South Korea has long been one of the major countries sending children abroad for adoption. Official data shows that since 1955, nearly 170,000 infants have been adopted from South Korea, with 65% of them heading to the United States. The investigation into potential human rights issues in this process was launched in 2022, triggered by a petition from 367 South Korean adoptees from 11 countries, including the United States. They alleged that they had been wrongly registered as orphans for the purpose of adoption.
In a March interim report, the bipartisan Truth and Reconciliation Commission found that in 56 cases, adoption agencies had falsified or obscured documents during a government - promoted process. However, due to disagreements among commissioners and insufficient time, the commission made the decision to put 311 cases on hold.
This pause in the investigation highlights the complex challenges and internal conflicts in addressing the long - standing issue of international adoption in South Korea. With the future of these cases now uncertain, questions remain about how South Korea will move forward in uncovering the truth behind potential human rights violations in its international adoption system and providing justice to the adoptees who have raised concerns.
