Volunteer worker builds bridge for Korean adoptees
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Jung Aie-ree
By Kim Hyo-jin
A voluntary worker is hoping to become a bridge between Korean adoptees that live in 15 nations around the world and their motherland.
“Adoptees barely cast off feelings that they are disoriented. Searching out their roots is instinctive and helps them steer their lives with confidence,” Jung Aie-ree, who runs the International Korean Adoptee Service (InKAS) said during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday. “I’m trying to bring back what they feel is missing.”
InKAS helped over 25,000 adoptees reach out to their motherland by providing them with Korean language courses and culture programs for the past 17 years at locations in Seoul. It also offers translation services when adoptees meet birth parents and consultations for those who want to pursue a career or take up residence here.
Jung said the group focuses on helping adoptees to learn Korean as being able to speak mother language is essential to understand its culture, not to mention its benefit when they meet their parents and keep in contact.
“Speaking the language of their birthplace is 80 percent of the importance in search of their roots,” she said.
However, the 55-year-old noted that the adoptee’s approach to their motherland varies and therefore the scope of InKAS activities is also growing.
Jung has organized an annual joint exhibition of art created by adoptees and domestic artists since last year. She also held a mentoring session to help adoptees and Koreans in the business sector exchange knowledge about running businesses in November.
She said that she believes adoptees now need to engage in exchanges with their motherland as a way of developing their careers.
“I want to make their visits to Korea more meaningful.”
Jung started the voluntary work for adoptees in the 1990s, motivated by attitudes held then toward adoptees.
“One day I was looking at the TV show about adoptees. The presenter immaturely asked an adoptee who returned to Korea why she had to come back. It was disheartening,” she said, adding there was lack of understanding on adoptees.
“Since then, I hope to make an environment where adoptees can feel welcome and natural to be back in their motherland.”
The granddaughter of a voluntary worker who ran an orphanage in Mokpo, she said empathy with those who have to find a second home in their lives began to develop within her from a young age.
“I wanted to stop those who left alone from feeling abandoned anymore by supporting them systematically.”
Jung plans to expand the program called “language bound” this year. It matches adoptees with underprivileged children to provide them with opportunities to learn English for free. Being engaged in voluntary work makes the adoptees feel proud and fulfilled, she said.
“People say it’s a globalized country. Adoption is a globalized issue too. I hope our society can embrace the difficulties of those who suffer from the loss of family and identity.”