Preference for Sons Declining
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The preference for sons over daughters in Korea, a country strongly rooted in Confucian patriarchy, is waning as time goes by.
The number of married women aged between 15 and 44 who think families should have a son is decreasing, according to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs Monday.
Surveys have been conducted every three years on women of this age group, and in 1991, 40.5 percent of the women said families should have a son. However, the ratio decreased to 26.3 percent in 1994, 24.8 percent in 1997, 16.2 percent in 2000, 14.1 percent in 2003, and 10.1 percent in 2006.
On the contrary, the ratio of women who do not have any particular preference for the gender of children in families is increasing _ 28 percent in 1991, 38.9 percent in 1994, 39.4 percent in 1997, 39.5 percent in 2000, 43.3 percent in 2003, and 49.8 percent in 2006.
A researcher at the institute said the survey reflects a change in the son's traditional role in which they're expected to support their parents and hold memorial services for ancestors.
``I have a son, but my husband and I don't think he will live with us and support us when we are old, and we don't want to be supported either. The older generation says that sons are needed because they will hold ancestor-memorial services, but why should I care whether they hold the service or not if I'm already dead?'' a 35-year-old teacher Cho Hye-na said.
The number of women who did not necessarily want a son in particular, but thought it would be good to have one, grew from 1991's 30.7 percent to 2000's 43.2 percent, but then decreased to 41.8 percent in 2003 and 39.3 percent in 2006.
However, the survey has shown there is still a preference for boys over girls.
In 2006's research, 67.1 percent said sons are needed to satisfy purely parental needs. Meanwhile, 19 percent cited succession of family line, and 5 percent said ancestor-memorial service.
``The Korean society's values are changing from `a family should have a son' to `it is okay not to have sons.' However, despite the low ratio, the value still remains, seeing that a large percentage of people feel that a son is needed, even if it is not for financial reasons,'' the researcher said.