Just over two thirds of the respondents said any individuals who share their housing and livelihood with each other should be acknowledged as family. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The majority of South Koreans were found to support the idea of amending the current legal system that classifies childbirth depending on the marital status of the child’s parents.
The Ministry of Gender and Equality conducted a survey on 1,500 South Koreans last month to gain insight into views on family diversity.
In the survey, 75.6 percent of respondents said they support the idea of abolishing the categorization of childbirth by the parents’ marital status currently stipulated in the civil code.
According to the survey, 78.4 percent of female respondents, exceeding the 72.9 percent of male respondents, were in support of the idea.
Among age groups, respondents in their 40s showed the strongest support (83.6 percent) while those in their 70s remained at 56.3 percent.
More than two thirds of the respondents also called for abolishing the current system of newborn children inheriting the father’s last name and giving parents the right to choose the family name for their children.
Female respondents (77.6 percent) showed stronger support for the idea than male respondents (63.4 percent), and the overall level of support increased among younger age groups.
Among the respondents, 60.1 percent were in support of enlarging the scope of family to include common-law marriage and unmarried couples choosing to live together.
Female respondents (63 percent) showed stronger support for the idea than male respondents (57.3 percent). Support levels were high among all age groups under 60 years old.
Just over two thirds of the respondents said any individuals who share their housing and livelihood with each other should be acknowledged as family, regardless of their marital status or blood relationships.
“We were able to confirm that South Koreans have become more lenient towards accepting family diversity,” said a source familiar with the Ministry of Gender and Equality.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
“In the survey, 75.6 percent of respondents said they support the idea of abolishing the categorization of childbirth by the parents’ marital status currently stipulated in the civil code.”
But what are the categories of childbirth by parents marital status and what effects do they have on the children or parent?