The Miracle of 'Genetic Analysis' Reuniting a Family Separated 62 Years Ago

Lost older brother's hand at age four in 1959
Genetic registration in 2019
DNA collected from younger brother living in Canada
Dramatic reunion through comparison

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] "I prayed every day to find my younger sibling... A miracle has come."

At 11 a.m. on the 5th, at the Missing Persons Family Support Center of the Dongdaemun-gu Police Station in Yongdu-dong, Seoul, Jin Myeong-suk (66, female) shed endless tears as she met her older brothers after 62 years. Her eldest brother, Jeong Hyeong-gon (76), who embraced her, soon had tears in his eyes as well. The younger eldest brother, Jeong Hyeong-sik (68), who lives in Canada and could not come in person, shared the emotional reunion via video call.

Jin was separated from her family when she was four years old. In the summer of 1959, near Baedari Market in Jung-gu, Incheon, she got lost and went missing while on the way with her younger eldest brother Jeong to where their father was. Jin was adopted and raised by a nun living in Chungnam after staying at an orphanage in Yonghyeon-dong, Michuhol-gu.

Even as an adult, Jin tried to find her family. She appeared on broadcasts but to no avail. Then, in November 2019, she reported to the police and registered her DNA, which became the turning point. Since March this year, the National Police Agency’s Missing Persons Family Support Center has been tracking the circumstances of Jin’s disappearance and, during the process of selecting candidates with similar disappearance circumstances, found her younger eldest brother Jeong and proceeded to collect DNA samples for comparison.

The DNA collection of Jeong, who was living in Canada, was decisively aided by the ‘Overseas Korean Adoptee DNA Analysis System’ operated jointly by the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare since January last year. The police received Jeong’s DNA from the Consulate General in Vancouver through diplomatic pouch, and were finally able to confirm through DNA comparison that Jin was Jeong’s sister. Jin said, "Thanks to not giving up on finding my family and registering my DNA, I was able to meet my family like a miracle," and added, "I am grateful to the police who helped me, and I will live happily with my family for the remaining time." The younger eldest brother Jeong also said, "I prayed every day to find my sister, and finally, I was able to find her," and added, "I hope this news will be a hope for other families of missing persons."

Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, said, "The DNA analysis system is the hope of families of missing persons," and added, "The police will continue to do their best with the determination to find every last missing person and return them to their families through close cooperation with related organizations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.