I came across the following New York Times article today: “Koreans Agog as Off-Screen Soap Becomes Courtroom Drama.” Being of Korean descent, it captured my attention immediately. The article details the affects of the South Korean adultery law, “which prohibits extramarital affairs and can land those found guilty in prison for up to two years.” South Korea is one of the few non-Muslim countries with such a law making adultery punishable with a jail sentence. Who knew?
As I read the article, I started wondering how to look at the situation in terms of the different uses of the Law–Civil, Theological/Pedagogical and Didactic (the last one is debatable, I know!). One of the main purposes of the South Korean adultery statute is to protect women in a culture that has traditionally given adulterous men more rights. Clearly, such laws seek to protect, just like the 10 Commandments. Yet, they also indicate how morally bankrupt we are. Who would need the law if we weren’t prone to commit adultery and other harmful acts? Yet, I’m also aware that although laws may prohibit behavior, they can never change our inward dispositions.
So with that said, take a look at the article and feel free to comment on how the different uses interact. Click here.
While we are on Korean things, check out this tasty goodness from South Korea, now available in the United States. Why does “South” and “Fried” always go together?
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2 responses to “Who’s on first, second, third?”
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Oh boy that chicken looks good…
BTW, does anyone know what the divorce rate is in Korea? I wondered if a law like that would give people more incentive to divorce (instead of having an affair).
I want some chickennnnn…..
Hi bonnie! That chicken IS good! I crave it fortnightly!
the divorce rates in South Korea have increased significantly since the 1990s. It was almost unheard of prior to that, and it always was a source of social stigma. The cultural changes in South Korea has been very quick compared to Japan or the West. Prior to the cultural shifts, the law wasn’t used as an excuse to get divorced, but as a tool to lessen the burdens on women in the event that divorce happened.
Cliff! Thanks for the response- a lot of good stuff to chew on. I read Augustine’s “City of God” this past year, and I’d be interested in comparing Augustine and Luther on their ideas on the two different kingdoms/cities and how grace/law operates.