The world consists of countries, and each country consists of families. A family is the smallest unit of people in the world. Governments make efforts to serve their countries and develop. What a government intends is to make a healthy and happy society which is based on families’ happiness. If people in families are not happy, then society is not happy. To protect society, the Korean government has a censor system called hojuje (householder system). “Ho” means house and “ju” means owner. Hoju means the head of the family, and the hoju system is used to file the official documents of all Korean citizens. Each family member is identified as a stated relation to the head of the family i.e. hoju’s son, hoju’s daughter, hoju’s wife, etc. People have different opinions on whether or not the householder system should be kept.
Opponents of the Householder System

Most people oppose the householder system for several reasons. One reason is that the householder system is not our traditional system. Census registration did exist in the past, but not like today’s householder system. The Koryo and Chosun Dynasties’ family register recorded the names of people living together. Thus, if a son lived separately from his parents, his name was not included on the same family register. Slaves were listed in the same family register as their masters. There were no householders, but house units existed in the Koryo Dynasty. The concept of householder was formed in the early Chosun Dynasty.


The present householder system was established during the Japanese colonial period. The householder system was enforced by the Japanese colonial regime and imposed as a colonial policy. To handle Korea more easily, the Japanese encouraged family members to respect and worship the family head. In turn, it led to deference towards the Japanese emperor. In addition, it was used for the purpose of efficiently enlisting soldiers and collecting taxes. Therefore, it was a kind of administrative measure to keep track of Korean people. Opponents insist that the householder system must be abolished.


Opponents insist that the householder system promotes inequality. Women don’t have the right to succeed to the head of the family. The householder system bolsters sexual discrimination. Civil law stipulates the right of succession as the head of a family in order of father, son, daughter, wife, and then the father’s mother. In short, the youngest son can be the head of the family prior to his grandmother. After a woman is married, she is included in her husband's register. After her husband dies, her son succeeds as the head of the family. The mother is now in her son's register even though he could be a preschooler. The householder system totally attaches importance to the paternal side. It is an infringement of sexual equality. Moreover, when a woman remarries, she needs both her husband’s and ex-husband's consent to have her children's name entered into her new husband’s register. Men don't need their wife's or ex-wife’s agreement to do the same thing. The maternal side is ignored.


The Ministry of Gender Equality is opposed to the householder system. The media is pressured to report the Ministry of Gender Equality’s side. For example, one TV debate recently dealt with the householder system. It was concluded that the system should be preserved, but two weeks later, surprisingly the debate was repeated and the opposite conclusion was reached. That was because the Ministry wanted to sway public opinion to believe that it is better to abolish the householder system.
Proponents of the Householder System

Each country has a primary element to unite the citizens. China has Sinocentrism, and America has Puritanism and the pioneering spirit. England is united centering on the Royal Family. Islamic countries band together under Islam. How about Korea? We have our own language, alphabet, and the family system centering on blood relations. Korea is one of the only countries that is racially homogeneous with a kinship society centering on a family name.


The householder system helps national unity. For example, Mongolia had the family system centering on blood relations started by Genghis Khan, who unified the clans. The power that once controlled the greatest territory in the world came from the family system.


Proponents assert that there are several reasons why the householder system should be kept. The householder system is not a vestige of Japanese imperialism. Although Japan systemized the householder system, supporters say that it surely is our historical tradition. According to them, there was no word hoju, but there were other words with the same meaning in the Kyongguktaejon, Sokdeajon, and Deajeontongpyeon, the old transitional Korean codes of law in the Chosun Dynasty.


Proponents insist that the householder is no more than a symbolic position. The householder system was amended several times removing the power of the householder. Even some opponents say the householder system no longer has its effect. According to proponents, householders do not have the right to command and control a person on his family register. People who argue that the householder system subordinates family members misunderstand this.


Proponents also argue that it is not true that the householder system instigated the notion of preferring sons to daughters. Opponents say that the householder system instigated the notion of preferring sons to daughters. It is true that a son is still preferred in Korean society; however, it is questionable that the householder system instigated this notion. This notion is not only in Korea, but also in other Asian countries which don’t have the householder system. For example, although China and India don’t have the householder system, they also have the notion of preferring sons to daughters.


Other Countries

Let’s examine other countries’ census registration systems. Japan abolished their previous householder system which they spread to Korea. They used to have the same householder system as Korea, but they changed the system through amending the civil law after World War II. The previous householder system consisted of three generations: grandparents, parents, and children. Now they have a new census registration consisting of two generations: parents and children. In China, a man and wife aren’t necessarily in the same family register. A man and a woman don’t have to change the family register even if they marry or divorce. Children are registered on their mother's census registration. A house register unit includes parents (or a parent), their children, relatives, and even non-related lodgers. In Taiwan, a householder is not the head of the family like in Korea. A house unit can be made up of family members or business associates. A householder is either elected or is the eldest member. It is quite democratic and there is no line of succession. Each person has their own census registration in England and America. The census registration records one’s official documents. Births, marriages, census registration, and deaths, are also recorded. These papers do not have any connection to each other.


We examined the householder system in detail: historical background, pros and cons, and other countries’ census registration systems. In our country, there is still controversy surrounding the householder system. We need to find a suitable census registration system for us. For this, we should look at other countries carefully, but we don’t have to just follow them. Hopefully, such an effort will make our society more equal.