Man reunites with family 50 years after going missing at age 3 thanks to DNA match
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A South Korean man who was separated from his family at age 3 has miraculously reunited with his relatives 50 years later, thanks to a DNA test.
According to Busan Jungbu Police, Friday, Kang, now 53, was separated from his father in a crowd at Seoul Station in March 1975 while waiting with him for his mother. He was later sent to a childcare facility in Seo District, Busan, where he remained until adulthood.
Kang, who now works in Busan, visited the police station in February in hopes of finding his long-lost family. Having no knowledge of his real name or birthdate, Kang shared his story with officers, who recommended a DNA sample be taken. The DNA was sent to the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC), which has operated the “Missing Children Database System” since 2004 to match DNA of missing children with that of searching family members.
A month later, Kang received the long-awaited news: a match had been found. His mother had registered her DNA in 2019. However, she had passed away in January 2023 at the age of 86. Using her family records and contact information, police were able to locate Kang’s older sister, who lives in Seoul.
“I even appeared on TV shows that help reunite separated families, but nothing worked,” Kang’s sister said. “I thought he was dead. I’m so happy to see him again.”
The siblings reunited at a meeting arranged by the Busan Jungbu Police, where they shared stories of their lives over the past five decades. The reunion took place one day before Kang’s actual birthday, making the event even more meaningful.
Shim Tae-hwan, head of Jungbu Police, said, “Kang’s sister registered their mother’s DNA in advance, fearing she might lose the chance forever after her passing. We will continue to use DNA analysis to help locate long-term missing persons.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.