In a groundbreaking disclosure, South Korea has acknowledged its historical wrongdoing in the adoption of over 170,000 children since the 1950s, a practice labeled as "mass exporting" by the newly released report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The investigation, launched in 2022, highlights a troubling legacy of profit-driven adoption practices that allowed private agencies to exploit vulnerable families while evading governmental oversight.
Commission chairperson Park Sun-young described the findings as a record of "systemic failure in oversight and management," revealing instances of fraud and coercion within private adoption agencies. Many adoptees have come forth, sharing harrowing accounts of abandonment and trauma, with one interviewee stating that she felt her adoptive parents “took better care of the dog than they ever did of me.”
The commission's investigation has included petitions from 367 adoptees, focusing on fraudulent practices during adoptions from 1964 to 1999. Thus far, 56 cases have been recognized as violations of human rights. The prevalence of excessive fees, coerced consent from birth mothers, and inadequate vetting of adoptive families were among the reported abuses.
With foreign demand driving the adoption market and the Korean government's lax regulatory framework, these private agencies operated with minimal procedural restraint—knowing they were virtually unmonitored. Many adoptees faced significant challenges due to discrepancies in their identities recorded by these agencies.
In response to the findings, the commission has urged the government to deliver a formal apology and to align its adoption practices with international standards. Recent legislative changes show a move towards greater governmental control over adoptions, aiming to prevent such exploitative practices in the future.
As South Korea continues reforming its adoption system, the experiences of individuals like Inger-Tone Ueland Shin, who was adopted illegally by a Norwegian family, serve as poignant reminders of the pain caused by the historic adoption policies. Having suffered trauma and abuse, she reflects on her struggles of growing up in Norway, emphasizing her wish for an end to international adoptions from Korea.
With the commission's inquiry set to conclude in May, the spotlight remains on the need for accountability and healing for those affected by South Korea's troubled adoption history, as the nation grapples with this painful chapter of its past.
