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4w ago

South Korea Acknowledges Systemic Abuses in Foreign Adoption Program

Truth commission finds government culpable for human rights violations, recommends reforms and official apology as adoptees call for stronger accountability.

Image
Silhouette of a family with the South Korean Flag in the background
Childhood photographs of a South Korean adoptee and a picture of her father, a US serviceman
Children look out at a view of Seoul shrouded by heavy smog in Seoul, South Korea, January 15, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

Overview

  • South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded that the government facilitated systemic abuses in its foreign adoption program, including fraudulent records and identity tampering.
  • The commission confirmed human rights violations in 56 out of 367 cases investigated, with plans to review remaining complaints before its mandate ends in May 2025.
  • Private adoption agencies, with insufficient oversight, manipulated children’s identities and bypassed proper legal consent to meet foreign demand for adoptees.
  • Recommendations include a government apology, remedies for victims, investigation of citizenship gaps, and ratification of The Hague Adoption Convention to strengthen adoption oversight.
  • Adoptees and advocates criticized the report for being overly cautious and failing to fully address the government's complicity in systemic abuses.