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4w ago

South Korea Found Responsible for Systemic Fraud in Foreign Adoption Program

Truth and Reconciliation Commission confirms human rights violations, urges government apology and reforms, as adoptees criticize limited scope of findings.

Image
Silhouette of a family with the South Korean Flag in the background
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
South Kora remains one of the biggest ever exporters of babies in the world, having sent more than 140,000 children overseas between 1955 and 1999

Overview

  • South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded that the government facilitated widespread fraud and human rights abuses in its foreign adoption program from the 1950s to 1990s.
  • The commission confirmed violations in 56 of 367 cases reviewed, citing fabricated records, coerced adoptions, and inadequate oversight of private adoption agencies.
  • Recommendations include an official apology, remedies for victims, investigation of citizenship gaps, and ratification of The Hague Adoption Convention to improve adoption oversight.
  • Adoptees and advocates criticized the report for weak acknowledgment of government complicity and exclusion of cases lacking sufficient documentation.
  • The commission's mandate ends in May 2025, with plans to review the remaining cases before concluding its investigation.