'Sin Park Young-su,' 'Kim Lee Eun-hye.' Like this, those who use both the father's and mother's family name as offspring are increasing the length of the family name. This is opposed to the tradition of the Korea naming system which follows the father's family name. In the USA, the wife's family name changes to the husband's family name when she gets married. However, nowadays there are people who use their own family name and husband's family name together like 'Hillary Rodham Clinton.' So how about the opinions of foreign chungdaites regarding this tendency?
CP Reporter: What is the way of naming offspring of your nation? and how about the female's family name when they get married?
Rattiya: Thailander offspring use the father's family name. Rattiya is my first name and Sukhontapheuk is my father's family name. And most wives change to their husband's family name when they get married.
Murali: We use the family name abroad, and use only first name in India. It is the case that the first name's first letter matches the child's birth year, day and time. And if we use the family name, we will write our father's name behind our own first name. So, Murali is my first name and Sumramaniyam which is my father’s name is family name.
Rattiya: Thailander offspring use the father's family name. Rattiya is my first name and Sukhontapheuk is my father's family name. And most wives change to their husband's family name when they get married.
Murali: We use the family name abroad, and use only first name in India. It is the case that the first name's first letter matches the child's birth year, day and time. And if we use the family name, we will write our father's name behind our own first name. So, Murali is my first name and Sumramaniyam which is my father’s name is family name.
CP Reporter: It is a very interesting. Then, how do you think about not using your mother's family name but father's family name.
Rattiya: That is not strange. Because I used my father's family name when I was young.
Murali: India doesn't establish a special rule of name, therefore over there it is all right. And personally I felt good that the family uses the same family name, so I have a plan to use the family name for my children. However, I didn't have a plan to use mother's family name.
Rattiya: That is not strange. Because I used my father's family name when I was young.
Murali: India doesn't establish a special rule of name, therefore over there it is all right. And personally I felt good that the family uses the same family name, so I have a plan to use the family name for my children. However, I didn't have a plan to use mother's family name.
CP Reporter: Then, don't you have an opinion that it is female discrimination using only father's family name?
Murali: I didn't think so. Most people do that in India. And my wife changed my family name.
Rattiya: If there exists a rule which forces children to have to follow their father's family name and that the wife has to change her family name to the husband's name, then it is unfair. That is because female and male should be equal. But there is no rule like that and it is just a custom of a nation, I don't think that it is female discrimination. The case of Thailand, when female get married, they have to change to the husband's family name formerly. But now, the law was revised. So, females have freedom about whether to use their own family name or husband's family name. However, most females use their husband's family name, and if I get married, I'll do that too.
Murali: I didn't think so. Most people do that in India. And my wife changed my family name.
Rattiya: If there exists a rule which forces children to have to follow their father's family name and that the wife has to change her family name to the husband's name, then it is unfair. That is because female and male should be equal. But there is no rule like that and it is just a custom of a nation, I don't think that it is female discrimination. The case of Thailand, when female get married, they have to change to the husband's family name formerly. But now, the law was revised. So, females have freedom about whether to use their own family name or husband's family name. However, most females use their husband's family name, and if I get married, I'll do that too.
CP Reporter: Well then, how about this case which uses the mother and father's family name together like ‘Sin Park Young-su,’ 'Hillary Rodham Clinton?’
Murali: No problem. I think it is all right that someone uses mother and father's family name together, and also uses mother and father's first name together as a family name. For example, the name of the son who has the father, 'Kim Cheol-su' and mother, 'Lee Young-hee' is good like 'Kim Lee Bong-min' or 'Cheol-su Young-hee Bong-min.' The notion of family name in India is different of Korea, so it doesn't matter.
Rattiya: If a person uses two family names in Thailand, I think just 'Umm, it's like that case.' Using two family names is not a fault. That time we can just wonder whether it is neither negative nor positive. However Thailander's family name is not simple like Korean. Therefore If a person who uses two family name of parents, the name is complicated and difficult to remember.
The thoughts about family name varies according to each nation. Through this interview, we can come to know fresh and valuable opinions about that. Thank you for your sincere answer to the two chungdaites. And please expect this new column 'World Wide CNU', together with foreign Chungdaites.
Kim Ah-hyun Reporter
dynady@cnu.ac.kr
Kim Ah-hyun
dynady@cnu.ac.kr