According to Yahoo News!, South Korea's highest court has upheld its adultery law. From the article. . .
The law was enacted in 1953 to protect women.
In this male-dominated society, women had little recourse against a husband who had an affair. Back then, if a wife walked out of a marriage, she would often end up alone and penniless.
Today, it is rare for people to be jailed but that has not stopped several thousand angry spouses from filing criminal complaints each year.
Critics have said a better compromise might be to allow spouses just to sue for compensation in civil court.
I think that this is a very interesting law. It led me to wonder if there are any consequences for adultery (as far as the law goes) in America. I know you won't be thrown in jail here, but can you be sued for breaking a marriage contract? Should the laws be stricter here?
As a side (but related issue), I think that one of the worst marriage laws in the country is the no fault divorce.
What do you think?
1 comment:
I think that currently, the no-fault divorce laws are the worst, marriage-related laws out there. Let's wait for things like Prop 8 in California - not directly effecting legal proceedings for marriage, but allowing homosexuality to legally be taught in every public school classroom.
About there being laws against adultery - I don't believe it is nation wide, but I know that at least in Texas, there are laws that state pretty much that if you have a "maritial type" relationship with more than one person, you can be prosecuted legally. The way the law is stated could EASILY be grounds for a husband/wife to go after a cheating spouse, but the law was actually set up to go after polygamists. ;)
However, I don't know if there are other such laws in different states. I am sure that Utah probably has some.
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