• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.24 no.6 s.84
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• pp.177-193
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• 2006

This study analyzes marriage and fertility rates in Korea and makes recommendations for family policy. Based on the 'The Report of Marriage & Divorce Statistics in 2005' and data from the Korea Statistical Information System (KOSIS) of the National Statistics Organization, the trends, reasons for marriage rates changes, and future expectations were critically reviewed. In addition, the relationship between marriage and fertility rates was analyzed. The principle characteristics of marriage rates are as follows: 1) the M-shape of the longitudinal crude marriage rates; 2) the increased age of individuals entering their the first marriage; 3) the increase in remarriage rates; 4) the changes in the patterns of remarriage; 5) the increased in the age at which individuals remarry and; 6) the increase in marriage to non-Koreans. The marriage and fertility rates changes are a permanent normative shift because of 1) later marriage because of women's increased education and labor force participation 2) rational choices about birth control 3) reduced population because of the aging of baby boomers 4) structural changes in the marriage market and 5) egalitarian changes in women's attitudes toward marriage and family. The recommendations for future family policy were as follows: 1) the need for a realistic, long-term family policy because the current marriage patterns will continue; 2) the need to develop new statistics such as fertility rates that are based on marriage cohort or birth cohort because family behavior is a mixture of personal, social and political responses; 3) the need for impact analysis of current family policy about increasing fertility rates; 4) the need for a new family perspective that encompasses diverse marriage and family patterns; 5) the need to focus on men's role in families because of women's changing roles and family interaction patterns and; 6) the need for preventive family policies such as family life education.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of satisfaction with the marriage support policy on marriage intention among unmarried employed men and women. The study subjects included 300 unmarried working men and women aged over 30 years residing in the Seoul metropolitan area. First, according to the analysis of the subjects' overall tendency towards satisfaction with the marriage support policy and towards marriage intention, the marriage support policy gained the highest level of support in relation to housing for newlywed couples, which scored 3.29 (sd=.93), followed by improvements in corporate and family culture for the purposes of work-family compatibility at 3.24 (sd=.95), wedding loans at 3.18 (sd=1.01), and the paid leave system for marriage preparation at 3.12 (sd=.88). These variables scored slightly higher than the median 3 points. Conversely, satisfaction with the availability of marriage-related information and the provision of opportunities for dating scored 2.65 (sd=.88) and 2.78 (sd=.80), respectively, both of which were slightly lower than the median of 3. The overall mean score for satisfaction with the marriage support policy was 3.03 (sd=.95), which was slightly higher than the median of 3. In regards to marriage intention, the score was 3.32 (sd=1.15) points out of a perfect score of 5, which was slightly higher than the median. This indicated a slightly higher level in terms of the subjects' intention to marry. Second, a hierarchical regression analysis was performed to identify the effect of satisfaction with the marriage support policy on marriage intention among unmarried employed adults. Sociodemographic variables were entered as control variables in the regression at the first stage, and variables relating to satisfaction in a family-friendly social environment were entered at the second stage. When gender, age, educational level, monthly income, period of employment, working hours, and type of employment were inserted in the first stage of regression as control variables, gender, monthly income, period of employment, and type of employment were found to have a significant effect on marriage intention. Marriage intention was found to be greater in unmarried men with higher monthly incomes and longer periods spent working, and in unmarried working men and women engaged in tenured employment work. When variables relating to satisfaction with the marriage support policy were inserted in the second stage of regression, gender, monthly income, type of employment, and satisfaction with direct marriage support had significant effects on marriage intention. It was found that marriage intention was greater in unmarried men whose monthly income was higher, whose employment type was tenured work, and who showed greater satisfaction with direct marriage support.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.200-229
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of youth job policy measures, set forth in Korea's 2016-2020 Third Basic Plan for Low Fertility and Aging Society (December 2015), on marriage and fertility among young people. Based on the results, we provide theoretical explanations for the findings and suggest policy alternatives to overcome the low fertility phenomenon in Korea. Previous studies have shown that employment is an important factor for marriage among youth, and a job policy could increase marriage and fertility rates. To test this assumption, we performed an exact matching between Statistics Korea's Employee-Enterprise Linkage DB and the Newlyweds DB from 2011 to 2019, in order to identify all young people aged 15-34. Then, linear spline regression analysis was used to examine the impact of the youth job policy on marriage and fertility. Comparing the period before the implementation of the employment policy (2011-2015) and after (2016-2019), the fertility rate increased as the number of young people looking for work increased. In addition, it was found that these impacts were greater after the implementation of the measures (2016-2019) than before (2011-2015). It is interesting to note that job growth among young people did not lead to an increase in marriage. However, the number of births significantly increased when young people who occupy jobs got married, which seems to be related to the delay in marriage among young people who are employed. Survey results about the intentions to marry and views on fertility are utilized for the explanation of the study results.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.13-21
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to examine the Marriage Preparation and Preservation Act adopted in Florida which require premarital counseling and covenant marriage laws of Louisiana and Arizona among many kinds of family policy which recently are designed to prevent divorce in the United States of America. Most of states in the U.S. require the marriage license prior to having a marriage ceremony. Covenant marriage legislation has admirable motives to strengthen marriage and cure the defects of the no-fault system. In that legislation, the imposition of waiting period for the no-fault ground of divorce, proof of fault requirements, consent requirements, and mandatory course or counseling attendance will likely serve as deterrents to those seeking divorce as a first resort. To sum up, by offering preventive measures in the form of premarital counseling and waiting period before marriage, covenant marriage will force couples entering marriage to carefully consider their actions before they act and prevent broken marriages in the first place. In response to rising divorce rates, the Koreas family policy has put its emphasis of fixing social problems accompanied with family dissolution. Rather, this study suggests that attention in Korea also should be shifted from broken marriages to preventing them.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2009

The aim of this paper is to examine the demographic characteristics and the attitude about marriage and the policy of the unmarried male farmers. The contents of research are two folds: 1) Analyze the marriage related demographic statistics of rural area using the data from Korea Statistical Information System and marriage statistics in 2007, 2) survey analyses of the attitude toward marriage, perception and needs of international marriage, and related policies from data of 170 unmarried male farmers. The results are as follows: first, the marriage rates among over 15 years old of the rural area is 78.2% for men while 1.8% for 20${\sim}$24 age group and 9.3% for 25${\sim}$29 age group. The marriage rates in this area are varied by region especially low in Kyunggido & Jejudo. Second, the portion of international marriages of Korean male farmers with foreign partner are 11% among all international marriages of Korean males. There are high rates of male farmers' international marriage in Junranamdo and Kyungsangbukdo which are characterized by low level of urbanization, low inter-city mobility, low rates of age group of under 15 years and high portion of over age 65. Finally, the survey results showed that 83% of the sample lived with their parents; event though 80% of farmers think marriage is necessary, 60% had no plan of marriage because of difficulties to meet marriage partners and of lacking economic resources; they showed a negative perception toward the handicapped, foreigners, Afro-Americans, Westerners and divorcees as a marriage partner; they also showed negative recognition to international marriage because of observed problems of neighboring international marriage couples and concerns of cultural differences; they pointed out that the government's concern about improving quality of the environment of the rural area and reforming the international marriage aid law was the most necessary. The discussion and the future research directions were added.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.233-239
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• 2018

A rapid decrease of total fertility rate to 1.08 in 2005 prompted the Korean government to plan and implement a '5-year plan for ageing society and population policy' starting from 2006. The 1st and 2nd 5-year plans had not shown any discernible impact on the fertility and the 3rd 5-year plan was launched in 2016. However, the fertility rate is going down further. The author reviewed the contents and assessment reports of the fertility promotion plan to suggest ideas for complementing the shortcomings of it. Author defined the major determinants of marriage and child birth as philosophy, politics, sense of value, social norm, culture, healthcare, and education. The plan was examined in view of these determinants. Transformation of Korea from an agricultural society to an industrialized society in a short period of time had brought about changes in most of the determinants of marriage and child birth; in particular philosophy and sense of value. These aspects were not put into consideration in the plan. Author suggested to launch a social education program for the general public to establish a sound philosophy of life, reform the sense of value on family, child birth and education, and cultivate the skill to draw a consensus through discussions on the social issues. A special program to promote marriage of women at the optimum age for child birth was proposed. The government should implement well balanced policy for economic development and labor. Multidisciplinary approach was recommended for these tasks.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-34
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• 2021

Purpose : This study aims to identify the influence of individual, parental, workplace, and policy variables on the intention of marriage of unmarried workers. The results of the study can be used as a basis to come up with policy and practical measures to increase these workers' intention of marriage. Methods : Data was collected from 480 participants through a questionnaire. The measuring tools in this study were tested for reliability and validity. In addition, technical statistics, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis were performed by SPSS 18.0. Results : First, unmarried workers' willingness to marry was higher above the average. Second, significant differences in the unmarried workers' intention of marriage were revealed based on gender, age, level of education, total assets, and debt status. Significant associations were also found with parents' economic levels and the possibility of parental support for housing and marriage expenses. The differences in response based on employment patterns, job satisfaction, and family-friendly organizational culture were also significant. The correlation between policy variables and marriage intentions also showed the necessity of a funded housing policy and a marriage preparation policy. Third, based on the hierarchical regression analysis using personal, parental, and workplace variables to identify the factors affecting unmarried workers' willingness to marry, it is clear that gender, age, and the likelihood of parental support for housing and marriage expenses have a significant impact. A family-friendly organizational culture and funded housing policy were also significant contributors. Conclusion : The study found that the funded housing policy was the most important factor affecting unmarried office workers' willingness to marry. Additionally, the possibility of parental support for housing and marriage expenses and a family-friendly organizational culture at work were found to have an important impact on the improvement of unmarried workers' willingness to marry.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.248-256
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• 2008

Purpose: The findings of various studies and policy reports on marriage change, international marriage migrant women and its issues are presented in this study. Method: Research objectives were accomplished by conducting a literature review. The main areas of the literature review included married migrant women, its challenges, and current policies for international marriage migrant women. Result: Women migrating through international marriage are known to face various difficulties due to their migration. Some important obstacles women migrants face in the Republic of Korea are cultural differences in daily lifestyle, language, food, health care services, cultural assumptions, gender structure, family relationships, expected roles within family, interpersonal relationships and more. The plights of married migrant women include commercialization of international marriage, false information regarding the spouse, family abuse, insecure nationality, economic difficulty and unemployment, racial prejudice, and cultural maladjustment. Current support policies for migrant women living in Korea are suggested. Conclusion: This study concluded with policy implications and recommendations for future study. In addition, the author suggests the necessity of programs and policies for the improvement of married migrant women's well-being based on women's health and family nursing dimensions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.403-409
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• 2009

Due to recent upsurge in international marriages, the socio-cultural adaptation, the reinforcement of family stability, and the social integration support of marriage-based immigrant family have been the major social issues. This paper tries to show the current status of marriage-based immigrants and their children nation-wide. Specifically, it analyzes the statistical trends in international marriages, traits of marriage-based immigrants and their children, their attitudes towards child raising and education, and presents policy measures to enhance their life quality.

• The Journal of Asian Women
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.75-110
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• 2014

This research examines marriage migrant women's interpreting and translation work as an ethnic labor, analyzing its creation and work experiences. Major findings about ethnic labor in the research are as follows: First, Korean gendered and discriminatory- exclusive immigration policy enables the creation of interpreting and translation job to marriage migrant women. While the policy limits settlement and employment fields of male immigrant workers, marriage migration women are allowed to settle and find any job. Second, job security and wage of marriage migrant women's interpreting and translation work are still low, although the job is considered a relatively decent one in foreign immigrant labor market. Finally, they experience conflicts between role as neutral interpreters and identity as migrant women, facing native Koreans' distrust and discrimination against them. In conclusion, this study suggests some issues on marriage migrant women's empowerment and their labor market prospect in terms of the sustainability of this job.