8 Months of Government-Led Adoption Performance: 270 Waiting Children, 540 Waiting Families, 0 (ZERO) Adoptions

 The Korean government laws that took away the families from children…Zero adoption since the new policy began.

12 different adoption-related organizations have gathered to protest to NCRC for Zero domestic adoption in eight months after taking over the adoption duties in Korea. Pictured are Pastor Lee of the Baby Box and Mr. Oh Chang-hwa of the National Adoptive Family Solidarity, Yoo bo-yeon of the Parents' Solidarity for Adoption Normalization, and others.

South Korea's new state-led adoption system has resulted in zero children being placed in homes eight months after its implementation. Approximately 270 children are currently waiting to be adopted in the system, with critics arguing administrative bottlenecks at the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) that are hindering the adoption process.

On July 19, 2025, all adoption duties and processes were taken over by the NCRC, a government arm under the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW). Before that, the Private Adoption System under the civilian agencies such as Holt, Eastern, SWS, and a few others were handling all the adoption procedures from locating children that need homes, recruiting potential adoptive families, home study and screening, adoption education, matching the children with appropriate families, providing post-adoption services and finalization of the adoptions. 

When the NCRC took over, the private adoption system was replaced with Public Adoption System under the "Special Act on Domestic Adoption," placing the state in full charge of the adoption operations and processes. 

One of the reasons for the change was that the private agencies received a lot of criticism regarding lack of transparency and accountability.  Over the years, there has been much pressure by anti-adoption individuals and organizations that have heavily conducted anti-adoption campaigns through media that put much pressure on the government to change the adoption laws with the main purpose of shutting down the intercountry adoption.  The government later stated that all intercountry adoption would end by 2029.

When the NCRC took over public adoption system, a national promise was given to strengthen accountability and transparency. They ran under the slogan, ‘For the Best Interest of the Child’. But so far it has resulted in the opposite. Some people have claimed that NCRC is committing outright human rights violation.  That is, taking hostage of the children over perfecting their administrative processes that has delayed children being in homes. And the children are suffering.

Kim Ji-won (38), a resident of Daejeon, adopted her first child, Ji-woo (pseudonym, 4), in 2022. After deciding to adopt in 2019, Kim went through dozens of counseling sessions. With the help of a social worker assigned by a private adoption agency, she welcomed Ji-woo into her family—an experience that led her to think, "I want to adopt a second child."

However, when she requested counseling through the NCRC’s public adoption system last year, the response she received was simply an instruction to "submit the application and wait for screening first." She stated, "I have waited seven months since the transition to the public system last July, but I was only told that the adoption progress status could not be disclosed."

On the 25th, Kim stood in front of the NCRC in Jongno-gu, Seoul. She was there to voice her position on the adoption delays that have occurred since the transition to the public system. Joining her were 12 adoption-related organizations, including the National Adoptive Family Solidarity (Representative Oh Chang-hwa), the Parents' Solidarity for Adoption Normalization (Representative Yoo Bo-yeon), and the Jusarang Community (Pastor Lee Jong-rak of the Baby Box).

Pastor Lee, who spoke at the event, pointed out, "Since the transition to the new public system, the state has brought to a halt the time it takes for a child to reach a home." He added, "There is no standard processing deadline, and data regarding the reasons for matching delays and progress at each stage are not being disclosed."

Pastor Lee of the Baby Box speaks out in front of the group.

Mr. Oh Chang-hwa speaks as well. The big banner reads, 'The policy that kills the Golden Time for a child is a Human Rights Violation and it must end quickly."

Yet, eight months after the launch of this public system, not a single child has been adopted to a home. Currently, 270 children are waiting for parents, and 540 prospective adoptive families are spending their time in frustration. Organizations claim that even the 18 children who have been matched remain unable to be placed in homes due to the delay in the bureaucratic system.

Before the public system, children and prospective adoptive parents typically had their first meeting within two to three weeks of matching, as children could be cared for in homes through "pre-adoption foster care." Now, additional procedures, such as court-ordered temporary custody decisions, are required. This has resulted in delays of at least seven months.

The organizations expressed concern that these procedural delays could directly impact infant development. Representative Oh Chang-hwa added, "There is a 'Golden Time' for adoption. Attachment and bonding must be formed in a home before 12 months of age, which is a critical period for brain development. No matter how good a facility is, it is difficult to provide the level of developmental stimulation that a home offers, and the risk of developmental delay increases as time passes."

Many people showed up to voice against the current Public Adoption System by the government.

People marching together with the message "Don't let the children wait in institutions nor foster care. Let them go home!"  "Don't steal children’s' Golden Time due to bureaucracy"

When the protesting group confronted NCRC with these issues, NCRC put out an official response that 54 children were placed into homes since the transition was completed on July 19, 2025.  Hower, this was a false statement as those adoption cases were already in process by the private adoption agencies before the transition but closed shortly after the transition.

A protest gathering banner. "Don't let the bureucracy rob the children of their Golden Time."
"Waiting Families: 540, Waiting Children 270, Child Adopted: 0"

The protesting group emphasized that the NCRC must promptly establish a cooperative system with the private adoption agencies and improve matching methods that are causing bottlenecks throughout the adoption process. Furthermore, they urged for increased transparency in the operational process, such as setting standard processing deadlines for each stages in the adoption procedures.

A mother protests in front of the presidential Blue House, asking President Lee for help.

Another group of demonstrators at the city of Gwangju stated, "While the administrative development time at the NCRC may stop, a child's time cannot be."

However, eight months since its implementation, not a single child has been placed into a home.

The adoption bottleneck is not merely a delay; it is a clear administrative failure.

The group stated that “Adoption is not paperwork; it is life. For a child, adoption is not a policy; it is survival.”

For infants, especially before 12 months of age, is a critical period for forming attachment and bonding and trust. Wasting this time in the name of "system stabilization" is an infringement on children's rights. The state must not experiment with children’s time under the pretext of institutional transition.

A child’s life takes precedence over perfecting the adoption manual or perfecting the administrative process. Adoption is not an object for policy experimentation.

The Gwangju Citizens’ Solidarity and the Gwangju Adoptive Family Group fully support the issues raised by adoption-related organizations protesting the delay in the public adoption system and strongly demand the following:

1. Immediately codify legal and administrative standard processing deadlines for adoption procedures.
2. Fully disclose the reasons for matching delays and the status of progress at each stage.
3. Immediately restore and establish a cooperative system with the former private adoption agencies to receive expertise.
4. Drastically shorten the period for placement in homes by simplifying the court's temporary foster care decision process.
5. Conduct an emergency inspection of the overall operation of the public adoption system and present a concrete improvement roadmap to the public.

MPAK 'ICAN' Vision Trip for Orphans

MPAK 'ICAN' Vision Trip for Orphans

MPAK sponsored nine orphan students from five orphanages in Korea to visit the US under the 'ICAN' Vision Trip program in February 3-13, 2026. 'ICAN' comes from 'I Can Also Do It!'. 

Currently MPAK is serving 80 orphans in six orphanages with a one-on-one mentor/tutor program to the students that are severely lacking in educational disparities compared to the students with parents. Significant majority of the students in orphanages suffer poor academic performance, and many of them give up their interest in education, especially by the time they reach the middle school level. Compounded with that is the puberty and adolescence years that almost all children experience, as this does not help with their academic pursuit.

Today, we are helping the students to empower and to dream, and gain confidence, and build self-esteem that will help them to grow and motivate them. In the third year of such program, we have seen some amazing results by the students.

For example, a high school senior named Bok-gi was getting a D in math. Through the help of a tutor, he was able to raise his math grade up to B. Today he has been accepted to a four-year university in Seoul. According to the orphanage director, Bok-gi was the first ever student to accomplish this in the 70 years of history of the orphanage.

At another orphanage, a high school senior named Sung-hyun just got accepted to a good university in Seoul, and the orphanage director said that this was also the first ever from his orphanage. The director credited the support from MPAK as the reason for Sung-hyun’s success.

Yet at another orphanage, a high school freshman named Se-hyun, who was just an average level student at his school, got involved in the mentor/tutor program for two years. He used to get around 70’s in his grades. Just an ordinary grade. But after the tutor program, he now gets 90’s and sometimes 100 in his exams.  The orphanage director was very happy to inform me that Se-hyun is now one of the top 5% of students in his class.

Examples like these are just a few of several great success stories that we hear from the orphanage directors. Of course, not everyone is successful like these students, but the directors have all reported that overall, the students’ grades have gone up, and the students have started to take interest in their grades, which was not there before as they pretty much gave up on their grades before. This was a clear sign that our program was working.

At MPAK, it is our sincere hope that the students will do their best, not only in academics, but whatever their interests lie. Art, music, sports, culinary art, barista, beautician, etc that they can hang their hats on for their future career.

In 2024 I asked each orphanage director to choose two students from each facility to join the newly formed MPAK Vision Trip to the US. Along with the students the orphanage directors were to accompany their respective students on the trip.

The reasoning was twofold.  One was to reward the students that have done well, and the other reason was to motivate the students that didn’t get selected to work harder and hope for their turn in the future vision trip. This resulted in more students joining the program.

The first vision trip took place on February 18-28, 2025, with great success. This year, our second vision trip took place from February 3-13, 2026.

The vision trip took the students to visit the Friendship Bell in San Pedro, visited USC and UCLA, and Hollywood and the Griffith Observatory.  They also visited the Disneyland, Universal Studio, had a bbq picnic at a park, a train ride to San Clemente Pier, drive up to the Laguna Beach, worship at the Grace Korean Church.

We also took the students on a 3-nights and 4-days trip to visit Las Vegas, Zion and Bryce Canyons.  We also visited the Horseshoe Bend and the Antelope Canyon before heading over to the Grand Canyon, which attracted everyone.  We also visited Sedona before heading back to LA.  On the last day the group visited the China Town, then to the Olvera Street, the first Mexican town in California.  We then visited Little Tokyo and Koreatown before heading to LAX for their return flight back to Korea.

On the day of departure, all the students shared their message of gratitude with me, and a few examples are shown here.

“This trip was such a precious opportunity. This trip provided me with a big dream, and I will pursue it and work hard at it with all I have with passion. I am thankful to all those that traveled together, and I already miss them all.” – Yu-seon

“Thank you very much for giving me the chance. It was an unforgettable trip. I will work hard to achieve my dream. Thank you and I love you!” – Si-woo

“I learned so much from this trip and it was really great experience. The trip has brought me a step closer to my dream. I want to thank you for the opportunity. I can’t wait to be a pilot and fly to the US. To that end I will work very hard at it.” – Seo-jun

I want to thank all the sponsors and donors that made this vision trip possible. Thank you very much for making this dream trip come true for the students. All the airfare expenses, lodging and food and extra activities were covered by your support.

The following photos are from a recent trip, though not all the places visited shown.

We hope that the students went home with a treasured memory of all the people they met, the places we visited, and all the fun and laughter we shared during more than 1,500 miles of drivings. Without exception, all the students expressed how they were grateful to be invited and thanked for the experiences and opportunity that they would not otherwise available in Korea.

During their last night, we had a Vision Night (can't really call this a vision trip without talking about vision). The students were presented with a session of praise songs, sharing of the Gospel messages and the sharing of their experiences during their time in the US.  As young as they were, and their thoughts and hearts were much deeper than I had anticipated.

The comments by the orpanage directors and the leaders all expressed how the students' views of the world widened and how they themselves were so blessed to be a part of the vision trip. They were all moved by the experiences and expressed much gratitude towards MPAK.  

At the end I spoke to the students that they need not repeat the errors of their birth parents that could not raise them. I asked them to forgive them. That they can choose a different path and they can choose a better future for themselves. I asked them to stand up and take an oath of how they will be different for their children. That their suffering and hurts through homelessness must stop with them and not pass onto their children. That they must choose to be loving mothers and fathers to their children. That they will carry the faith in God towards the future. 

This was the message of my vision for them. I believe they heard the message, and I sincerely believe they will become better mothers and fathers in the future.

 

Protest Against the Korean Government's Decision Banning Intercountry Adoption

 

Rep. Kim, Mi-ae leads a group of civic groups in protesting the decision by the Korean government to suspend all intercountry adoption by 2029. 
The banner title reads, "Stopping Intercountry Adoption? What children need are families!"

I am so thankful for the people here defending the needs of intercountry adoption. 

-----------

While the government has announced a plan to completely suspend international adoptions by 2029, adoptive families and civic groups have pushed back, calling it an 'Unlawful decision that deprives children of their rights to family.'

On December 30, civic groups, including the National Solidarity for Adoptive Families - NSAF (led by Oh Chang-hwa), held a press conference with Representative Kim Mi-ae of the People Power Party at the National Assembly Communication Hall, urging the immediate withdrawal of the government's 'Zero International Adoption' policy.

During the event, Mr. Oh Chang-hwa criticized the move, stating, 'The state has no right to take away children's "right to have a family."' He added, 'The plan to reduce international adoptions to zero is an act of administrative convenience that destroys children's lives and directly violates the law and international conventions.'

The organizations pointed out that the government's policy contradicts current laws and international norms. Oh emphasized, 'Neither the International Adoption Act, which took effect in July 2025, nor the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, which came into force in October, contains any provision allowing for the total suspension of international adoptions.' He further stressed, 'The core of the convention is the principle that "a home environment takes precedence over an institution."

In particular, concerns were raised that the suspension of international adoption would effectively result in forcing children into long-term institutional care. The organizations argued, ‘The reality in Korea where blood-oriented culture remains strong, blocking the path to international adoption is no different than sentencing children to live in institutions until they reach adulthood,' adding, 'This policy strips away the "last chance for a family" from children with disabilities or those who are difficult to place for domestic adoption.'

Furthermore, they took issue with the government's perception of the history of international adoption. Oh stated, 'The existence of numerous adoptees who found new opportunities in life and are living happily should not be denied simply because of a few  painful and erroneous cases of international adoption,' and added, 'Specifically, we must not ignore the cases where children with disabilities—who are often avoided domestically—have formed families while receiving treatment and care abroad.'

Through their press conference statement, the groups also posed a public inquiry to the President. They stated, 'We want to ask whether stopping international adoption is truly the best way to restore national honor, or whether changing the reality where numerous children still grow up in facilities without families is the true way to wash away our shame.'

They continued, 'What children need is not South Korean nationality, but parents who will hold them tonight,' urging, 'The government must immediately withdraw this policy, which prioritizes national face-saving over a child's right to survival.'

The National Solidarity for Adoption Families and other groups announced that they will continue to oppose the plan to completely halt international adoptions and will persist in their activities to guarantee a child's right to grow up in a family rather than an institution."

Original article in Korean:  https://www.christiandaily.co.kr/news/154856

Korea to Shutdown Intercountry Adoptions by 2029

Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) Lee Seu-ran makes the announcement on December 26, 2025.

The South Korean government has announced plans to gradually stop international adoptions, aiming for zero cases by 2029.

The Korean government announced the Third Basic Plan for Child Policy (2025-2029) on December 26, 2025. This plan, established every five years under the Child Welfare Act, serves as a comprehensive government initiative to guarantee children's rights and enhance their welfare, guiding governmental child policies since 2015. President Lee Jae-myung previously stated in October that South Korea once carried the shameful label of a "child exporting country" and promised that the country would provide a strong support system for adoptees.

Since July, the government has been shifting the adoption system—previously centered around private agencies—toward 'state responsibility' by introducing a 'public adoption system' managed by the state and local governments. Moving forward, the government has decided to phase out international adoptions (sending children to other countries) by 2029. Lee Seu-ran, the first vice minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), stated during a briefing that day, 'We aim to halt [international adoptions] within two to three years. We expect that by 2029 at the latest, the number of international adoptions will reach zero.'

International adoptions, which stood at around 2,000 in 2005, gradually decreased, with 232 children adopted abroad in 2020, 142 in 2022, 58 last year, and 24 this year. Vice Minister Lee emphasized, 'The 24 cases of [international adoption] this year occurred before the reorganization of the public adoption system. Since then, there have been no further cases of international adoption.

The government has decided to prioritize the protection of children in need within the domestic system, such as through domestic adoption, to the greatest extent possible. In cases where international adoption is unavoidable, the MOHW will act as the central authority, directly consulting with foreign central authorities and relevant agencies to manage the process. Yoon Jang-yeol, head of the Adoption System Reform Team at the Ministry, explained, 'By "unavoidable reasons," we refer to circumstances where experts determine that international adoption would be better for the child than any form of domestic protection. However, we have yet to see such a case firsthand.' This is interpreted to mean that while it is difficult to find situations where international adoption is superior, the government will leave a window open to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

[Steve Morrison's Comments]: The statement  'By "unavoidable reasons," we refer to circumstances where experts determine that international adoption would be better for the child than any form of domestic protection. However, we have yet to see such a case firsthand.'  This is such a distorted view of how bad intercountry adoption is viewd in Korea due to much negative coverages on the media for the last decade. The real truth is that in general, the children that have been adopted abroad fared so much better than the children that grew up in institutions in Korea. For a child, being cared by a family, whether in Korea or abroad, is so much better alternative than for a child without a family. There are far greater number of adoptees that are happy about their adoptions than unhappy ones. It's just that the happy ones don't make noise. This is the reason why the statement 'we have yet to see such a case firsthand' is such an unfortunate statement.

The foster care system, where children in need of protection live with a family for a set period, will transition from the current municipal (Si/Gun/Gu) management system to a national management system. The goal is to manage this at the national level and provide financial support to address current issues under local government management, such as difficulties in securing budgets and significant regional disparities. Furthermore, support for foster families will be expanded, and administrative burdens beyond parenting checks will be eased. The 'specialized foster care system'—which places children requiring special care, such as victims of abuse, infants, or those with disabilities, with families possessing specific qualifications like social workers—will also expand its pool of participating families.

In response to concerns that it is currently difficult to recruit foster and specialized foster families, Vice Minister Lee explained, 'It is true that finding (specialized) foster homes is challenging. However, once we transition to a national system, the regional barriers created by individual municipalities recruiting separately will be removed. By centralizing the recruitment of foster families at the national level, we can efficiently match children with families across the entire country.'

The legal authority of foster parents required for daily child-rearing—such as school enrollment or transfers, hospital treatment, and opening bank accounts or mobile phone lines—will be strengthened. Institutional support for convenience and care will also be expanded, including granting multi-child benefits to foster families. Furthermore, the government will support 'original family reunification programs' to ensure children maintain ties with their biological parents and can eventually return home.

The system for early detection of children at risk, including abused children, will be strengthened using AI-driven predictive models. For children and families who do not meet the legal threshold for abuse but still require assistance, the government will expand the scope of preventive support, including childcare costs, medical expenses, and essential supplies. To prevent re-abuse, home-visit family recovery programs will be provided to help victimized families improve their environment, and medical expense support will be offered to aid the children's recovery. Furthermore, the government will pursue in-depth analysis of suspected child abuse deaths and is considering the long-term introduction of a 'Child Death Review' system to examine the causes of all child fatalities.

Another article link: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10644273

The Paradox of International Adoption: Unintended Consequences of Procedural Safeguards

A very thought provoking article published in the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review.

A dialogue on the consenquences of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, which has become a double-edged sword in intercountry adoption. On the one hand it was meant to protect trafficking of children and illegal adoptions, but on the other hand it has become a big hinderance in providing children with loving families. Thus resulting in the sharp drop in the number of adoptions globally.

The dialouge features a student in Mona Abe, and the Professor Barozzo, law professor at Boston College and member of the International Adoption Strategy Group at Harvard to discuss the legal complexities of adoption, the dilemma between strict compliance and the best interest of the child and jurisdictional conflict.

Please click the link below.

https://www.culawreview.org/podcast-1/the-paradox-of-international-adoption-unintended-consequences-of-procedural-safeguards#:~:text=Though%20the%20practice%20of%20international,safely%20adopted%20into%20permanent%20home.

As Holt Celebrates Its 70th Anniversary

 

Holt's 70th Anniversary...(한국어는 아래에 있습니다)

Thank you and Congratulations to Holt for serving the needs of children for 70 long years!
So sorry I couldn't make it to this momentous occasion in Seoul on September 26, 2025.

While there are some conflicting voices for and against the intercountry adoption program practiced by Korea for 70 years, I am truly grateful that I was given a new chance at life to be who I am today.

The memories of my true parents in John and Margaret Morrison, and my four siblings that loved me, I can't thank enough for the family that I was blessed with. And the opportunity the adoption has brought me to the point of being a voice for homeless children in Korea through MPAK.

I refuse to bow to the negative narratives that claim that we were taken from our birth parents and sold overseas, and robbed of our identities, language, and culture.

I refuse to believe such nonsense claim that adoption was a form of neocolonialism by a strong nation against a weaker nation.

I refuse to believe that adoption causes separation of children from their biological families. Instead, adoption is a response to already separated children that need homes. It was meant to be a solution to already separated and traumatized children.

I refuse, because I know, and have lived and experienced what our lives would have been like in orphanages, with little or no chance of being reunited with birth parents, which so many orphans want.

I know because I lived in an orphanage for eight years before being adopted. And I have met countless numbers of orphans that long for families of their own but can't.

Agencies like Holt and others deserve praise rather than blame and criticism, because they responded to the needs of the children when nobody wanted them or cared.

Unfortunately, there have been some mistakes in matching some children with parents that did not qualify to raise them, resulting in abuses, discrimination, conflicts and lots of pain. These were experienced by many adoptees.

We should not ignore these tragedies. However, these imperfections, while very unfortunate, do not represent all adoptions. Significant majority of adoptions turned out well.

We must acknowledge the fact that just as there are imperfect biological parents, there are imperfect adoptive parents. The laws have evolved over the years to improve the process of finding better qualified parents, but at the expense of fewer adoptions taking place, which is also an unfortunate byproduct. In the old days when the laws governing the processes were immature. Can you fault the acceptable practices by agencies or the government with today's laws?

I'd rather side with the positive side of adoption and move on with what's been given in my life. Of course, I could have chosen to be negative like many other adoptees, and I certainly had many reasons to. Not against the Morrison family, but the cultural practices in Korea that discriminated against the people with orphan backgrounds. Unfortunately, this evil still exists today.  It's a choice that one must make and move on and make yourself a better person. I can't change what was done for me in the past.

If you continue to wallow in the negative and blame others for your predicament, that is a very unfortunate choice. Pick yourself up and move on. Put the past behind you as it will continue to hold you down.

One must realize that the real root of the problem lies with unwed mothers, for whatever the reasons, they decided to give children up for adoption, and in many cases simply abandoned them. Can you fault the agencies that responded to the needs of the children? Doesn’t the blame also lie with unwed parents for giving up or abandoning their children in the first place?  I am all for changing the culture where unwed parents can keep and raise their children and the campaign should be made to change this culture.  However, this is not done. Instead, the agencies are being blamed.  It’s all about misplaced blame.

As for me, I thank you, Holt, for serving the children for the past 70 years with the vision of Harry Holt, "Every Child Deserves a Home of His Own." While you were robbed of the adoption duties by the government, keep holding onto this principle and may you continue to advocate for the Least of These Children that Jesus spoke about.

Happy 70^th Anniversary!

홀트아동복지회의 70주년을 맞이하며,

70년이라는 긴 세월 동안 아이들의 필요를 채워 준 홀트에 감사드리며 축하를 전합니다. 2025년 9월 26일 서울에서 열리는 이 중요한 행사에 참석하지 못해 송구스럽습니다. 한국이 70년 동안 시행해 온 해외입양 프로그램을 두고 찬성과 반대의 목소리가 교차하는 가운데, 오늘의 제가 될 수 있도록 새로운 인생의 기회를 열어 준 홀트에 진심으로 감사드립니다.

저의 진정한 부모님이 되어 주신 존 모리슨 아버지와 마가렛 모리슨 어머니, 그리고 저를 사랑해 준 네 형제자매와의 소중한 추억, 그리고 가정을 통해 받은 수많은 축복에 깊이 감사드립니다. 또한 MPAK을 통해 국내 입양을 알리고, 가정이 필요한 아동들을 위해 대변인으로 활동할 수 있는 기회가 저에게는 매우 소중합니다.

저는 입양에 대한 부정적이고 왜곡된 여러 주장들에 동의할 수 없습니다.

아이들이 해외입양을 통해 친부모로부터 분리되어 해외로 팔려가고, 그 과정에서 정체성·언어·문화를 빼앗겼다는 주장에는 절대로 동의하지 않습니다.

또한 어떤 입양인 교수가 “입양은 강한 국가가 약한 국가를 지배하며 만들어낸 신식민지주의(Neo-Colonialism)의 한 형태”라고 말한 주장 역시 전혀 받아들일 수 없습니다.

더 나아가 입양이 아이들을 원가족으로부터 강제로 분리시킨다는 터무니없는 주장은 도저히 이해할 수 없습니다. 사실, 입양은 이미 분리된 아동을 위한 해결책이지, 분리의 원인이 아닙니다.

저는 여러 보육원을 방문하며, 친부모와 다시 만나 함께 살기를 간절히 바라는 많은 아동들을 만났습니다. 그러나 현실적으로 친부모와 재결합할 가능성은 거의 없습니다. 이러한 사실을 직접 알고 경험한 저로서는, 입양이 아니었다면 우리 삶이 어떻게 되었을지 똑똑히 알기에 그런 왜곡된 주장들을 도저히 수용할 수 없습니다.

입양되기 전 저는 8년 동안 한국에서 가장 좋은 시설 중 하나였던 홀트일산복지타운에서 생활했기 때문에 잘 알고 있습니다. 그곳에서 저는 입양을 통해서라도 가족을 만나기를 간절히 원하는 수많은 고아들을 보았습니다.

홀트와 다른 기관들은 당시 한국 사회가 아동들에게 큰 관심을 두지 않았을 때, 입양을 통해 가정을 찾아주는 중요한 역할을 했습니다. 그러므로 비난과 비판보다는 칭찬을 받아야 마땅한 단체들입니다.

물론 불행하게도 일부 아동들이 양육에 적합하지 않은 부모와 연결되는 몇 가지 실수가 있었고, 이로 인해 학대·차별·갈등과 같은 고통을 겪은 사례도 있습니다. 많은 입양인들이 이러한 아픔을 경험했습니다. 우리는 이 비극을 무시해서는 안 됩니다. 그러나 이러한 불완전함이 모든 입양을 대표할 수는 없습니다. 실제로 입양의 대다수는 좋은 결과로 이어졌습니다.

세상에 불완전한 친부모가 있는 것처럼 불완전한 양부모도 존재한다는 사실을 인정해야 합니다. 더 나은 부모를 찾기 위한 절차와 법률은 수년에 걸쳐 발전해 왔고, 그 과정에서 입양 건수가 줄어드는 아쉬움도 따랐습니다. 그러나 과거 아직 제도가 미비했던 시절의 관행을 오늘날의 잣대로만 비난할 수는 없습니다.

저는 입양의 긍정적인 면을 선택하며, 제 삶에서 주어진 운명을 계속 이어가고 싶습니다. 물론 저 역시 다른 많은 입양인들처럼 부정적인 태도를 가질 수도 있었고, 그렇게 할 이유도 충분했습니다. 그러나 중요한 것은 우리가 스스로의 미래를 어떤 선택으로 살아가느냐, 그리고 어떻게 자신을 더 나은 사람으로 만들어 나가느냐 하는 점입니다. 과거의 비극은 바꿀 수 없는 사실이기에, 과거에 머무르기보다는 앞으로 나아가야 합니다.

계속해서 부정적인 생각에 빠져 남을 탓하는 것은 불행한 선택일 뿐입니다. 과거의 불만에 사로잡혀 있다면 손해는 결국 자기 자신에게 돌아옵니다.

입양 문제의 근본에는 미혼모 현실이 있다는 것을 깨달아야 합니다. 그들은 여러 이유로 아이를 양육하지 못해 포기하기로 결정했으며, 때로는 단순히 버리기도 했습니다. 그렇다면 아이들의 필요를 채워 준 기관을 탓할 수 있을까요? 처음부터 자녀를 포기하거나 버린 부모에게도 책임이 있습니다. 저는 미혼모가 자녀를 키울 수 있는 문화를 만들어 가는 데 전적으로 찬성하며, 이를 위한 사회적 캠페인이 필요하다고 생각합니다. 그러나 현실은 그렇지 못합니다. 대신 일부는 입양을 반대하며 기관들을 향해 온갖 잘못된 비난을 퍼붓고 있습니다.

저는 지난 70년 동안 “모든 아동은 가정에서 자랄 권리가 있다”는 해리 홀트 할아버지의 비전을 따라 아이들을 섬겨 준 홀트에 감사드립니다. 최근 정부에 의해 입양 업무가 축소되는 상황에서도 이 원칙을 지키며, 예수님께서 말씀하신 ‘이 작은 아이들’을 위해 계속 헌신하기를 바랍니다.

홀트의 70주년을 진심으로 축하드립니다!

To All Adoptees Who Feels Your Adoption Was a Violation of Your Human Rights

To all adoptees who think that intercountry adoption has robbed them of language, culture, birth families, and identity. That intercountry adoption has violated their human rights. Here are some excerpts from Julie Duvall, who was an aged-out orphan, adopted late, and now speaking for all the un-adopted orphans and the aged-out orphan youths in Korea through Love Beyond the Orphanage. Please spread this widely to other adoptee communities and beyond.

"Written by Julie Duvall who grew up in an orphanage: Personal Reflection on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Ruling on Intercountry Adoption

Lately, I’ve been wrestling with whether to share my thoughts on the recent ruling by Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which found both the government and adoption agencies guilty of malpractice—specifically, of falsifying adoption records by labeling children as “abandoned.” Many adoptees have reacted with feelings of betrayal, anger, and confusion. While I respect their emotions, I feel compelled to offer another perspective based on my lived experience.

As someone who grew up in an orphanage in Korea and later founded Love Beyond the Orphanage, I have dedicated nearly a decade to supporting aged-out youth—young adults who, like me, were never adopted. I know firsthand what life in an institution does to a child. I lived it. I watched countless others suffer through it. And I believe this critical context is missing from the TRC’s ruling.

First, let’s examine the scope. The TRC’s findings are based on an extremely narrow sample—just 0.03% of over 175,000 intercountry adoption cases. Yet the verdict paints all intercountry adoptions with the same brush, suggesting systemic wrongdoing without exploring broader causes or consequences. More troubling is the lack of attention paid to what happened to the children who remained in orphanages—their suffering, marginalization, and continued struggle.

1. The Harsh Reality of Institutional Life in Korea

No matter how modern Korea becomes, its Confucian values still prize bloodlines and family lineage. Children without parents—especially those raised in institutions—are often seen as second-class citizens. During the ’60s through the ’90s, orphans were routinely bullied, beaten, and ostracized—not just in orphanages, but also in schools, factories, and society at large. We were denied dignity, rights, and even our voices.

My own orphanage deprived us intellectually, emotionally, and physically. We were not allowed to express our thoughts or advocate for ourselves. Today, most aged-out orphans continue to suffer from delayed emotional development, mental health issues, and a lack of life skills simply because of where—and how—they were raised.

2. The Struggle for Identity

Yes, intercountry adoption involves separation from one’s birth culture. But it also grants something most orphans never receive: identity. Adopted children were given names, families, citizenship, and a sense of belonging. Today, adoptees can travel freely to Korea, reconnect with their heritage, and even find community among one another.

By contrast, aged-out orphans often live in silence and fear. Society still sees them only as “orphans”—not individuals. They often conceal their background, terrified of discrimination if the truth is discovered. Individuality is a privilege they’re not afforded.

Some adoptees claim their identity was stolen through adoption. But for most of us who aged out, our identity was denied from the start—and remains so.

3. A Lifetime of Disadvantage

I’m heartbroken when I hear stories of adoptees who faced abuse or discrimination in their adoptive families or communities. No child should go through that. But adopted children usually have access to support systems: families, counselors, communities, legal advocates—and each other. They have platforms to speak, organize, and seek change.

Orphans in Korea don’t have that luxury. Even today, many are subject to abuse—physical, emotional, even sexual—and remain silent because speaking out risks exposure, shame, and retaliation. The justice system often fails them. And no one rallies in the streets on their behalf.

When adoptees publicly condemn adoption and its institutions, it inadvertently jeopardizes the chances of other vulnerable children ever being placed in loving homes. Their voices matter—but so do the unheard cries of orphans still waiting for a chance.

4. The Search for Birth Families

Adoptees have opportunities—through DNA testing, government programs, and agency support—to seek out birth families. Aged-out orphans have fewer resources and options.

In either circumstance, many birth parents deny abandoning their children. Language barriers and missing documents make it difficult to challenge these claims. Based on my experience, many such denials are simply attempts to avoid guilt or social stigma. Especially in the '60s to '80s, poverty and societal pressures forced desperate choices.

A Call for Broader Accountability

I urge the TRC to conduct further investigations—not just into adoption, but into the systemic neglect and abuse that occurred (and continues) in Korea’s orphanages and group homes. Where are the aged-out orphans now? Especially the girls? Are they safe? Are they supported? Are they even alive?

When comparing the lives of adoptees with those who remained in institutions, the picture is clear. Most adoptees escaped the fate of institutionalized orphanhood—one of isolation, abuse, and social invisibility.

My Journey

I lived in an orphanage. I aged out. I was mistreated emotionally, physically, and mentally. I had no home, no money, no future. But at 23, I was invited to live with an American family who had already adopted three Korean children. They became my family, adopted me as an adult, and gave me something I never had—an identity beyond “orphan.”

Adoption changed my life. I am grateful. I now advocate for others who never had that chance. When I see young men battling depression or suicidal thoughts while living alone and unsupported, I’m reminded of the critical role a family—any family—can play.

To all adoptees: I honor your pain and your story. But please know, adoption saved lives too. Yours. And mine."