From Orphan to Activist, Art by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom

A Response to Holt’s Statement on Frontline and AP Documentary, S. Korea’s Adoption Reckoning

In All, Global Adoption News, In Response To..., Korea Adoptees Worldwide News Articles by KAW

If Holt International truly cares about families, they will help us reunite with ours.

Korean Adoptees Worldwide

Overseas Adoption: Permanently Separates Families

Holt International’s recent statement following the Frontline and AP documentary on South Korea’s Adoption Reckoning attempts to paint the agency as a champion of ethical adoption. They claim to be “unwavering advocates of the Hague Adoption Convention on Intercountry Adoption,” suggesting that their practices ensure ethical standards and prioritize the child’s best interests.

Let’s Be Clear:

The Hague Adoption Convention was created to legalize and perpetuate the very system of intercountry adoption that has separated countless families. It has NOT stopped child trafficking; it has NOT prevented the commodification of children. Instead, it’s the mechanism that continues to make family separation and the sale of children both legal and profitable.

Words That Hide the Truth: “Christian,” “Best Interests,” “Loving Families”

Holt International’s response is filled with comforting words: “Christian,” “best interests of the child,” and “loving forever families.” These are nothing more than marketing tactics designed to mask the true nature of their business — selling children under the guise of humanitarianism. By claiming to be “Hague compliant,” they want the public to believe they operate under a system of fairness when the system itself is designed to uphold the very practices we seek to end.

The Documentary Made It Painfully Obvious:

Holt did not search for the families of the missing children they exported for adoption. They did NOT prioritize family reunification. Instead, they relied on the assumption that they were doing the right thing because they followed so-called ethical standards — standards that were never designed with us, the adoptees, in mind.

The Hague Adoption Convention Legalizes Crimes Against Families

With the Hague still in motion, the crimes, injustices, and unnecessary separations of children from their families will continue — legally. IAMME, the government entity responsible for accrediting adoption agencies, plays its part in upholding these practices, ensuring that agencies like Holt continue their operations under the protective umbrella of legality.

The Demand for Orphans from the West created Paper Orphans

Holt claims that they respect the rights of birth mothers, adoptees, and adoptive parents, stating that they “would never condone unethical or coercive activities in adoption.” But as Korean Adoptees Worldwide, we must ask:  If we were truly orphans, why do our Korean parents exist? And since our Korean mothers and fathers exist, why can’t we know them? Why are we denied the right to connect with our families? Holt and other agencies like them have repeatedly refused to facilitate the reunification of adoptees with their families despite their claims of prioritizing family.

The Call to South Korea: Do Not Ratify with the Hague Adoption Convention

Korean Adoptees Worldwide is clear in our stance: South Korea must not ratify the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. The Hague does not protect children or families; it protects the business of adoption. By keeping this convention in place, the world legalizes the separation of families under the false premise of helping children. We demand an end to the commodification of children and the unethical practices of agencies like Holt International.

We call on all nations to stop legitimizing the sale of children. Only then can we truly claim to act in the best interests of children and families.

South Korea’s Adoption Reckoning (full documentary) | FRONTLINE + ‪@AssociatedPress‬

BY  KIM TONG-HYUNG AND CLAIRE GALOFARO

Updated 11:57 AM PDT, September 19, 2024
“I am so sorry,” his birth father had written when they found each other, his words interrupted by fits of weeping. “I miss you. How did you endure this cruel world?”
Sep 20, 2024 #Documentary #Adoptions #SouthKorea

Holt International’s Response:

“Recent media reports regarding adoptions from Korea during the 1980s have understandably prompted questions and concerns, especially from adoptees and families whose adoptions were completed during that time.

Any reports of abuse and illegal adoption practices are alarming, leaving some adoptees and their families questioning the legitimacy and ethics of their adoptions. Regrettably, the reports left out information that would have been helpful for context and deeper understanding, including the critically important fact that adoption practices in Korea have changed significantly since the 1980s. It is important to note that recent allegations involve Holt Children’s Services in Korea, and do not make a distinction between them and Holt International, which became independent entities in 1977.

Holt International has been an unwavering advocate of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, which upholds ethical international adoption standards and making decisions always in the best interests of the child. This includes seeking family strengthening, family reunification and domestic adoption for every child before resorting to intercountry adoption.

Adoption services provided today have evolved in light of lessons learned over the past several decades, especially from the perspective of adoptees’ experiences. For many children in Korea after the Korean War and in the following decades, the only hope for families was intercountry adoption.

What has not changed is Holt’s belief that permanent placement in a home and family is always better for a child than growing up in an orphanage.

Under no circumstance would Holt International condone unethical and coercive activity in adoption. Our commitment to respecting the rights of birth mothers, adoptees, and adoptive parents is unwavering.”

#Deny #Deflect

Help Victims:

We need your support in ensuring that this tragic history is never repeated. Korean Adoptees Worldwide is actively educating the public about adoption trafficking and fighting for justice. You can support our efforts in multiple ways:

  1. Purchase or share our anthology, The “Unknown” Culture Club: Korean Adoptees, Then and Now, published by Korean Adoptees Worldwide. This anthology shares the voices and stories of Korean adoptees, giving insight into the long-lasting effects of international adoption and the fight to reclaim our identities.
  2. Donate to Against Child Trafficking USA. Your donations will help further our mission to expose the truth behind international adoption and prevent future generations from suffering the same fate.
  3. Join the Special Request to Stop International Adoptions. Sign the document to the Korean government to stop Intercountry Adoptions from Korea 70 years after the Korean War ended. Email ACTUSA@riseup.net with your logo to show you are in!
  4. Would you love to know more about adoption? Read Korean Adoptees Worldwide’s adoption book collection.

The rise of international adoption has come at a cost, and it’s important to acknowledge the aftermath on the people most impacted: children, families, and communities. Rare Adoption Books for Adults by Rev. Dr. Janine Vance provides readers with a deeper understanding of the additional burdens adopted people faced yesterday, around the world, and still today.