For Couples, IMF Means I M Fighting

The Korea Herald, 4 August 1998

The IMF era in Korea is not only taking its toll on the nation’s economy, but on the family as well.

The Korea Family Law Consulting Center reported an increase in the number of couples pondering divorce in the 4,347 counseling cases that it has handled so far this year.

In fact 59.8 percent of all of its counseling cases in the six-month period concerned divorce matters, up from 53.7 percent last year. About half of the 2,996 phone inquiries that the center received also involved divorce issues.

A center official said, The number of divorce counseling cases related to the nation’s economic crisis, including cases of runaways, unemployment and family debts, has increased. Most of our calls for counseling are from people who are strongly considering divorce.

Family breakups due to the bleak economy is an extremely disturbing trend.’’