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Mon, September 25, 2023 | 12:03

Secrets of birth: Multiple layers of falsehoods in Korea's birth documents

Secrets of birth: Multiple layers of falsehoods in Korea's birth documents

The Netflix documentary, “Wonder Boy,” chronicles the journey of Olivier Rousteing, a transracially adopted French designer, to uncover his true identity.

2021-11-20 09:06

Rewriting my adoption story truthfully

Rewriting my adoption story truthfully

My citizenship is American but America is not where I was born. My birthplace is Korea, but Korean is not my culture. My culture is American, but my American family does not share my race. My racial ancestors are Korean, but I do not know who they are.

2021-11-14 08:57

Imagining equality between Koreans and overseas adoptees

Imagining equality between Koreans and overseas adoptees

Overseas adult adoptees have resettled in Korea since the mid-/late 1990s but not before the early/mid-2000s was there a critical mass return. I doubt that Korea was ready for this influx and we might not have been quite ready for Korea either. My motivation for resettling in Korea was largely driven by a general interest and curiosity about this mythical-like place: a countr...

2021-11-06 09:34

The problems we face while helping adoptees' search for families

The problems we face while helping adoptees' search for families

I'm a representative of “Banet,” which began in 2018 as a small group of women volunteering to help overseas adoptees search for their origins. The name derives from “banet jeogori,” a type of clothing worn by newborns in Korea. We chose this name after seeing black and white photos of an airplane filled with children - all of them wearing banet jeogori and destined for overs...

2021-10-31 12:31

What does Korean law say about adoptees' right to information disclosure

What does Korean law say about adoptees' right to information disclosure

While there's been much discussion on the challenges of guaranteeing adopted people's “right to origins,” there's been little talk about the specifics of Korea's current legislation on the matter.

2021-10-16 14:13

Intercountry adoption is about human rights, not charity

Intercountry adoption is about human rights, not charity

I'm often asked by Western diplomats, “I know Korea had a problem with that issue in the past but is it still relevant these days?” Korean civil society and human rights groups have demonstrated a similar depth of understanding, “Wasn't that the legacy of the military dictatorship? With democratization, hasn't that already changed?” Rather than addressing the fundamental flaw...

2021-10-09 09:16

Intercountry adoptions 1985-92: A numbers game for Korea's national image

Intercountry adoptions 1985-92: A numbers game for Korea's national image

Over a seven-year span (1985-92), the number of transnational adoptions from Korea fell by 1,000 annually, dropping to a level not seen since 1970. Despite the absence of any meaningful reforms in child welfare or legislation, this decline represented a dramatic shift that satisfied many, including Western policymakers, who assumed that the root problems of transnational adop...

2021-10-03 20:12

The unrestrained expansion of 'child exports' during 1980s authoritarian period

The unrestrained expansion of 'child exports' during 1980s authoritarian period

Shortly after the assassination of Park Chung-hee in 1979, Chun Doo-hwan led a successful military coup that would see Korea's authoritarian leadership period continue until 1992. The tumultuous political change that has come to define this period also influenced the politics of intercountry adoption. Throughout Chun's rule, the number of children sent for adoption experience...

2021-09-25 09:31

The search for origins is also a search for dignity

The search for origins is also a search for dignity

What began as a three-month vacation in 2004 eventually evolved into a permanent move. Instead of a birth family search, I came to Korea to see and experience a country that I could feel but never remember.

2021-09-11 09:20

The failure of adoption system

The failure of adoption system

In 2018, an adoptee recounted to me a meeting with a group of Korean government officials. They had met to discuss measures to support deported adoptees' resettlement in Korea. When they sat at the table, the adoptee noticed that on the official's agenda, deported adoptees were referred to as “people who failed their adoptions and returned to their birth country.” Upon seeing...

2021-09-04 12:40

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