More babies adopted overseas
/ Yonhap
By Rachel Lee
More Korean babies are finding their new families overseas, statistics show.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare Friday, domestic and international adoptions totaled 1,172 last year, up 250 from 2013. Domestic adoptions fell by 49 to 637 while international adoptions were up 299 to 535.
The increase in international adoptions comes from the implementation of the international adoption process, which began in the second quarter of 2013. About 40 percent of applications made in 2013 were approved in 2014.
“The total adoption volume will either remain or decrease considering the number of parents who give up raising their children and adoptive parents,” a ministry official said.
The ministry also said it planned to expand financial support for adopted children aged16 and under. Currently, children 15 and under receive the home care allowance.
The ministry is also working on a database that will contain information for adoptees who later want to find their parents.
“We are doing our best to improve the country’s perception of adoption by providing more education,” the official said.