[Interview] Jung Ikjung: "There Is No Difference Between Domestic Adoption and Birth" [Forgotten Children] ⑪

The government has set the goal of achieving "zero overseas adoptions by 2029" in order to shed the stigma of being an "exporter of children" and to strengthen the state's responsibility for domestic children. To this end, the government launched a "public adoption system" last year, shifting the adoption process-previously handled mainly by private adoption agencies-to the responsibility of the state and local governments. However, even after eight months, there have been no domestic adoptions processed through the new system. Jung Ikjung, Director of the Child Rights Protection Agency, explained, "We are currently in the process of following procedures to find the most suitable family for each child under the new state responsibility system." The following is a Q&A with Director Jung.

Jung Ikjung, Director of the Child Rights Protection Agency, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily in his office on Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

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-Do you think achieving "zero overseas adoptions by 2029" is realistically possible?

▲I believe that domestic adoption must be revitalized so that there will be no need to send our children abroad for adoption. However, this cannot be accomplished through declarations alone. The priority is to help every child grow up with their birth family. When that is not possible and protection is necessary, both foster care and domestic adoption must be strengthened. What matters most is not the numbers, but creating an environment in which children can grow up safely in Korea.

-Since the transition to the public adoption system, adoptions have stopped-doesn't this mean the process has effectively come to a halt?

▲It may appear that way. However, the procedures initiated by adoption agencies before the reorganization are still ongoing, and as of March 31, a total of 63 families have completed the adoption process. These families still have to go through court approval and other related procedures. Even before the implementation of the public adoption system, when private agencies managed the process, it took an average of 551 days to complete an adoption. I hope people will focus on "child-centered adoption" rather than "rapid adoption."

-Prospective adoptive parents say the process is lengthy and that information is insufficient.

▲Because adoption is a life-changing decision for a child, it is essential to thoroughly complete all required procedures. The stages of home studies and court approval can take a long time, which may make the process feel lengthy. In response to these concerns, we plan to shorten the timeline by switching adoption applications-previously handled by registered mail-to an online system. We are also revising the process so that prospective adoptive parents can directly check what stage they are at in the procedure.

It is true that there was a bottleneck due to a surge of applications at the initial stage of the system transition. Currently, the Child Rights Protection Agency is responsible for all related work, but only 19 new staff have been added, bringing the total to about 40 people-far short of the originally estimated 132 personnel needed to fully establish the public adoption system. Even with insufficient personnel and budget, we are doing our best. While maintaining the principle of child-centeredness, we will reduce unnecessary administrative steps and further improve guidance and communication.

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-You also emphasized the need for a shift in society's perception of adoption.

▲There is no real difference between giving birth and adopting a child. Rather than prioritizing the preferences or expectations of prospective adoptive parents, I hope families will dream of the future together with the children they meet through adoption and create new family stories. The government must also reflect on the fact that, in the past, many domestic children were sent abroad. Many people suffered wounds and aftereffects from that process. To avoid repeating such history, the state must now take responsibility and move toward ensuring that protection and adoption take place domestically whenever possible. This requires increased interest in and acceptance of domestic adoption.

Jung Ikjung, President of the Child Rights Protection Agency, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at his office on Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

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