A man from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, was stunned after discovering a shocking family secret: he had unknowingly married his second cousin. The revelation came six years after the couple married on October 31, 2018.
According to a report by ETtoday, the discovery occurred while the husband was looking through the family registry for genealogical information. To his shock, he discovered that his maternal grandmother and his wife’s paternal grandmother were actually sisters, making him and his wife second cousins.
The revelation left both spouses horrified, as their marital relationship was now classified as incestuous under Taiwanese law. In Taiwan, marriages between relatives within three degrees of kinship are strictly prohibited.
Concerned about the legal implications – particularly regarding marital rights and inheritance – the man filed a petition in court to verify parentage and seek annulment of their marriage.
Following an investigation, Kaohsiung’s family and the juvenile court confirmed their status as second cousins and officially annulled the marriage in August.
The wife reportedly did not oppose the annulment or her husband’s motion. Both parties waived their right to appeal, legally and emotionally ending their six-year marriage.
This extraordinary case has attracted widespread attention in Taiwan, serving as a reminder of the complexities that can arise from shared family histories.
Sources: Znews
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