[Exclusive] An Average of 300 Children Wait for Adoption Each Year... The Solution for 'Zero Overseas Adoptions'[Forgotten Children]⑩

Domestic Adoption Declines Alongside Overseas Adoption

8 Out of 10 View Adoption Positively,

But Negative Perceptions Remain Toward Adoptive Children and Families


Even Among Prospective Parents, Acceptance Is Limited

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<Editor's Note> The history of international adoption has continued for more than 70 years and is still not over. Beginning in the aftermath of the Korean War as a means to reduce the number of orphans, international adoption has persisted to this day, under the perception that it saves welfare budgets and even earns foreign currency. However, the lives and rights of those adopted overseas have been largely neglected. Decades of records related to international adoption reveal the uncomfortable and shameful reality of our society and expose how deeply rooted this structural indifference is. The voices of over 200 international adoptees now speak directly to the nation, confronting us with the problems and challenges of international adoption. The Asia Business Daily seeks to take an in-depth look at the realities of international adoption and explore possible solutions.

Revisiting the wounds of international adoption does not end with exposing the wrongdoing of the government and adoption agencies. The critical question now lies ahead: In order to stop sending children abroad, Korean society must be able to take full responsibility for children in need of protection.

The solution is not simple. The system must be reinforced to maximize support for birth families—such as assistance for single mothers and single-parent families—and, where unavoidable, establish a comprehensive 'family-based care' framework that includes kinship and grandparent foster care, general foster care, and domestic adoption. The key to achieving 'zero international adoption' is how broadly we can expand the options for protecting children in family settings rather than in institutions. Among these, domestic adoption is considered a core pillar, offering a "permanent family" for children in need of protection.

However, the current state of domestic adoption is not promising. Over the past decade, international adoption has fallen by 93.6%, and domestic adoption by 83.2%. While international adoption rates have decreased, the capacity of domestic systems—including domestic adoption and foster care—to accommodate children in need has also diminished. Meanwhile, the number of children waiting for adoption still reaches several hundred each year.

According to Kim Namhee's office from the Democratic Party of Korea on April 3, since the government began official records in 1958 and up until last year, the total number of domestic and international adoptees was 250,539. Of these, 168,588 (67.3%) were adopted overseas, and 81,951 (32.7%) were adopted domestically—meaning international adoptions outnumbered domestic adoptions by more than two to one.

Domestic adoption, which had always lagged behind international adoption in proportion, exceeded half for the first time between 2011 and 2020, accounting for 60.4% (4,400 international adoptions vs. 6,715 domestic adoptions). However, this did not develop into a clear trend. The proportion fell again to 54.5% in 2021 and 56.2% in 2022. Last year, as the government set a goal of 'zero international adoptions by 2029,' the domestic adoption rate rose to 82.7%. However, this increase is only relative, due to the sharp decline in international adoptions; the absolute number of domestic adoptions has not grown. Experts point out that for these changes to be more than temporary statistical fluctuations, a consistent and sustainable child protection and support system must be established.

Although 354 Children Are Waiting, Only 181 Were Adopted Domestically

Experts stress that in order for adoption to be administered according to the "best interests of the child" principle, the previous structure that relied on international adoption due to institutional shortcomings must be dismantled. Instead, a domestic protection system integrating birth family support, foster care, and domestic adoption must be established.

If international adoption is virtually halted, domestic adoptions will naturally account for nearly 100% of all adoption statistics. However, a higher proportion does not guarantee that all children in need of protection will find homes. Even amid declining birth rates, 200–300 children in need of adoption appear each year, but the absolute number of domestic adoptions keeps shrinking, highlighting the system’s limited capacity.

According to our investigation, from 2020 to last year, the annual average number of 'children waiting for adoption' was 354.

By year, the numbers were: 541 in 2020, 433 in 2021, 343 in 2022, 332 in 2023, 210 in 2024, and 265 last year. The number of children actually adopted domestically was: 260 in 2020 (232 international), 226 in 2021 (189 international), 182 in 2022 (142 international), 150 in 2023 (79 international), 154 in 2024 (58 international), and 115 last year (24 international)—averaging just 181 adoptions per year.

As of February this year, there were 276 children waiting for adoption. If the current trend continues and domestic adoptions stay in the low 100s this year, less than half of the waiting children are likely to find new families. This is because, as international adoption declines, the domestic protection system's capacity has not sufficiently expanded, and domestic adoption numbers are also decreasing. Assemblywoman Kim stated, "Ultimately, the key is how responsibly we can accommodate children in need of adoption domestically, now that international adoption has decreased," adding, "A comprehensive redesign of the protection system encompassing domestic adoption, foster care, and birth family support is required."

Why Is Domestic Adoption Not Increasing?

Experts agree that a family environment, where individual care is possible, is more suitable for child protection than institutions where one worker looks after multiple children. To achieve this, domestic adoption must be revitalized, but social acceptance of adoption remains insufficient.

According to the final report of the '2024 Adoption Status Survey Study' by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, 8 out of 10 respondents (79.6%) viewed adoption positively, yet nearly half (42.6%) held negative views about adoptive children and families. The most common reason given (39.4%) was the family system's focus on blood relations.

The scope of children that prospective adoptive parents are willing to accept is also a limiting factor. Among children selected for adoption, 9 out of 10 (97.3%) were 'under 5 years old.' This is based on an analysis of all children registered for child protection service consultations (the Happiness-eum Child Protection Database) from 2021 to 2024, after the child and adoption protection system became more public. By age, '0–1 years old' accounted for 19.4%, and '2–5 years old' for 77.9%. In contrast, only 2.6% were ages 6–11, and just 0.1% were over 12. This shows that domestic adoptions are focused on infants and preschool-aged children.

The older the child, the less likely they are to find a new family. The top reason cited by child protection workers as an obstacle to revitalizing domestic adoption was "a culture focused on adopting newborns" (56.6%).

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of February this year, of the 276 children eligible for adoption, 104 (38%) were 'under 1 year old,' 41 (15%) were '1–3 years old,' and 131 (47%) were 'over 3 years old.' Considering that prospective adoptive parents particularly prefer children aged 0–1 and that domestic adoptions have remained in the low 100s, the 131 children over 3 are unlikely to be adopted easily. The earlier survey showed that 54.4% of prospective adoptive parents preferred children "under 1 year old." The preference dropped sharply to 13.8% for children over 3, and both elementary and middle/high school students received 0%. Only 4.4% of respondents said age "did not matter."

Although prospective adoptive parents cannot directly select specific characteristics of children during the application process, there is a tendency to prefer non-disabled children over those with disabilities. Among children selected for adoption, only 3.9% had severe disabilities or illnesses, compared to 10.4% among non-adopted children. This indicates that a child's medical condition is a significant factor in the adoption decision process. A representative from the Korea Adoption Promotion Association stated, "All children, regardless of age, gender, or health condition, want to be protected in a family environment. However, some prospective adoptive parents hesitate even with treatable conditions, so it would be better if their acceptance range expanded."

From Birth Family Support to Foster Care: Building a Thorough System

'Zero international adoption' can only be achieved when we can answer the question: "Does the country have a protection system capable of accommodating all domestic children?" While birth family support must be prioritized, kinship and grandparent foster care, as well as general foster care, must be promoted to ensure that even children who are difficult to adopt can be cared for. Additionally, support for domestic adoption as a pillar of stable, permanent care must be strengthened.

Professor Park Hyungseon of Sejong University’s Department of Social Welfare stated, "While revitalizing domestic adoption is important, there are still many children in need of protection who cannot be connected to domestic adoption right away, such as those with severe disabilities or illnesses, or older children." He added, "It is urgent to promote foster care as much as domestic adoption." He further emphasized, "Like in many other countries, foster care and adoption should be linked within a single system, so that foster care can lead to long-term protection or adoption."

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