[Exclusive] 174 Overseas Adoptees Speak Out: "Unable to Find Our Roots, Living as Outsiders"

[The Forgotten Children] ④ More Scars from False Documents
Overseas Adoption Issues... "Strengthen Support for Single Mothers"
Discrimination, Emotional Instability... Ongoing Trauma

Editor's NoteThe history of overseas adoption has not ended, even after more than 70 years. Overseas adoption, which began after the Korean War to reduce the number of orphans, has continued to this day under the perception that it saves welfare budgets and even brings in foreign currency. However, the lives and rights of those adopted abroad have been neglected. Decades of records related to overseas adoption lay bare the shameful realities of our society and reveal just how deeply rooted this structural indifference is. The voices of more than 200 overseas adoptees speaking out to the state bring to light the problems and challenges of overseas adoption. The Asia Business Daily aims to provide an in-depth diagnosis of the realities of overseas adoption and seek solutions.

"The 'savior narrative' that 'poor Korean children were saved by wealthy Western parents' is a falsehood. Most of us did not go to loving homes. We were trafficked as children because of money. Overseas adoption is a legal form of child smuggling." (U.S. adoptee, age 51)

Mia Lee (Korean name Lee Heeyoung), born in 1987 in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, weighing 1.4 kg, was adopted to Denmark. She thought she was adopted solely due to her biological parents' financial difficulties. However, through a DNA test conducted in 2022, Mia's birth mother said, "The medical staff told me the baby died immediately after birth. I had no choice but to believe that." Photo provided by the individual

The struggles of overseas adoptees to find their roots and identities are ongoing. Many have found it difficult to obtain information about their biological parents due to inaccurate birth records and a lack of cooperation from adoption agencies. There are testimonies from people who, after DNA testing, discovered they had no biological relationship to the birth mother listed in their adoption documents, as well as stories of those who went missing from orphanages and whose families had been searching for them for over 50 years. Many agreed that, in order for the Korean government to achieve its goal of "zero overseas adoption by 2029," the first step must be to reduce social prejudice against single-parent families.

The Asia Business Daily, with the cooperation of the human rights organization "Roots House," conducted an online survey from March 23 to 29 with 174 overseas adoptees aged 18 and over, currently residing in 11 countries around the world. Most respondents were in their 40s and 50s, having been adopted from Korea overseas during the 1970s (52.3%) and 1980s (40.2%). By gender, about 20% were men and 80% women. Of all respondents, 112 left their email addresses, asking The Asia Business Daily to share their stories with the public, and 103 freely wrote about their experiences and views as overseas adoptees.

First, overseas adoptees reported having serious doubts about the reliability of adoption records. A total of 87.9% responded that they "do not trust adoption records," while only 8.6% said they "trust them." Some said that there were almost no records at all, or that records received from two different agencies were inconsistent.

More than half of the respondents reported having directly experienced manipulation of their adoption records. More than 6 out of 10 respondents (68.2%) said they found evidence that their personal information (such as gender, date of birth, or whether they were abandoned) had been deliberately altered. Meanwhile, 24.3% said they "did not find any signs of manipulation," and 7.5% said they "have never checked the records themselves." A respondent adopted to the U.S. in the 1980s said, "My adoption records turned out to be completely false. I found the birth mother listed in the documents, but DNA testing showed we had no relation at all."

9 out of 10 Say "Cannot Trust Adoption Agencies"

A total of 85.2% of all respondents said they had tried to find their biological parents, and the most common obstacles cited were inaccurate information (73.5%) and rejection or obstruction from adoption agencies (53.6%) (multiple responses allowed). A U.S. adoptee, age 44, testified, "I found my Korean birth mother, but she had no idea I was sent to America. She thought I had grown up in Korea after the adoption."

"I reunited with my Korean family in May 2024. It turns out I went missing from an orphanage—I was never sent for adoption. My family had been searching for me for over 50 years." (Danish adoptee, age 53)

Eight out of ten overseas adoptees responded that the rights of children were not properly protected in Korea's overseas adoption process in the past. To prevent this from happening again, the most common answers were ensuring transparency and accessibility of adoption information (82.1%) and a national-level investigation into the adoption process (72.3%) (multiple responses allowed).

"The issue of overseas adoption must be addressed urgently. In particular, children adopted during the peak of the 'baby export' era in the mid-1980s are now in their 40s. Many adoptees believe that proper accountability has not been achieved." (U.S. adoptee, age 42)

Still Facing Discrimination... "Korean in Appearance Only"

The sense of alienation and emotional loneliness experienced by overseas adoptees in predominantly white societies has continued into adulthood. Some 62% of respondents said they experience discrimination (such as rude questions, derogatory remarks, or blatant stares) at least once a month in their respective countries.

A respondent adopted to Denmark in the 1980s described feeling like they "exist like a ghost." They said, "Living as a minority in a white society is difficult. Adoptive parents do not understand us, and in public places we are mistaken for tourists. Outside of home and work, I never feel safe. I feel like I exist in society as a ghost. Because I have no background information, my identity is also uncertain. Overseas adoption was a failed social experiment."

A respondent adopted to Denmark in the 1970s also said, "I recently moved to Koreatown in London, but I still feel like an outsider. I may look Korean, but I have no background in Korean culture. At the same time, as an Asian I have a white/European cultural background." U.S. adoptee E (age 42) stated, "The trauma of being sent to another country and losing one's culture and language can never be justified for any reason. Living without family and without a connection to one's roots is a lifelong, recurring trauma and a lonely struggle."

"Adoption Was for Adults, Not for Children"

The majority of respondents (97.1%) were aware that President Lee Jaemyung issued an apology last October for human rights violations in the overseas adoption process and acknowledged the state's lack of responsibility. A total of 80.2% also said they knew about the Ministry of Health and Welfare's announcement at the end of last year that it would achieve zero overseas adoptions by 2029.

A respondent adopted to Australia in the 1970s said, "As a result of entrusting vulnerable children to strangers and providing no follow-up support for years, sexual and emotional abuse occurred. Especially in a racially discriminatory environment, children had no way to protect themselves. There was no one to trust or rely on."

"What pains me the most is that adoption was never for the child in the first place—it was for the 'adults who wanted to adopt.'" (Dutch adoptee, age 55)

To achieve the goal of zero overseas adoption, the most common response (86.8%) was that the government must "reduce social prejudice against single-parent families." This was followed by "financial support for vulnerable families" (63.2%) and "investigation into human rights violations during the overseas adoption process" (47.7%) (multiple responses allowed).

G, an adoptee sent to the U.S. in the 1980s, told the Korean government, "Overseas adoption must end. Korea should provide economic support to single mothers, and abortion should be a choice available to everyone." Norwegian adoptee H (age 43) emphasized, "Korea should not cling only to traditional family structures, but should strengthen the social welfare system to support diverse family types."

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