An amiable personality was the reason most foreigners married to Koreans cited for choosing their spouse, the Corea Image Communication Institute said Sunday. It was the first reason for 87 percent of the 100 foreign men and women the institute polled. Some 68 percent cited their Korean spouse’s compassion, 62 percent their kindness and 37 percent their intelligence.

When asked if their parents assented to their marriage, 52 percent said yes, and 45 percent said no. Of the women, 56 percent said their parents were against the idea, but only 35 percent of male respondents said they faced opposition. The main reason was a negative image of Korea, 80 percent of respondents who faced difficulty said.

(englishnews@chosun.com )