South Korea’s legacy of orphan adoption and the violation of adoptees’ rights to know their origins
Abstract
South Korea experienced international scrutiny over its irregular intercountry adoption practices in the 1980s. However, it eventually came to be viewed as a model of transparent and efficient adoptions. This façade disguises an orphan adoption system that has become entrenched over the decades. Today, adoptees continue to lobby for their right to origins. This paper explores South Korea’s laws and policies, which nullified the rights of adoptees, and it calls for receiving countries to assume co-responsibility to restore these rights.
Other articles
Mortality after Parental Death in Childhood: A Nationwide Cohort Study from Three Nordic Countries
Background Bereavement by spousal death and child death in adulthood has been shown to lead to an increased risk of mortality.…
Read moreOrphanages as sites of modern slavery
This chapter argues that the desire of volunteers and visitors to assist orphans through orphanage tourism creates a demand…
Read moreAn assessment of factors that influence the management of quality care to orphans and vulnerable children
The rise in the number of orphans and vulnerable children is emerging at a time when the capacity of families to respond…
Read moreWhat are the factors associated with depressive symptoms among orphans and vulnerable children in Cambodia?
Background: Compared to general children, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are more exposed to negative outcomes in…
Read more