Serious Human Rights Violations Uncovered in South Korea’s Foreign Adoption Program

An investigation that lasted nearly three years by South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission found serious violations of human rights in the foreign adoption program run by the government. The report documents how local adoption agencies collaborated with foreign agencies to send South Korean children abroad to satisfy foreign demand, sometimes in questionable or illegal ways.

The investigation started with mounting complaints from adoptees and discovered a cultural crisis of forged identities and family backgrounds. Many children received false documentation and in some cases, agency staff even traded identities when an adoption did not go through. As a consequence, thousands of adoptees have again lost their rightful heritage and experienced trauma related to identity.

The investigation revealed instances where adoptive parents were found unfit resulting in many years of litigation in removing children from abusive homes. The report recommended an official apology from the government, remedial action and the ratification of The Hague’s adoption treaty. Some adoptees approved of the recommendations while others criticized it for not holding the government more accountable. The South Korean government has not yet responded to the report’s recommendations.