Family in South Korea

It is a well-known fact that every country varies greatly in its views of family and that there is a huge array of political, religious, and historical factors that impact a specific country’s view of “family.”  For my country, South Korea, certain factors in particular come into play.

According to the U.S. Department of State, South Korea’s government is a Republic in which “powers (are) shared between the president, the legislature and the courts.”  Similar to the United States in form, the country has a President in charge of the executive branch, a National Assembly in charge of the legislative branch, and a Supreme Court and appellate court system that make up the judicial branch.  The only major difference is a Prime Minister who is in charge of the government.  Perhaps because of this fairly democratic government form it makes sense that South Korea puts great value into the concept of family.  In this republic, there are many outlets for people to have their complaints heard and make sure that their rights are being upheld.  When the government doesn’t repress its citizens as a whole, those individuals tend to value themselves more as well as others.  To me, this is where the idea of family comes in: when people feel valued, they treat their fellow citizens with that same respect.  In countries where family is really important, there is a feeling of mutual respect within those families.

Dancers celebrate Confucius' birthday with ritual music and dance.  The religion plays a huge role in South Korean Society as well as family values.

Another website, Kwintessential, gives more insight on family values in South Korea.  The website states, “the family is the most important part of Korean life,” and that this is mostly due to religion.  Confucianism, one of the country’s main religions, specifies the ways a family ought to act.  The father is responsible for providing for his family as well as approving who members of his family marry.  It also specifies specific duties for different children in the family.  Most importantly, however, it stresses that the family as a whole is more important than the individual.  The act of one person can impact everyone who is affiliated with his or her family.

Two representatives from South Korea demonstrate a traditional wedding at the 2009 Asian Traditional Wedding Show.  In South Korean culture, marriage serves as a way of continuing the family line by producing male heirs.

A U.S. Library of Congress article emphasizes further the importance of lineage and the roles that are played by specific family members.  The eldest son is of particular importance when it comes to taking over the family’s property and continuing Ancestor worship.  Ancestor worship “taught that deceased family members do not pass into oblivion…but remain, in spiritual form, securely within the family circle…Fear of death was blunted by the consoling thought that even in the grave one would be cared for by one’s own people.”  Finally, marriage is in place to ensure that a male heir can carry on the family line.

In many ways, family in South Korea is not only a physical support system, but also one that continues even after members of the family have passed away.  With families able to trace their roots back for hundreds of years, it is clear that the country greatly values the bond of kinship.

-Lindsay MacLeod