Serious human rights violations due to international overseas adoption in the past… Tragedy must not be repeated
Soongsil University Industry-University Cooperation Foundation set up a special committee to request a complete survey of international adoptees around the world:
70% (68.7% to 96.1%) of the respondents answered that Korean adoption agencies did not adequately protect the human rights of international adoptees.
More than 90% (91.0~98.1%) answered that the Korean government did not sufficiently protect their human rights.
Professor Noh Hye-ryeon of the Department of Social Welfare at Soongsil University was in charge of the research. So Rami, a professor at the Graduate School of Law at Seoul National University, Boon-Young Han, a former professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, a Danish adoptee, and Tae-in Lee, a professor at Jeju Halla University, participated as co-researchers.The research team analyzed,
“Participants perceive that the responsibility for protecting the human rights of international adoptees lies with the Korean government more than with adoption agencies.”
10% answered that there was a problem when moving to an overseas adoption country, and 7.5% said that the person in charge delivered them to someone other than the adoptive parents.
In the question of accuracy and comprehensiveness of information on adoption documents, many responded that the information on adoption documents was neither accurate nor sufficient.
72.4% of respondents said that background information was not written in their child takeover report…
Specifically, 72.4% of respondents said that background information was not written in their child takeover report, and 46.7% answered that the record about the family of origin in the adoption documents was incorrect.
5.1% of the so-called ‘switching’ cases in which they received information about another child and answered that they were placed in an adoptive family instead of that child, and 9.0% of cases suffered legal problems due to missing or inaccurate adoption document information.
33.5% of the respondents answered that they had experienced child abuse within their adoptive family.
Physical or psychological abuse and neglect were mainly caused by adoptive mothers, and sexual abuse were mainly caused by adoptive fathers.
85.1% answered that the Korean adoption agency did not confirm the person’s acquisition of citizenship…
As for the question on the adequacy of post-adoption services, 85.1% answered that the Korean adoption agency did not confirm the person’s acquisition of citizenship, and 76.3% answered that the adoption agency in the country of adoption did not provide appropriate services.
83.5% of the respondents answered that there was no justifiable reason for Korea to continue international adoption…
In particular, 83.5% of the respondents answered that there was no justifiable reason for Korea to continue international adoption, and 85.4% answered that international adoption should have stopped a long time ago. 72.8% of respondents said that the Korean government should compensate for the damage caused by overseas adoption.
The research team said, “Many cases were found in which the human rights of international adoptees and their families were severely violated in the past illegal overseas adoption procedures.” pointed out.
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Establishing a special committee to survey all international adoptees around the world
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Compensation for victims of illegal overseas adoption
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Establishment of a national institution to heal damage and trauma
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Transfer of records and information related to overseas adoption from private adoption agencies and child custody facilities
The research team summarized the results of the investigation and delivered them to the 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Committee (Truth and Reconciliation Committee), which is investigating human rights violations during the overseas adoption process.
Sung-Hyeon Seong (raphael@yna.co.kr)