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Many South Korean men have been disillusioned by their attempts to
find a bride in Vietnam using illicit marriage brokerages, prompting calls
for matchmaking services to be legalized.
South Korean carpenter Lee Kyong Hee told Thanh Nien he and six other
men arrived in Vietnam in September last year to look for Vietnamese wives.
But just after Hee selected a bride, the police busted the illegal
match-making company he had been using and he lost the US$12,700 fee he paid
for the wife "selection."
Gang Myeong Hwan, who came to Vietnam last October, met a similar
fate.
The matchmaking service he was using was also raided by police,
leaving Hwan and other men out of pocket and still single.
Last year, Ho Chi Minh City police shut down several illegal
matchmaking operations that show-cased prospective brides to South Korean
men.
Though many regard marriage mediation a social need, individuals and
organizations are forbidden to carry out this activity.
Currently, only non-profit women's associations can establish marriage
support centers to consult on marriages.
But the centers are not operating effectively, even in major cities.
The Ministry of Justice has recommended the government legalize
marriage brokering and matchmaking services so central authorities can
oversee the introductions and matches.
The ministry has also proposed regulations on foreign language
competency between the parties and a compulsory short course on the laws,
culture and customs of the foreign country.
With these measures, the ministry hopes to reduce the number ill-fated
cross-border marriages.
But if matchmaking services remain illegal, police recommend penalties
be increased so offering Vietnamese brides to foreigners carries the same
punishment as human trafficking.
According to the South Korean National Statistics Office, the number
of Vietnamese brides in South Korea totaled more than 10,000 last year, up
74 percent from the previous year, with most married to farmers and
fishermen.
In South Korean, the government has set up agencies to offer legal and
cultural counseling, job-seeking services and other assistance to foreign
brides.
The government is also planning to toughen controls of local marriage
brokering companies and is updating laws covering foreign marriages.
Source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/overseas/?catid=12&newsid=35213
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