mates; this often leads the disappointed husband to maltreatment of the family. Language serves as another problem. The barrier leads to miscommunication and total indifference in the marriage.
What solution can we offer to end this maltreatment? I believe that opening our eyes to the reality and hearing out other voices will be the first step. Communication and understanding is what we need. This, after all, serves both parties both ways. In this era of globalization, it is time to open Korean society and everyone else’s minds to new opinions and ways to seek solutions for today’s problems. I, personally, would not hesitate to look for my other half in a country as far away as Uzbekistan. How about you?
▲ A multi-cultural family having a great time together
저작권자 © Chonnam Tribune 무단전재 및 재배포 금지