Sunday, February 19, 2012

EP Restart - In February, Not Mid-February

Folks,

I must apologize for a slight misunderstanding in my understanding of Korean.  When I inquired a few weeks ago to MOHW about the EP restart (see my Feb 1 posting) , I was told that it will be in "ewol-joong" (meaning in February).  I misunderstood this to mean mid-February, as "joong" usually means "middle".  However, I forgot that it could also mean all inclusive February. 

Today, I got a reply from the MOHW in response to my inquiry several days ago, and that their intention was to restart the EP process anytime in February, not mid-February as I originally understood.  So my sincere apology to you all for not having properly understood the initial message from the MOHW and gave you folks a false hope. 

"Ewol-joong" means "in February". So as of now, the MOHW plans to begin the EP process in February, and that leaves about ten days left to go for them to restart.  I really really hope they will start in "ewol-joong", meaning they will restart the EP process before the March arrives.  Like all of you, I am crossing my fingers.

44 comments:

  1. Any news about movement is good at this point. I am so appreciative of your efforts in following this up. As we are not allowed contact with the Ministry or with the agencies in Korea you are our only voice. Thank you! Vicky

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  2. Thank you again for the info!!!!!!:):)

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  3. Thank you so much for the update! I am relieved to hear that they are still planning on approving EPs this month!

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    1. PS-Has the ministry given any indication if they are going to start doing regular submissions once they first submission goes through?

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  4. Thank you for the update, and helping to advocate for these toddlers who have been waiting 15+ months to meet their forever families.

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  5. Thank you for the updated information. We are just glad that the message coming out of the MOWH is still sometime in February. Since this is the last full week of Feb, we are still praying we will see some movement this week- but at least we know we will see something by next week!

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  6. Thanks for keeping us posted! :) I truly appreciate it!

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  7. Steve, many thanks for this update. You are the guardian angel for all of us waiting for news.

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  8. Thanks for your efforts and for this update. Any indication if they'll make up for "lost" time? Thanks.

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  9. thank you for the update. I know this delay weights heavy on your heart as it does all of ours. I just wish they were willing to share the full gameplane with us. We are all losing our minds with uncertainity and unknowns. But I know we will do whatever it takes to bring our babies home - even if it means just continuing to wait...

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  10. Thank you! Your blog give me so much hope!

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  11. Thank you for the update. I too am hoping and praying that it is this month! Hopefully in the next couple of days!

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  12. Thank you! However, I have just received information that..."Latest info from CHSFS states the ministry is now saying early March for submission of EPs." Can anyone please confirm?

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    1. That is entirely possible, as things can change in a few days span. I was told it will be in February, and nothing surprises me if it happens in March. Keeping my fingers crossed.

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    2. Ewol-joong translates as around February or as in February-ish. Meaning it could be early March as well. So what you have stated could still ring true.

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    3. It doesn't say exactly "early March", it actually says "Most recently, we have received word that the Ministry will accept the submission of emigration permission request as of the beginning of March." I take AS OF the beginning of March to mean not early March, but that it will be done as of the beginning of March. As of the beginning of March, the Ministry will accept the submission of EP requests. I'm going to call, but that's how I took it.

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    4. At this point Early March and the beginning of March dont mean a thing...because it appears to be lies anyway.

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    5. Ewol-joong translates to IN February. If it ends up being March, it's because the Ministry made a change in plans.

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  13. I have also heard that CHSFS is being told that it will be the beginning of March, although it is always subject to change. Steve, do you have any sense as to whether they are going to come out with the details about the new adoption laws at that time, or start EP and then figure out the details later? It would be a bit easier to handle this all if we had a big picture view of what the heck is/will be going on. Thanks again for all that you do to help us out.

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  14. This just sounds like the latest in a series of lies from the ministry. If they don't want these children to go to international families they should just say so and stop screwing with so many lives. I'm sorry, but this is getting rediculous.

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    1. Thumbs up !!
      I don't understand them, if the have problems, better to come clean than keeping us in this endless wait.
      Out son is there waiting, so stop playing with our hearts.
      They don't get many points for the last many statements.

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  15. The agencies in Korea (called two different agencies last night) have not heard anything yet from MOHW. I understand your frustrations and sympathize with all of you folks. February isn't over yet. They can discourage us with their politics, but they can't take away our hopes. Let us all be strong as our children depends on our stength and patience.

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    1. Amen! :) I was looking at pictures of my son's sweet face this morning & resolved to be strong for him. He needs me & I need him. This journey is not as I had hoped, but the end result will be so worth it. Steady on.

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    2. Thank you again for checking on this and for your encouragement!!

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    3. Steve - thank you! You are the one who gives me hope that we will be united with our children even if it isn't as quickly as we desire.

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    4. Still 7 days to go, come on MOHW, get going......

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    5. I wish we could be as optimistic as you ladies. Unfortunately we have resolved at our home to take down all photos and references to "our" daughter. Looking at pictures of a child that at appears will not (unless something changes) be coming home anytime soon (if at all) is just too much to bear, and impossible to understand for my young son who asks (daily) why we haven't brought her home yet. I can't help but feel like we have been foolish to trust the government to think (or care) that any home is better than an institution. I feel so sorry for these children whose lives are in the balance, and "red tape" is getting in the way of any chance at the love of a forever family. It makes me sick. Thank you Steve for being the only lifeline and source of information that some of us have.

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  16. Does anyone have a sense of whether there is any "buzz" regarding this issue in Korea. If this is, at it appears to be, politically motivated, I'd be curious to know what people living in Korea know about or think about this delay. From the articles I have read, it seems like there are vocal parties advocating a very black and white position (keeping babies with their moms is good; international adoption is bad). Is this really what the average person thinks, or is this just part of the pandering of the political season? Is there any hope that reason will prevail, or that people will push their leaders to keep the best interest of children at heart while Korea figures out how best to deal with their domestic social issues. It is just frustrating to be in the dark. People ask me "why" this is happening, and I really can't explain it because I cannot understand it myself. It is a black box.

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    1. I have a few contacts in Korea....no one even has a clue about it. Its doesnt appear that institution workers or foster moms ask questions or if they do they won't answer our questions.

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  17. Will there come a time when we might want to ask the U.S. government to intervene on our behalf? I understand the fear of angering the South Korean ministers, but in my experience, people who get angry when asked to deliver on their promises never intended to honor those promises anyway. I hope that is not the case here. However, the longer we wait, the more clear it becomes that the babies we adopted will not be babies or even toddlers by the time we bring them home. This is beginnibg to look like fraud committed against hundreds of American cditizens. Surely our government would try to help us if the knew.

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    1. I have been thinking the same thing....wondering if enough of us started calling our state senators offices could they be of any help. Maybe they could get some answers we can not.

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    2. I think that unless they decide to shutdown the program, that getting our government involved would be a bad idea. I don't see them responding positively toward us telling them how to handle things. It could backfire and make things worse.

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  18. I would be lying if I pretended like I haven't thought many of the things highlighted in this comments section. Yes, I have worried that our children are never coming home and I am angry and I've wondered if our government needs to be involved. I also believe we may be waiting months more, but I do in the end believe that our children will come home. We will likely never understand the reason behind the Ministry's actions. Our children and we as parents are being hurt by this, but I have to believe the Ministry is working towards a greater good.

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  19. I have thought about such things as well - such as asking the US Government to intervene. But I think that should be the last resort in the case Korea won't send those children. However, Korea will release the children soon. I am very confident they will as I have been assured by the MOHW. I know all of you have been counting days to hear the good news. I believe it is just around the corner. Thanks to all of you for being patient.

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    1. Thanks, Steve. Lots of negativity on here because people are just plain tired of waiting: me included. I do believe that my son will come home eventually, and it's ovbiously not going to happen when I want it to, so I just take comfort in the bits of knowledge that you and our agency can provide, and wait. Your information is a life-line, and if you posted every hour of every day it wouldn't bother me! :) It's so good to know that someone out there IS asking questions and advocating on behalf of our children with the MOHW. I'm hoping they will have an awakening to these new and extra challenges these babies will face being so much older once they are finally joined with their familes. If they could just start processing SOON, it would alleviate many fears and calm many nerves. I'm hoping this difficult time will in turn bless those families and children to come with a smoother process and more realistic expectations. That this painful time will give way to a smoother process for those to come.

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  20. I heard a rumor (and yes just a rumor) that there will be no movement til Mid-March. I hope that isn't true...

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    1. Who did you hear the rumor from? Was it someone who has direct contact with either the MOHW or the agencies in Korea who do? Or, was it an upset parent?

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    2. You'd seriously want to post such a "rumor", knowing how obviously upset all these families are already? A link to this webpage, specifically mentioning your rumor, is now posted on an adoption agency's forum as well, spreading more upset. Plus posting this rumor is negating and disrespecting all the inquiry work Steve has been doing for us, which repeatedly indicates February.

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  21. oh sweet jesus - if i have to wait to see movement until mid-march i'm going to have to seriously consider some form off counselling.

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    1. Oh but wait...we cant have counseling or meds....with certain agencies.

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  22. I believe the children will come home. I believe our time is just what Steve said, just around the corner.
    I believe the Korean agencies know this, because we are still getting updates and still being told wait..just a little longer.
    Unfortunatly, the Korean ministry's only job isnt to work on adoptions....obviously. South Korea needs us...we are allies. They aren't going to hold children already matched and cause an outcry like this.

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  23. I am a parent who has been waiting 13 months to take custody of my son, who needs surgery and early intervention services. Believe me--I empathize with everyone's frustration. I am *so* ready to parent this child. I get where a lot of the anger here is coming from--but really, when did the Ministry ever promise us it would start processing EPs in January? Never. Our US agencies speculated, based on prior years experience, that the process would start in January. They had no concrete information, so no "promises" have been broken. Our expectations have been shattered--yes. But this call to arms to get the US government involved seems premature at best, and truly offensive at worse.

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