Wives Control the Money in Most Households

Women hold the purse strings in the majority of households, a joint survey by the Chosun Ilbo and public opinion researcher Focus Company shows.

In the survey of 367 married women in their 30s to 50s, a whopping 81.5 percent said they control their household's living expenses. Only 13.1 percent said that they share the responsibility with their husband, and a mere 5.4 percent said their husband does it.

Some 41.2 percent also said that they check on their husband's financial transactions every month, and 25.3 percent said they do so sometimes. Just 13.1 percent said they do so when they feel suspicious.

However, about half of the wives or 48 percent admitted to hiding some money that their husband does not know about.