Gender Bender in South Korea
November 28th, 2007
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Preferences for the male child is common across almost all Asian countries. Despite the economic growth of the recent decades, the situation hasn’t really improved and in some cases has actually deteriorated. But South Korea finally seems to be bucking the trend,
In South Korea, once one of Asia’s most rigidly patriarchal societies, a centuries-old preference for baby boys over baby girls is fast receding. Demographers have welcomed the shift, which they say holds promise for other Asian countries, like China, India and Vietnam. There a continuing preference for boys, coupled with access to ultrasound technology, has led to the widespread practice of aborting female fetuses, resulting in a large imbalance between boys and girls.
“China and India are closely studying South Korea as a trendsetter in Asia,” said Chung Woo Jin, a professor at Yonsei University in Seoul. “They are curious whether the same social and economic changes can occur in their countries as fast as they did in South Korea’s relatively small and densely populated society.”[link]
It’s not quite clear what factors are responsible for this change in societal attitude. Nevertheless, as the report points out, the economic independence of women–rather than legislative efforts–is the key reason.
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