The plan is aimed at embracing unmarried couples living together as official families. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s gender ministry said Monday that it will push forward with a plan to have unmarried couples living together recognized as official families.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family noted that the 4th Healthy Family Basic Plan (2021-2025) includes measures to enable the formation of families in various forms, including those not covered by the marriage system.
This move came after the share of typical families consisting of parents and children slid to 29.8 percent in 2019 from 37 percent in 2010, with the number of unmarried couples living together rising steadily.
The plan is aimed at embracing unmarried couples living together as official families, while preventing them from being discriminated against in family-related benefits and support.
In addition, the ministry also plans to change existing laws and the convention of automatically giving children the father’s surname such that parents will be able to make their own choices.
Under current laws, it’s possible to select the mother’s surname when the parents are married. When registering birth, however, the principle of giving the priority to the father’s surname has been applied.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
