[Public Opinion Brief 34-2] Korean Youth More Sensitive to Discrimination Against Widows and Divorced Women

[Public Opinion Brief 34] Discrimination Against Divorced Women and Widows

[Topic 1] Comparative Perception of Discrimination Against Divorced Women and Widows Worldwide

[Topic 2] Women and Younger Demographics More Sensitive to Discrimination Against Widows and Divorced Women

Topic 2. Women and Younger Demographics More Sensitive to Discrimination Against Divorced Women and Widows

• 81% of Koreans believe widows are treated disadvantageously, compared to 76% of men and 87% of women.

• 82% believe divorced women are treated disadvantageously, compared to 73% of men and 90% of women.

• Concerns about disadvantages increase with younger generations.

Recently, widows or divorced women have frequently appeared as female protagonists in TV dramas. While these portrayals partly depict the social discrimination and coldness they face, they do not present significant obstacles to finding new love or economic opportunities. A recent incident where a female celebrity allowed her children to adopt her surname after divorce also became a topic of discussion.

However, the Korean public perceives that there are considerable burdens associated with being a divorced woman or a widow. 30% of respondents answered that widows are treated very disadvantageously compared to other women, and 51% responded they are slightly disadvantageously treated. Meanwhile, only 16% responded they are not very disadvantageously treated, and 2.2% responded they are not at all disadvantageously treated. Among men, 24% answered they are very disadvantageously treated, and 52% answered they are slightly disadvantageously treated. Among women, 37% assessed they are very disadvantageously treated, and 50% responded they are slightly disadvantageously treated, which is about 10 percentage points higher than men.

As divorce rates rise in Korea, divorced women are perceived to face disadvantages not only compared to men but also compared to other women in Korean society. 45% of women answered they are very disadvantageously treated, and 45% believe they are somewhat disadvantageously treated. Only 25% of men answered they are very disadvantageously treated, and 49% answered they are slightly disadvantageously treated, indicating that men also point out that divorced women face social discrimination compared to other women. However, the intensity of this discrimination is lower than what women perceive, suggesting a relative lack of sensitivity.

Furthermore, by generation, younger demographics in their 20s and 30s expressed stronger concerns about widows or divorced women facing disadvantages. For divorced women, the response of "very disadvantageously treated" was 41% among those in their 20s, 40% among those in their 30s, 39% among those in their 40s, and decreased to 22% among those aged 50 and above. For women whose husbands passed away first, the figures were 41% for those in their 20s, 31% for those in their 30s, 32% for those in their 40s, and around 22% for those aged 50 and above. This is likely due to concerns arising from social realities that fall short of expectations, coupled with increased engagement in economic and social activities and higher levels of awareness and expectations regarding gender equality. Additionally, with the significant increase in divorce rates among younger generations, they are compelled to view the issue of social discrimination against divorced women more seriously.

In Korea, with the abolition of the Hoju system, legal and institutional improvements have been made, such as allowing children of divorced couples to take their mother's surname instead of their father's, and granting women broader recognition of inheritance and property rights. However, as confirmed by this survey, despite legal and institutional improvements, the social coldness and disadvantages faced by women who become single are still perceived to persist. It is clear that being single in the Korean context cannot be as romantic as depicted in TV dramas.

[Figure 1] Are Widows and Divorced Women Socially Disadvantaged Compared to Other Women?

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[Figure 2] Perception of Discrimination Against Widows/Divorced Women by Gender (%)

[Figure 3] Generational Differences in Perception of Discrimination Against Widows (%)

[Figure 4] Generational Differences in Perception of Discrimination Against Divorced Women (%)