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Sat, September 30, 2023 | 12:23

Court submission on the 'orphan-making' process (Part 2)

Court submission on the 'orphan-making' process (Part 2)

In the plaintiff's case, his inter-country adoption was processed through the creation of an “abandoned child” family register, even though the agency knew and had information about his biological mother. What is the process of adopting through the “Family Registration for Orphans,” and why has it become a customary practice of adoption between the Republic of Korea and the U...

2022-04-09 09:31

Submission to court about Korea's inter-country adoption program (Part 1)

Submission to court about Korea's inter-country adoption program (Part 1)

Some of the articles of this series will dedicate space to parts of the Amicus Brief submitted to the Korean Court by Dr. Lee Kyung-eun. The Amicus Brief was written as a Q&A to assist the judges in understanding the historic meaning of this case.

2022-04-02 17:26

Adam Crapser vs. Republic of Korea

Adam Crapser vs. Republic of Korea

On Jan. 24, 2019, Shin Song-hyuk (better known as Adam Crapser), internationally adopted from South Korea to the U.S., filed a petition with the Seoul Central District Court against the Korean government and Holt Children's Services Inc. for violating his rights during his adoption process. Although the plaintiff's story garnered worldwide media attention, his lawsuit represe...

2022-03-26 09:31

Dialogues with Adoptees: Let's make adoptees' rights mainstream

Dialogues with Adoptees: Let's make adoptees' rights mainstream

In early summer of 2021, I sat with The Korea Times' digital content editor. We had met on the terrace of a small cafe in Seoul to discuss starting a new column series. That warm and sunny day stands out because it was the first moment this series' journey began.

2022-01-15 09:42

A pillar of the Hague Adoption Convention: Shared responsibility of receiving countries

A pillar of the Hague Adoption Convention: Shared responsibility of receiving countries

The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), an intergovernmental organization facilitating cross-border cooperation in private legal matters, has been collecting the statistics of children adopted transnationally from the immigration authorities of 23 receiving countries, mainly in Western Europe, North America and Australia.

2022-01-08 14:17

Adoption is meant to provide babies for families, not families for babies

Adoption is meant to provide babies for families, not families for babies

Recently, an article was published in The Atlantic entitled, “The New Question Haunting Adoption,” in which author Olga Khazan asks the following question: “But is adoption meant to provide babies for families, or families for babies?” As an adoptee myself (adopted from Korea at three months of age), this question has been haunting me since I read this article.

2021-12-25 09:17

I feel welcome but often rejected as adoptee in Korea. Here's what needs to change

I feel welcome but often rejected as adoptee in Korea. Here's what needs to change

Intercultural communication can be challenging. Honestly, no matter how hard adoptees try to re-adapt to Korean culture, we will never be entirely Korean again. Having been socialized in the West, this cultural influence dominates our behaviors.

2021-12-18 09:46

The second generation: A story of Korean adoptees' child

The second generation: A story of Korean adoptees' child

I vividly remember the grand ceremony at the Korean Ministry of Justice in 2011 when both of my parents' Korean citizenship was restored. It had been more than two years since we had moved to Korea as a family, and I remember feeling proud - proud that my parents had completed their journey back home, and proud to be their “Korean” son. While my parents seemed to have complet...

2021-12-12 09:10

'Vincenzo' and adoption myth entrenched in Korean society

'Vincenzo' and adoption myth entrenched in Korean society

“Vincenzo,” a Korean TV drama starring Song Joong-ki, centers on the story of a Korean adoptee who becomes a mob lawyer, after being raised by an Italian mafia family. Despite being adopted to Italy at a very young age and spending most of his life there, he arrives in Incheon International Airport speaking perfect Korean and manages to integrate seamlessly into Korean societ...

2021-12-04 09:27

While experiencing 'han,' we need to reintegrate 'jeong' into our vocabulary

While experiencing 'han,' we need to reintegrate 'jeong' into our vocabulary

We adoptees are the embodiment of “han,” a term that could be described as an “internalized feeling of deep sorrow, grief, regret and anger.” Sharing this feeling makes us so very connected to our ancestors. As adoptees, besides what we carry genetically, we are spiritually very Korean.

2021-11-27 09:37

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