Preliminary Deliberation Program Reduces No. of Divorces

More troubled couples are opting not to divorce since a program started in June last year offered them counseling and a chance to rethink their decision.

The Supreme Court said yesterday that the cancellation rate, or the ratio of handled to canceled divorce cases, jumped from 16 percent or 12,000 cases in the second half of 2007 to 25 percent or 13,000 cases in the latter half of last year.

The divorce deliberation program seeks to prevent couples from filing for divorce simply under the influence of anger. A married couple with children applying for divorce by mutual consent is given three months of deliberation. A childless couple is given one month of deliberation.

Courts across the nation received 68,000 divorce applications and handled 75,000 divorces in the second half of 2007. In the latter half of last year, however, they received 71,000 divorce applications and handled 54,000 cases. That means the number of divorce applications jumped by around 2,000 but that of handled cases fell by 20,000.

Certain couples suffering from domestic violence and other harsh factors, however, were allowed to divorce faster with little or no deliberation period.

verso@donga.com