International Marriage Sought by College Graduates Too?..."Nothing Has Changed in Promoting Ultra-Fast Marriages and Arranged Marriages"

Trend of Increasing High-Education and High-Income Users Over 10 Years
'Ultra-Fast Marriage' from Meeting to Wedding Remains
"Outdated Practices Must Be Improved to Match the Times"

As international marriages become increasingly common, outdated perspectives on them remain prevalent. Experts point to the 'ultra-fast' matching system of brokerage agencies, where it takes less than 10 days from the first meeting to marriage, as a representative problem, advising that a progressive culture regarding international marriages needs to be established.

From First Meeting to Marriage: 'An Average of 9.3 Days'

According to the '2023 Marriage Brokerage Industry Survey' released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the proportion of international marriage users with 'university degree or higher' last year was 50.6%, an increase of about 7 percentage points compared to 43.8% in 2020, three years earlier. This is the first time since the survey began in 2014 that those with a university degree or higher constitute the majority.

The education level and income of international marriage users have steadily increased over the past decade. During the same period, the proportion of users with a monthly average income of '4 million won or more' rose from 18.6% to 34.8%, an increase of 16 percentage points. A Ministry of Gender Equality and Family official stated, "There used to be a stereotype that rural unmarried men were the main users of international marriage, but recently, highly educated and high-income individuals are also seeking international marriages," adding, "This can be interpreted as international marriage becoming more normalized in society."

As barriers between countries break down and cultural acceptance increases, international marriage is gradually becoming more common. Nevertheless, outdated practices that view international marriage as a transactional marriage where both parties pay a certain price still remain in many places.

The 'fast-track marriage' system, where it takes less than 10 days from the local matchmaking meeting to the wedding, is a representative problem. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's survey, the average time from matchmaking to wedding for international marriage couples last year was 9.3 days, which, although slightly longer than 5.7 days in 2020, is still an unreasonably short period.

Experts pointed out that such practices encourage the perception of international marriage as a transactional marriage involving the exchange of a certain price. Legislative Research Officer Heo Min-sook said, "At present, it is not unreasonable to view international marriage as a form of transactional marriage conducted without sufficient information about each other and with the expectation of a certain price," adding, "Deciding to marry so hastily can lead to deception, which is very dangerous, and socially, it fosters a wrong perception of international marriage."

About 20 Local Governments Running 'Rural Bachelor Marriage Support Projects'

The perspective that international marriage is an alternative for 'rural bachelors' who have not married by a late age still persists. Some local governments that previously implemented projects under the name 'Rural Bachelor Marriage Support' have now renamed and are running them as 'International Marriage Support Projects.'

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has recommended revising ordinances, warning that international marriage can foster the mistaken perception of transactional marriage. Accordingly, many places are in the process of discontinuing these projects, but some regions still continue them. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Local Regulations Information System as of the 28th, about 20 local governments, including Hongcheon and Goseong in Gangwon Province and Danyang in Chungbuk Province, have ordinances supporting international marriage. These ordinances mainly provide partial support for costs related to international marriage, such as airfare and accommodation.

An official from a migrant women's organization pointed out, "A considerable number of local governments still use public funds to run international marriage support projects. This solidifies and formalizes the current international marriage system where men pay costs to bring foreign women," adding, "Under such a structure, social prejudices against marriage migrant women can never be resolved."