View source for Hoju

{{Short description|Family registration system in Korea}}
{{italic title}}
{{redirect|Hojeok|the musical instrument|Taepyeongso}}
'''''Hoju''''' ({{korean|호주|戶主|lit=household head}}) or '''''hojuje''''' ({{korean|labels=no|호주제|戶主制}}) is a [[family register]] system formerly employed in [[Korea]]. The register itself is referred to as the '''''hojeok''''' ({{korean|mr=hojŏk|호적|戶籍}}). The system remained in effect in [[North Korea]] until approximately 1955 and in [[South Korea]] until 2008. It was similar to other family registries used in East Asia, such as the Chinese [[hukou]] and the Japanese [[koseki]]. Although the ''hoju'' system with its specific focus on registering families under a head of household is no longer in use, both North and South Korea continue to maintain family registers.
The first iteration of the ''hoju'' system was the {{lang|ko-Latn|minjeok}} system of the late [[Korean Empire]], adopted in 1909.{{sfn|Lee|2016|p=188}} ''Hojeok'' came into use [[Korea under Japanese rule|under Japanese rule]] in 1922.{{sfn|Lee|2016|p=190}} This system remained in force in South Korea until 1960, when it was replaced by the country's own ''Hojeok'' Act.{{sfn|Lee|2016|p=190}}
The limited information on North Korean family registration law indicates that North Korea likely abolished this system in 1955 under the {{lang|ko|공민의 신분등록에 관한 규정}} ("Regulation on Citizen Identity Registration") adopted in that year.{{sfn|Lee|2016|p=189}} By the 21st century, North Korean reference works used the terms ''hojeok'' and ''hoju'' only in a historical sense, and [[North Koreans in South Korea|North Korean refugees]] reported that although births and changes in family relations were required to be reported to the government there was no comparable public registry.<ref>{{Cite web | website = Yonhap News | url = https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20050115002400014 | access-date = 2024-10-23 | script-title = ko:북한엔 호주제 없다 | trans-title = There is no ''hoju'' system in North Korea | author = 정준영 | date = 2005-01-16 }}</ref>
In the 21st century the ''hoju'' system came under criticism in South Korea. Opponents considered it innately patriarchal and a violation of the right to [[gender equality]]. It was opposed by both feminists and by representatives of religious traditions including [[Buddhism]] and [[Christianity]]. Conservative groups led by the [[National Action Campaign]] opposed abolishing the system, in part on the grounds that doing so would follow North Korea's example.<ref>{{Cite web | script-title = ko:호주제 폐지는 북한 따라하기? 보수단체 광고에 네티즌 ‘실소’ | trans-title = Is abolishing the ''hoju'' system imitating North Korea? Netizens 'LOL' at conservative group's ad| author = 김남일 | date = 2005-02-13 | newspaper = [[The Hankyoreh]] | url = https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/10442.html | access-date = 2024-10-23 }}</ref> On 3 February 2005 the [[Constitutional Court of Korea|Constitutional Court]] held that the ''hoju'' system was incompatible with the guarantees of Article 36 Paragraph 1 of the [[Constitution of South Korea]].{{sfn|Lee|2016|p=190 n.20}}
The ''hoju'' system was replaced by the modern Registry of Family Relations through a reform of the [[Civil Code of South Korea]] in 2008.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Gender issues and Confucian scriptures: Is Confucianism incompatible with gender equality in South Korea?|first=Eunkang|last=Koh|journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London|year=2008|volume=71|number=2|pages=345–362|jstor=40378774|doi=10.1017/s0041977x08000578}}</ref>
== Works cited ==
*{{Cite journal | author-last = Lee | author-first = Eun-jung | script-title=ko:북한의 신분등록․공민등록․주민등록제도 - 가족관계등록을 중심으로 - | journal = 안암법학 |issue = 51 | year = 2016 | pages = 185-229 | doi = 10.22822/alr..51.201609.185 | trans-title = The Identity Registration, Citizen Registration, and Civil Registration Systems of North Korea ― With a focus on registration of family relations ―}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:East Asian family registers]]
[[Category:Law of South Korea]]
[[Category:Law of North Korea]]
[[zh:戶]]