Abuses of system prompt immigration authorities to act

On April 24, the Korean daily Dong-A Ilbo broke news that Korea’s immigration authorities were planning to revise Korea’s immigration laws to ban Koreans who make under KRW 1.12 million a month from marrying a foreigner. Or, to be more precise, it would stop immigration authorities from issuing marriage immigrant visas to the prospective immigrant spouses of those making less than 120% of the minimum cost of living and those receiving support under the National Basic Livelihood Act. Authorities are even considering a plan to raise the minimum income level needed to receive a marriage immigrant visa to 80% of the minimum cost of living.

Since 2006, when the number of so-called international marriages peaked at 38,759, international marriages have been on a downward trajectory, with just 28,326 international marriages performed in 2012. The divorce rate, however, has continued to hold more or less steady at an uncomfortably high rate—in 2013, 10,887 international marriages broke apart. With an endless stream of horror stories of spousal abuse, scam marriages, broken families, and other abuses of the system, the government is finally moving to reform the system. The question is, will it be enough?

Beating the brokers

International marriage is not new to Korea. According to the 13th century history textbook Samguk Yusa, King Suro of the southern Korean kingdom Geumgwan Gaya in the second century married a northern Indian princess who sailed all the way from the subcontinent to Korea. King Gongmin of the Goryeo Dynasty was married to a Mongolian princess, as was the practice of kings of the latter part of the Goryeo Dynasty. Even Korea’s first president Syngman Rhee married Austrian Franziska Donner, who accordingly became Korea’s first First Lady.

Still, international marriages tended to be rare, especially in the modern era. Things began to change from the early 1990s, when women—largely ethnic Koreans from China and Southeast Asians—began coming to Korea to marry mostly rural men. The trend accelerated in the subsequent decade. By 2005, more than 40% of rural bachelors were marrying foreign women. Worried about the decreasing and increasingly elderly population, local authorities even encouraged the process by providing subsidies to international couples.

The trend was not without serious problems, though. Many of these marriages ended in failure due to cultural differences and communication barriers—not surprising, considering that many of these marriages were concluded within just a couple of days of getting introduced by brokers that prioritized profits over love. Some foreign women were duped into marrying mentally ill and/or abusive men; some wives were even killed by their husbands. Some foreign women used the system as a means to illegally immigrate to Korea, disappearing soon after their arrival and leaving their husbands heartbroken. There were plenty of sham marriages, too, in which men in need of cash “married” women wanting to come to Korea as part of a visa scam. The situation got so bad that at one point in 2010, the Cambodian government temporarily banned local women from marrying Korean men met through matchmaking brokers. Vietnam, too, banned young women from marrying Korean men over the age of 50. Hanoi also barred marriages between Korean men and Vietnamese women separated by more than 16 years of age.

Perhaps as intended, strengthened regulations have taken a toll on the matchmaking industry. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the number of international marriage matchmaking companies dropped from 1,390 at the end of last year to 1,276 at the end of March, a reduction of 6.9% in just three months.

Not just Korea

Korea’s regulatory revisions, if they go into effect, would affect not only low-income Koreans. The government will not give out marriage immigrant visas to Korean men lacking a stable place to live. This means Korean men living in motels or gosiwon (one-room apartments usually used by young working people) may not be issued marriage visas for their brides, nor might those living with a third person who is not a relative. Likewise, those men who have recently entered into a previous international marriage and gotten divorced will be banned from entering into another one right away. Other measures are under consideration, too, including a plan to make it mandatory for prospective foreign wives to pass Level 1 of the Test of Proficiency in Korean before they are given a marriage visa; if they fail, their visa issuance is delayed six months. Fail it twice, and they’ll need to take a government-mandated social integration class when they come to Korea. Couples who can communicate in a third language, such as English, would be excluded.

Korea is not the only country with such regulations on the books. The United States, for instance, grants marriage visas for foreign spouses only to those who make 125% of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guidelines. The United Kingdom, too, has a ￡18,600 income requirement, and you must be able to accommodate yourself and your dependents without recourse to public funds.

Written by Robert Koehler

Namhansanseong Fortress

SEOUL OUTDOORS

IT’S TIME TO GET OUTSIDE AND DO SOMETHING

Spring truly begins in earnest, making it the perfect time to take advantage of Seoul’s countless opportunities for outdoor sports and leisure. Whether its bagging the rocky peaks surrounding the city, biking pleasant riversides, paragliding above the city, or simply strolling amidst historic alleyways, you’ll find something that matches your inclinations. SEOUL has asked several residents to recommend their favorite places to enjoy the great outdoors.

Namhansanseong Fortress

Running
Written by Kevin Dowling

Spring is right around the corner and there is no better time to hit the trails of Namhansanseong! A favorite for this writer, Namhansanseong has it all: smooth runnable trails, beautiful scenery, and a great choice of eateries in traditional Korean hanok-style restaurants. The fortress wall that runs along the mountain ridge offers great photo opportunities and views of Seoul. The best part is that this heritage site is easy to access by subway. Follow the Wirye Dullegil signs and enjoy a trail run through the rolling hills of Korea’s countryside. You will feel miles away from the hustle and bustle of Seoul city yet be only a short train ride away.

Kevin Dowling has run ultramarathons in Vermont, Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Jejudo Island. When he is not running in the mountains of Korea he is studying for an MBA at Sejong University and working full-time at AGS Four Winds International Movers.

GO> Sanseong Station 산성역 (Line 8), Exit 3. Take city bus 9 to the Namhansanseong rotary.

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Rock climbing on Insubong © Sanirang Alpine Networks

Rock Climbing
Written by Peter Jensen-Choi

Insubong Peak in northern Seoul’s Bukhansan National Park is our choice for natural traditional (trad) climbing for its stunning views, numerous multi-pitch trad routes, and easy park access. Insubong is one of the main climbing meccas for Seoul’s traditional climbers and boasts well over one hundred routes ranging in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13. Insubong is truly the climber’s climbing crag, with bouldering, sport, and trad climbing available with crack, slab, face, chimney, and ridge style climbs. Insubong is not for the faint of heart; it should be climbed with a professional guide or someone with sufficient trad climbing experience.

Peter Jensen-Choi is the founder of Sanirang Alpine Networks (sanirang.net), a privately owned climbing business designed to expand the accessibility of climbing in Korea’s finer alpine environments to foreign and Korean enthusiasts alike.

GO> Take Bus 120 to its final stop and then take a cab or shuttle bus to the Doseonsa Temple parking lot. From there, begin hiking the main trail for 30 minutes to Insu Campground, then cut across the campground and head directly up the less obvious trails for another fifteen minutes. You cannot miss the headwall of Insubong’s main Big Slab.

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Walking
Written by Robert Fouser

Without question, my favorite walk in Seoul is weaving through the alleys of Tongui-dong, the micro-neighborhood that sits at the entrance to Seochon. The easiest way to start is from the Daelim Art Museum. Take the alley behind the museum and walk past the site of the famous white pine. Turn right and then turn left again at Gallery Artside and enter the narrow alley on the left. The long narrow alley lined with hanok (traditional Korean-style houses), each with its own personality, is the most exotic alley in Seoul.

Prof. Robert Fouser is an associate professor of Korean Language Education at Seoul National University and writes SEOUL’s Historic Walks column.

GO> Gyeongbokgung Station 경복궁역 (Line 3), Exit 9

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© Daehan Paragliding School

Paragliding
Written by Ohudy Luna

Not many people partake in paragliding, but if you’re in Seoul and are curious, then you’re in
luck. Not too far from Guri Station (a 10-minute walk from Exit 2) are a number of paragliding schools where you have the option of either doing a tandem flight (KRW 120,000), receiving lessons to become a certified pilot (KRW 400,000 for P1), or, if you’re already licensed, just paying for the transportation up the hill (KRW 40,000 for P1–P3, KRW 20,000 for P4 and above). Although there are a number of schools, the easiest one for foreigners to get in contact with is Daehan Paragliding School because of the friendly Englishman named Andrew who works for them. You do ground training and theory with him by the Hangang River near Banpo Bridge or Guri Station, and once you’re ready to fly, you can go to Guri Station (Jungang Line) to start flying.

Originally born in Los Angeles, Ohudy is a 26-year-old guy constantly cycling everywhere, in any weather, looking for new experiences with others.

FYI>

Daehan Paragliding (Andrew): T. 010-2189-9688
Daehan Paragliding (Seong Hyu): T. 010-5329-6330

Bukhansan National Park

Hiking
Written by Robert Koehler

One of the best things about Seoul is that it’s surrounded by mountains—you can find dramatic alpine scenery even in the heart of Seoul. The Baegundae Trail of Bukhansan National Park is one of my favorites. It’s not an especially difficult hike—it takes just two hours to walk from the parking lot of Doseonsa Temple to Baegundae Peak—but the views of the park’s countless peaks from the upper reaches of the trail are inspiring. Just below the peak is Baegunsanjang, an historic mountain shelter/lodge that offers simple meals and, when the weather is warm enough, accommodations. It’s worth spending the night here in spring and autumn (especially May and October)—you can then reach the peak just before sunrise and take in the “sea of clouds” that gather below the granite peak of Insubong.

Robert Koehler is the editor in chief of SEOUL.

GO> Take bus No. 120 from Suyu Station 수유역 (Line 4), Exit 3 to the last stop. From there, take a shuttle bus or taxi to the parking lot of Doseonsa Temple. The trail begins from there.

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Biking along the Hangang River

Biking
Written by Daisy Larios

Nothing says spring like a leisurely riverside bike ride! Luckily, Seoul Metropolitan Government offers bike rentals starting at KRW 1,000 throughout the city, as do many of the city’s individual districts. There’s one in the parking lot near Exit 1 of World Cup Stadium Station (Line 6); you can pay with a T-Money card but you’ll need your passport number for the computerized rental system. Look for the path that heads down to Bulgwangcheon Stream and head due north along the stream until Eungam Station (Line 6), or go down to the Hangang River and to the right, where a pleasant ride through its adjacent parks awaits you. Drop by the Nanji Ecological Wetlands for a dose of springtime renewal.

A California native, Daisy Larios is a trained librarian who enjoys eating, reading, writing, and photographing her way around the world. She currently edits and writes for Seoul Selection.

Beautiful Joseon Dynasty main hall of Naesosa Temple, Byeonsanbando National Park.
Photo by Robert Koehler.

Scenic seashore of Byeonsanbando National Park. Photo by Robert Koehler.

Amseojae, a scenic pavilion used by 17th century scholar Song Si-yeol during his time in exile in the Hwayang Valley, Goesan. Photo by Robert Koehler.

On the trail to Baegundae Park, Bukhansan National Park. Photo by Robert Koehler.