Research for historical marriage patterns and present KOSIANS
status
by:
Gyung Cheol Choi, PhD
Marriage is a socially or ritually recognized union or legal contract
between spouses that establishes rights and obligations between them, and their children,
and their in-laws. This comprises various definitions. As years go by, patterns of
marriages are considered to be dynamic. Furthermore, international marriage is well
discussed here, in which its causes and effects were being scrutinized. Additionally, sets
of statistics regarding Filipino-Foreign national marriages according to different
classifications such as by country, age, gender, occupation and education were cited.
Through these, it would be easy to breakdown and trace the reasons or factors in dealing
with marriage.
On one hand, this paper also accentuates the coeval status of KOSIANS or
Korean with Asian partner together with their latest statistics or numbers. Moreover,
divorce is interrelated to marriage, as marriage increases divorce rate likewise
augmenting. That is why this facet is also subjected to this research.
Love Mother’s Country Campaign is also essential part of this study, as it is cited
as one of the reasons to protect the identity and culture of the mother engaging in
international marriage.
Keywords: Marriage, international marriage, patterns of marriage, KOSIANS, Love
Mother’s Country
DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE
1
Marriage is also known as matrimony or wedlock, is a socially or ritually
recognized union or legal contract between spouses that establishes rights and
obligations between them, and their children, and their in-laws. The definition of
marriage varies according to different cultures, but it is principally an institution in which
interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged. However, in
some cultures, marriage is recommended or compulsory before pursuing any sexual
activity when defined broadly, marriage is considered a cultural universal.
1
Haviland, William A.; Prins, Harald E. L.; McBride, Bunny; Walrath, Dana (2011). Cultural Anthropology: The Human
Challenge (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.
23
PATTERNS OF MARRIAGE
There are four patterns of marriage. Here are the following:
1.
2
Marriage of convenience
A marriage of convenience is a marriage contracted for reasons other than the
reasons of relationship, family, or love. Instead, such marriage is orchestrated for
personal gain or some other sort of strategic purpose, such as political marriage.
Under marriage of convenience, we have:
Metaphorical usage in which the phrase "marriage of convenience" has also been
generalized to mean any partnership between groups or individuals for their mutual
(and sometimes illegitimate) benefit, or between groups or individuals otherwise
unsuited to working together.
Legal loophole wherein marriages of convenience are often contracted to exploit
legal loopholes of various sorts. For an instance, a couple may wed for reasons
of citizenship or right of abode, as many countries around the world will grant such
rights to any wedded resident.
Homosexuality is another common reason to hide one partner's homosexuality in
cases where being openly gay is punishable or potentially detrimental. A sham
marriage of this type, known as the lavender marriage, may thus create the
appearance of heterosexuality.
Political marriage is one of the reasons for marriage, usually some marriages in
medieval times were marriages of convenience, such as those of Agnes of Courtenay,
or that of her daughter Sibylla, and that of Jeanne d’ Albret, among many other
examples. This is also called a marriage of state.
2.
3
Marriage of state
In ancient use is a diplomatic marriage or union between two members of
different nation-states or internally, between two power blocks, usually in
authoritarian societies and is a practice which dates back into pre-history, as far back
as early Grecian cultures in western society, and of similar antiquity in other
civilizations. The fable of Helen of Troy may be the best known pre-historic tale
reporting an incidence of surrendering a female of a ruling line to gain peace or shore
up alliances of state between nation-states headed by small oligarchies or
acknowledged royalty.
2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_of_convenience
3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_of_state
24
4
Early European marriages, the contemporary Western ideal sees marriage as a
unique bond between two people who are in love, families in which heredity is central
to power or inheritance (such as royal families) often see marriage in a different light.
There are often political or other non-romantic functions that must be served, and the
relative wealth and power of the potential spouses should be considered. Marriage
for political, economic, or diplomatic reasons was a pattern seen for centuries among
European rulers. In addition, during their times, careful selection of spouse is
necessary to maintain the royal status of their family. In this type of marriage, several
factors you have to reckon like: amount of territory being governed, stability of
control over that territory, and political alliance. With these, they can secure their
economic and political status.
Importance of religion, generally speaking, religion has always been closely tied
to political affairs and continues to be today in many countries. Religious
considerations were often important in marriages among royal families, particularly
in lands where there was an established (official) religion.
Early marriage negotiation, negotiations in marriage are frequent in royal blood.
Many factors are an important part of negotiations such as the alliances that will be
made, the religion, and the opinion of the royal family. Marriage was often based on
political reasons, rather than love at this time.
3.
5
Arranged or blind marriages
During the late eighteenth-hundreds (1800 AD) and early nineteenth –hundreds
(1900 AD), when Pearl S. Buck resided in China, traditional Chinese marriages were
"virtually universal" for all women. In fact, young Chinese daughters would basically
be married off by their parents, yielding "blind marriages" (Stockard 1). These
marriages were arranged principally on a monetary basis. In "blind marriages", the
bride and groom to-be were not at all acquainted with one another until after their
holy union. Moreover, arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride
and groom are selected by a third party rather than by each other. It was common
worldwide until the 18th century. In modern times, arranged marriage has continued
in royal, aristocratic families and ethnic minority groups in developed countries.
Types of arranged marriages
 Arranged exogamous marriage: is one where a third party finds and selects the
bride and groom irrespective of their social, economic and cultural group.
 Arranged endogamous marriage: is one where a third party finds and selects the
bride and groom from a particular social, economic and cultural group.
 Consanguineous marriage: is a type of arranged endogamous marriage. It is one
where the bride and groom share a grandparent or near ancestor. Examples of these
include first cousin marriages, uncle-niece marriages, second cousin marriages, and
so on.
Causes and prevalence of arranged marriage
4
Fleming, Patricia H. (June 1973). "The Politics of Marriage Among Non-Catholic European Royalty". Current
Anthropology 14 (3): 231–249
5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arranged_marriage
25
Over human history through modern times, the practice of arranged marriages
have been encouraged by a combination of factors such as the practice of child
marriage, late marriage, tradition, culture, religion, poverty and limited choice,
disabilities, wealth and inheritance issues, politics, social and ethnic conflicts.
Child marriage particularly those below the age of 12, do not prepare or
provide the individual much opportunity to make an informed, free choice about
matrimony. These child marriages are implicitly arranged marriages.
Poverty in impoverished communities, every adult mouth to feed becomes a
continuing burden. Arranging a marriage of a daughter, claim scholars, is a means to
reduce this burden. Poverty, thus, is a driver of arranged marriage.
Late marriage specifically past the age of 30, reduces the pool of available
bachelors for autonomous marriages. Thus, introductions and arranged marriages
become a productive option.
Limited choices migrant minority ethnic populations have limited choice of
partners, particularly when they are stereotyped, segregated or avoided by the majority
population. This encourages homogamy and arranged marriages within the ethnic
group.
Physical disabilities certain physical disabilities increase the likelihood of
arranged, even forced marriages in some parts of the world.
Tradition many cultures traditionally seek endogamous marriages. A prominent
example of this practice is the Hindu culture where the bride and groom belong to the
same caste, but are non-consanguineous, that is the bride and groom cannot be blood
relatives or an extended family member.
Custom in which the consequence of some customs is arranged marriage.
Politics is one of the main factors resulting arranged marriages across feudal
lords, city states and kingdoms, as a means of establishing political alliances, trade
and peace were common in human history.
Wealth and inheritance issues here, various cultures, particularly some wealthy
royals and aristocratic families, arranged marriages in part to conserve or streamline
the inheritance of their wealth.
Bride-wealth in many cultures, particularly in parts of Africa and the Middle East,
daughters are valuable on the marriage market, because the groom and his family must
pay cash and property for the right to marry the daughter.
26
4.
6
Marriage for economic considerations
The financial aspects of marriage vary between cultures and have changed over
time. In some cultures, dowries and bride wealth continue to be required today. In both
cases, the financial arrangements are usually made between the groom (or his family)
and the bride's family; with the bride in many cases not being involved in the
arrangement, and often not having a choice in whether to participate in the marriage.
While in Early Modern Britain, the social status of the couple was supposed to be
equal. After the marriage, all the property (called "fortune") and expected inheritances
of the wife belonged to the husband.
Dowry is "a process whereby parental property is distributed to a daughter at her
marriage (i.e. inter vivos) rather than at the holder's death (mortis causa). A dowry
establishes some variety of conjugal funds, the nature of which may vary widely. This
fund ensures her support (or endowment) in widowhood and eventually goes to
provide for her sons and daughters.”
Bride wealth it is also known as bride price although this has fallen in disfavor as
it implies the purchase of the bride. Also is the amount of money or property or wealth
paid by the groom or his family to the parents of a woman upon the marriage of their
daughter to the groom
Taxation in many countries a married person or couple benefits from various
taxation advantages not available to a single person. For example, spouses may be
allowed to average their combined incomes; this is advantageous to a married couple
with disparate incomes.
KINDS OF MARRIAGE
7
1.
Polygamy is a "state of marriage to many spouses" or "frequent
marriage”. This is a type of marriage that includes more than two partners. Like
8
Hmong tribe, majority of them immigrated to Thailand in the 1950s and 1960s,
fleeing from the long civil war in Laos. They are renowned for their fierce
independence, and, in Laos, for anti-communism. In their culture, kinship is
patrilineal, and polygamy is permitted.
9
2.
Monogamy is the opposite of polygamy. It is a form of relationship in
which an individual has only one partner during their lifetime or at any one time. For
an instance, 10Karen tribe they were early converts to Christianity when Burma was a
British colony, and some Thai Karens are Baptist or Seventh-Day Adventists.
6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#Economic_considerations
7
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy
8
Southeast Asia: Insight Guides/ Discovery Channel
9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monogamy
10
Southeast Asia: Insight Guides/ Discovery Channel
27
Likewise, they place great emphasis on monogamy, condemn premarital sex, and trace
ancestry through the mother.
11
3.
Interfaith marriage traditionally called mixed marriage; it is a marriage
(either religious or civil) between partners professing different religions. Typically
connotes a marriage in which both partners remain adherents to their distinct religion,
and as such it is distinct from concepts of religious conversion, religious assimilation,
cultural assimilation, religious disaffiliation, and apostasy.
In this situation, 12Muslim-non-Muslim marriages are one of the hottest
issues. According to Lacar (1980, p.20), a Maguindanao Muslim woman marrying a
non-Muslim man (an action which is forbidden in syariah law) finds herself subjected
to all kinds of pressures from her own kin group and by the community, although it is
not possible to prevent such marriages through legal means (see also Maruhom 2003).
In Southern Thailand, the accepted practice requires one partner to convert into the
other’s religion before marriage, though this not always happen. While Nishii (2007,
pp.302-03) reports that demographic, political and economic conditions affect the
incidence of intermarriage between Muslims and non-Muslims.
Marriage and Conversion in Muslim country
Various situations being encountered in different countries, their rules are
based to their accepted cultures. In Indonesia, the issue debated is whether or not such
marriages should be allowed. In Malaysia, where they are not allowed, the primary
contestation is over issues related to conversion out of Islam. And in Thailand and
Philippines, the main issues of the Muslim regions are those relating to poverty,
marginalization, identity, autonomy, and separation.
Choices from different religious marriage
For a couple from different religious backgrounds contemplating
marriage, the options are: One spouse can convert to the religion of the other, both can
maintain separate religions, both can convert another religion, and one or both can
drop out of religious involvement.
4.
13
International marriage
Also called as transnational marriage, is a marriage between two people from
different countries. A variety of special issues arise in marriages between people from
different countries, including those related to citizenship and culture, which add
complexity and challenges to these kinds of relationships.
11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfaith_marriage
12
Jones, Gavin W., Chee,Heng Leng and Mohmad, Maznah (2009). “Muslim-non-Muslim Marriage: Political and Cultural Contestations in
Southeast Asia” pp. 10-11.
13 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnational_marriage
28
Peranakans Chinese and Baba Nyonya
14
Are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese
immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago and British Malaya (now Peninsular
Malaysia and Singapore) they are the springs of inter-marriages, 15their chances of
“returning” to the ancestral land became more remote as their culture is no longer
“pure Chinese”. The peranakan or local-born Indonesian-speaking Chinese are a
case in point. In the past, they were claimed by both China and the colonial
governments as their subjects; hence these Chinese often possessed dual “citizenship”.
However, after independence, the Chinese were faced with the challenge of nationbuilding. They had to choose between local citizenship and that of China.
KOSIANS
16
A Kosian or Onnurian is a person of mixed Korean father and other
Asian mother, or a family which mixes Korean and other Asian cultures. The term,
Kosian was first coined in 1997 by intercultural families to refer to themselves. The
term is most commonly applied to children of a South Korean father and a Southeast
Asian mother; its use spread in the early 2000s as international marriages became
more common in rural areas.
Year
International Marriages Rate
2011
29,762
1990
4,710
Figure 1. International Marriage in South Korea
According to government-run Statistics Korea.
 The number of Vietnamese wives in South Korea has exploded in recent years,
from 77 in 2000, to 7,636 in 2011.
 Total number of Foreign residents are 1,392,648 person as a date of November
2011 and it is 2.2% of total residents in Korea.
14
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peranakan
15
Ananta, Aris & Arifin, Evi Nurvidya (2004). “International Migration in Southeast Asia” pp. 72 and 75.
16
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_South_Korea
29
Figure 2. Provincial government statistics executed on July 2011 in South
Korea for the foreign workers and Marriage Immigrants
 Among 1,392,648 foreign residents, foreign workers are 603,260
person(44%).
 International marriage immigrants are 143,646 person(11%).
 During year 2001-2011,foreign marriage immigrants tends to increase 6% every
year.
 International marriage children are 107,689 person which occupy 9.7% of total
foreign residents
 Total numbers of International marriage woman are reaching to 126,415 person,
as of May 2012.
 10% of 126,000 international marriage women have been divorced every year
and the divorce rate seems to be increased every year.
 Virtual Market plays a major role in international marriage.
 This serves as a mode or way of interacting or the meeting place of two persons
in two different turfs.
30
Table 1
Number of Filipino Spouses and other partners of foreign nationals by
major country: 2005-2012
YEAR
USA
Japan
Australia
Canada
Germany
S.Korea
UK
Taiwan
Sweden
Norway
Others
Total
%change
2005
8,621
6,322
1,677
974
467
725
506
293
210
222
1,083
21,100
11.4%
2006
10,190
8,601
1,541
988
528
415
619
282
278
284
1,178
24,904
18.0%
2007
11,789
6,114
1,267
978
441
804
600
207
269
314
1,144
23,927
-3.9%
2008
2009
8,333
10,111
4,142
3,197
1,348
1,596
1,011
960
417
471
809
1,551
500
556
195
261
256
343
253
275
1,172
1,289
18,436
20,610
-22.9%
11.8%
2010
9,411
2,698
1,489
1,089
521
1,694
702
247
306
209
1,410
19,776
-4.0%
2011
9,442
2,322
1,659
1,061
542
1,903
736
292
279
313
1,685
20,234
2.3%
2012
10,194
2,105
1,853
990
616
1,754
818
301
339
307
2,132
21,409
5.8%
Source: Commission on Filipino Overseas
Table 2
Number of Filipino Spouses and other partners of foreign nationals by age: 20052012
Age Group
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70 -above
Not reported/
no response
Total
2005
516
5,068
6,612
3,937
2,273
1,170
653
294
168
70
21
27
291
21,100
2006
603
6,206
7,835
4,608
2,574
1,393
805
385
200
76
34
29
156
2007
608
5,411
7,453
4,586
2,627
1,488
892
429
189
80
31
51
82
2008
462
4,002
5,839
3,580
2,059
1,292
639
330
139
50
26
5
13
24,904
23,927
18,436
2009
683
4,430
6,167
4,019
2,320
1,388
848
417
191
76
29
17
25
20,610
2010
612
4,357
5,682
3,936
2,244
1,375
822
420
186
77
24
34
7
2011
511
4,370
5,866
4,156
2,179
1,465
876
484
198
72
29
16
12
19,776
20,234
Source: Commission on Filipino Overseas
31
2012
500
4,341
6,116
4,558
2,530
1,550
917
541
220
103
16
17
0
21,409
Table 3
Number of Filipino Spouses and other partners of foreign nationals by educational
attainment: 2005-2012
Educationa
l
attainment
No Formal
Education
Elementary
level
Elementary
Graduate
High
School
Level
High
School
Graduate
Vocational
Level
Vocational
Graduate
College
Level
College
Graduate
Post
Graduate
Level
Post
Graduate
NonFormal
Education
Non
Reported/
No
Response
Others
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
10
27
4
11
24
15
18
21
250
241
36
179
170
169
157
178
352
377
52
214
250
203
207
197
2,217
2,694
310
1,800
1,860
1,625
1,481
1,604
4,192
4,826
560
3,354
3,573
3,432
3,486
3,496
547
635
83
510
564
590
598
666
1,239
1,350
185
1,146
1,350
1,280
1,527
1,565
4,144
4,555
599
3,687
4,126
3,993
4,238
4,525
6,831
7,183
1,101
6,630
7,600
7,320
7,620
8,355
459
454
71
338
391
368
374
389
311
337
81
285
321
285
335
335
21
38
7
266
356
471
193
71
527
2,187
16
25
25
Total
21,10
0
24,90
4
20,83
8
23,92
7
18,43
6
20,61
0
19,77
6
7
20,23
4
21,40
9
Source: Commission on Filipino Overseas
32
Number of Filipino Spouses and other partners of foreign nationals
by gender: 2005-2012
Gender
Male
Female
Total
2005
No.
1,818
19,282
21,100
2006
No.
1,408
23,496
24,904
2007
No.
2,199
21,618
23,927
2008
No.
1,582
16,854
18,436
2009
No.
1,807
18,803
20,610
2010
No.
1,761
18,015
19,776
2011
No.
1,645
18,589
20,234
2012
No.
1,940
19,469
21,409
Source: Commission on Filipino Overseas
Number of Filipino Spouses and other partners of foreign nationals by
occupation: 2005-2012
Major Occupation
Group
A. Employed
Prof’l, Tech’l,
& Related Workers
Managerial,
Executive, &
Administrative
Workers
Clerical workers
Sales workers
Service workers
Agri, Animal
Husbandry,
Forestry Workers
And Fishermen
Production
Process, Transport
Equipment
Operators, &
Laborers
Members of the
Armed Forces
TOTAL
B. Unemployed
Housewives
Retirees
Students
Minors (Below 7
years old)
Out of School
Youth
Refugees
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2,905
2,524
383
2,213
2,618
2,504
2,514
2,596
253
242
42
302
544
546
849
767
1,423
1,776
4,631
119
1,088
1,393
4,292
116
185
205
628
28
948
1,281
1,512
110
1,090
1,185
1,798
132
988
1,116
1,668
126
1,066
1,168
1,879
100
1,155
1,395
1,968
105
934
671
113
605
629
549
578
642
8
5
4
21
26
45
24
20
12,049
10,331
1588
6,992
8,022
7,542
8,178
8,648
5,810
41
188
5,013
62
207
938
13
40
4,540
35
149
4,662
64
214
4,560
58
211
3,927
67
302
3,277
84
301
33
No occupation
reported
TOTAL
3,012
9,291
21,348
6,720
7,648
7,405
7,760
9,099
21,100
24,904
23,927
18,436
20,610
19,776
20,234
21,409
Source: Commission on Filipino Overseas
Risks of International Marriage
There are series of risks in engaging in international marriage. As international
marriage increases interrelated factors of this also increases. Including the domestic
violence, especially for this cases wherein cultures of two people are utterly different.
This might result in a violence of one partner, given that his/she’s apart from his/her
family. In worst scenario, violence can be one of the roots of suicidal cases in other
countries. Parting from your peers or family, boredom, and state of being alone will result
to great emotional pain. This is the common feelings of certain person dealing in crossborder marriage. Additionally, the commonest danger in international marriage is divorce
or separation; this can cause damage not just to the couple but even to their children. On
one hand, altercations towards raising children are big issue, in which one partner wants
this method to be applied while the other is not in favor on it. This comprises higher
probability of commotion. Also subjected to discrimination that might experience not
just the wife or husband but also the offspring of the couple especially in a situation
where they are being reckoned as “different”.
Concept of Divorce
Divorce means the legal dissolution of a marriage. Based to study in Korea, 10
Korean men marry with foreign women, 4 couples divorce in a year. This statistics
affirms the drastic rate of divorce occurred in just a span of year. Several factors or
reasons why coming up into divorce. Such as violence, age gap, different cultures or
beliefs, economic status, language barrier, person’s personality, location, educational
gap, personal interest (like securing passport), and abnormal marriage.
Government Program
To deplete the accruing rate of divorce, government is one of the institutions
aiming or heeding to decrease this inevitable issue. They conduct trainings or programs
to uplift and promote smooth sailing relationship of two distinct nationalities. In Korea,
the government implements or running a certain program for foreign wives for them to
be able to adapt Korean cultures in that way foreign wives won’t take tough to adjust.
Also, they are producing booklets that are filled with photos of traditional clothing,
instructions on the difference between Korean and other citizen, child-rearing, tips to
deal with in-laws, and more. Thus, the education centers are becoming "the place to
provide important information for a great number of marriage migrant women”.
34
SOLUTION FOR BETTER INTERNAITONAL MARRIAGE
1. They have to learn how to respect each other’s different culture.
2. They have to know the other country’s great inherits and cultural pride.
3. National “Love mother’s country campaign” to know wife’s country and
mother’s country.
4. Well designed special experience program for long term done by each famous
university in Southeast countries by SEACOM for her husband and child
whom Korean government should support financially to visit
mother country when child reaches 10 years old.
Programs and activities for the “LOVE MOTHER’S COUNTRY CAMPAIGN”
1. SEACOM has legitimate partners and fellows in different universities from
Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines who will serve as the
Chairperson in disseminating this campaign.
2. SEACOM will prepare a two-week cultural tour program for the children of
cross-border couples (for instance, Korean father and Filipina mother),
between 10-12 years of age, to further understand their mother’s country.
First, we will start with Korea, which has more than 20,000 Asian-Korean
children, based on the statistics from the Korean government in year 2013.
LOVE MOTHER’S COUNTRY CAMPAIGN Plan
 This campaign will internationally organize by the SEACOM President Dr. Jay
Seung Yoo.
 Planning to send children to their mother’s country at least 200-300 children a
year.
 After their visit, SEACOM will select children who will study doctoral degree,
engineering, accountancy and any other professional courses. Expenses will be
shouldered by SEACOM.
 This will commence at Korea and gradually disperse at its contiguous countries
like Japan.
References:
Haviland, William A.; Prins, Harald E. L.; McBride, Bunny; Walrath, Dana
(2011). Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Fleming, Patricia H. (June 1973). "The Politics of Marriage Among Non-Catholic
European Royalty". Current Anthropology 14 (3): 231–249
Southeast Asia: Insight Guides/ Discovery Channel
35
Jones, Gavin W., Chee,Heng Leng and Mohmad, Maznah (2009). “Muslim-non-Muslim
Marriage: Political and Cultural Contestations in Southeast Asia” pp. 10-11.
Ananta, Aris & Arifin, Evi Nurvidya (2004). “International Migration in Southeast Asia”
pp. 72 and 75.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_of_convenience
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_of_state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arranged_marriage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#Economic_considerations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monogamy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfaith_marriage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnational_marriage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peranakan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_South_Korea
http://www.cfo.gov.ph/
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