A North Korean couple in their 20s quarreled so severely about having children that they eventually divorced, as severe economic hardship causes more couples in North Korea to delay having children or give up the idea altogether.
“A young couple in Samjiyon in their second year of marriage got divorced early this month because they couldn’t agree about family planning. The wife wanted to push back children because of their finances, but the husband couldn’t accept that,” a source in Ryanggang province told Daily NK recently.
Having children soon after marriage is considered normal in North Korea. The government also emphasizes that having children is a patriotic duty. When one partner refuses to have children, that is considered legitimate grounds for divorce, the source explained.
Since divorce is rare in North Korea, the incident left a major impression on people in the area.
Most people who heard about the incident reportedly sympathized with the husband’s position, commenting that “a childless marriage is unacceptable.”
Locals were largely critical of the wife’s desire to put off children, complaining that “women nowadays are all so selfish.” Some even used derogatory language about the woman, speculating that she had rendered herself infertile because of “premarital fornication.”
Younger generation shows different perspective
Members of the younger generation responded differently.
“Surely the husband could have been a little more patient,” one commented.
Young people tend to think that children can be delayed for financial reasons and that the husband was at fault for his inability to understand that.
“The timing of childbirth is something a couple ought to decide for themselves,” another said.
One local was baffled about how an argument over having children could have ended in divorce.
“More people plan to only have one child on the grounds that fewer mouths to feed is better for the family’s finances. Since the government can’t be counted on to provide regular rations, people have to rely on the market, which inevitably leads to delays both in marriage and childbirth,” the source said.
The husband who divorced his wife over family planning was receiving a monthly salary of 20,000 won from his job, far short of the money needed to support a family in North Korea. That sum is not enough to purchase a kilogram of rice, which currently sells for around 25,000 won at North Korean marketplaces.
“Given the economic conditions, it’s understandable that young couples might want to hold off on having children. More people think it’s time to get over the stereotype about having children as soon as you get married,” the source said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: dailynk.com
