If either or both of a person’s parents are a high-ranking civil servant, doctor, banker or university professor and have more than 2 billion won in assets, he or she is officially listed as “class-A” bachelor or bachelorette here.
On the other hand, if their parents are engaged in agriculture, forestry, cattle raising and the manufacturing industry or are retired with wealth of less than 400 million won and an educational background of high school diploma or less, they are stamped as belonging to class-G.
This is how would-be brides and grooms are classified by a matchmaking website run by an agency outsourced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare according to a National Assembly annual audit.
Such a classification could easily be regarded as the government grading people according to social classes, said Rep. Choi Young-hee of the opposition Democratic Party, Tuesday, at the Assembly’s audit of the ministry.
The website is www.match.kr and is run by the Planned Population Federation of Korea. The welfare ministry has invested 50 million won to establish the website and subsidizes it with 50 million won every year to promote marriage in a bid to boost the low birthrate.
However, it could be quite humiliating for those who are willing to find their life companions because once they input their private information such as their age, academic career, parent’s academic careers and their income, they could instantly find themselves graded from A to G.
It is no secret that such a classification is used at private matchmaking companies, to match members with similar backgrounds who would likely bond well. Even other private matchmaking firms have been slammed for the promotion of a grading system within society.
“It means that the government is also boosting this inappropriate trend,” Choi said.
Welfare Minister Chin Soo-hee explained that www.match.kr was a collaboration of the population federation and private matchmaker Sunoo and the system must have been adopted by Sunoo to make the procedure more convenient.
But she also admitted that it was not right to classify and grade people. “I admit it is rather inappropriate. We will change it,” she said.
It seems that the website is a serious flop anyway. After its opening on Sept. 1, 2007, only 2,102 people have sought membership.
“The website charges 20,000 won for registration and another 30,000 won for those aiming to find their partners by themselves. It seems that the government wants to make it a business but somehow it just does not attract young people,” Choi said.
복지부 예비 신랑, 신부 등급메기기
한쪽 부모님이나 양가 부모님이 고위급 공무원, 의사, 은행장, 또는 교수이고 20억원 이상의 자산을 가지고 있는 자녀는 공식적으로 결혼 후보자 감 A급에 들어가게 된다.
한편 부모님이 농업, 임업, 축산업, 또는 제조업에 임하거나 4억원 보다 적은 자산과 학력이 고등학교 또는 그 보다 낮으면 그 자녀는 G급에 속하는 도장이 찍힌다.
국정감사에 따르면 이것을 토대로 보건복지부가 아웃소싱한 기관이 운영하는 인터넷 사이트에서 예비 신랑, 신부가 등급이 메겨지게 된다고 한다. 이러한 등급은 정부가 사회적 직위에 따라 사람의 등급을 메기는 것과 연관성이 있을 것이라는 의견이 나온다.
이 사이트는 대한인구협회가 운영하는 것으로 보건부가 5천 만원을 투자하여 열었으며 저 출산을 막기 위한 대책으로 결혼을 지지하기 위해 매년 5천만원을 투자하고 있다.
그러나 이 사이트는 나이, 교육배경, 부모님 교육배경, 그리고 자신의 수입과 같은 개인 정보를 넣으면 곧바로 등급이 주어지기 때문에 배우자를 찾고자 하는 이들에게 굴욕감을 줄 수 있을 수 있다.
