Comparing The Progression And Contemporary Circumstances Of The “Mail-Order” Immigrant Bride Industry In The United States And South Korea

Jennah Yoo
Seoul International School

 

Abstract

With the economic, social, and political differences prevailing in contemporary society, the gap between least developed (LDC), developing, and developed countries, as taxonomized by the country’s diverse facets, such as gross domestic product, human development index, technology & facilities, and living conditions, is notably wideningi. As a result of the diversity existing between the countries, there has been movement from citizens of the underdeveloped and developing nations immigrating to the developed countries, as a greater means of acquiring a better lifestyle and supporting family back home. Derived from this notion, an industry titled the “mail-order” immigrant brides have come to rise, where brokers connect foreign women from underdeveloped and developing countries to prospective husbands from developed countries. Despite residing in a developed nation, men often came from the middle-class, forcing women to force themselves into perilous workforces. Furthermore, foreign brides face difficulties in visa activities, protecting themselves, and most prominently, persevering through notions of racial discrimination. As society entered the contemporary era, where modern ideas such as women’s rights gained a surge of attention and development, an increasing number of developed nations began to recognize the loopholes in the living conditions for immigrant brides and thus adjusted the legislation accordingly. Although this progression was a global phenomenon, the sectors of adjustment and the order in which issues were addressed diversified greatly based on the political atmosphere and history of the nations. Thus, with a foundation in statistics, data, and legislation, this paper looks to conduct a comparative analysis of the compromised living conditions of immigrant brides in two starkly different societies of The United States and South Korea. The focus of the paper will be on factors pivotal to basic living standards, such as the visa acquisition process, protection from
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Comparing The Progression And Contemporary Circumstances Of The “Mail-Order” Immigrant Bride Industry In The United States And South Korea
Jennah Yoo
Seoul International Schoolviolence, and support for education. As a basis of the comparison, the paper will explore the gender normality and the development of women’s rights in each country, as well as gain input from Scandinavian nations, where women’s rights are most highly regarded on a global scale. In fine, the paper will suggest a policy reform for each country based on the analysis.

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