South Korea’s international adoptees seek justice, not homecoming
Summary
Many South Koreans adopted by families abroad are finding out that their adoption records were false or incomplete. Some adoptees discovered their birth families thought they were dead, and adoption agencies may have hidden or changed important information. The South Korean government has apologized for its role in these problems.Key Facts
- Marie Wang, adopted from South Korea to Denmark, found her adoption records contained false information about her birth mother.
- Many adoptees were told their birth parents gave them up because of poverty or other reasons, but some learned their families believed they had died.
- Mia Lee Hansen was reunited with her birth family after DNA testing revealed they thought she had died as a baby.
- Hospital records and other documents often conflicted or were missing for adoptees.
- South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission found the government was involved in problematic overseas adoptions.
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung apologized to adoptees and families for the pain caused by these adoption issues.
- Advocates say adoption agencies did not keep accurate records and sometimes fabricated files.
- Many adoptees have never returned to South Korea, feeling disconnected from their birth families.
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