The End of an Era: South Korea to Phase Out International Adoptions by 2029

For the first time in 70 years, South Korea is taking definitive steps to end its history of international adoptions. On the 26th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the 3rd Basic Plan for Child Policy, a blueprint that aims to reduce international adoptions to zero by 2029.

This move signals a major shift for a nation once stigmatized as the “world’s largest baby exporter.”

A National Mid- to Long-Term Blueprint

The Basic Plan for Child Policy is established every five years under the Child Welfare Act. In a press briefing, First Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Isran stated:

“We will establish a stable public adoption system and gradually end international adoptions… our goal is to have zero cases by 2029 at the latest.”

The Roadmap to 2029

• Current State: International adoptions are being phased out.

• Target: 24 children projected for international adoption this year.

• Goal: 0 children by 2029.

Confronting a Complicated History

Since the 1950s, South Korea’s international adoption system has been plagued by controversy and human rights concerns. To date, approximately 200,000 children have been sent overseas.

The systemic issues cited include:

• Arbitrary Paperwork: The creation of “orphan registries” by agencies to bypass parental rights.

• Lack of Oversight: Reports of children being treated “like luggage” and even dying during the process.

• Financial Ethics: Private agencies charging tens of millions of won per child.

• Legal Limbo: An estimated 40,000 Korean adoptees in the U.S. currently face the risk of deportation because their adoptive parents never secured their citizenship.

South Korea remained the only OECD member country still sending children overseas for adoption until this recent declaration.

Korean Adoptees Worldwide Requests for Stories from Korean Moms

Shifting Toward State Responsibility

The government’s change in stance follows two major milestones earlier this year:

1. Truth and Reconciliation: In March, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission officially recognized dozens of adoptees as victims of serious human rights violations.

2. The Hague Convention: In October, South Korea ratified the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, which requires the government to assume full responsibility for the adoption process rather than leaving it to private agencies.

Challenges and Differing Perspectives

While the declaration is historic, experts and advocates warn that a “declaration” is not enough without concrete implementation.

1. The Domestic Waiting List

While the government suggests international adoption is sometimes necessary due to a lack of domestic families, those on the ground disagree. Jeong On-ju, a veteran adoptive parent, points out:

• There are currently 200 children on the domestic waiting list.

• However, 350 families completed training for prospective adoptive parents this year alone.

• The actual number of parents seeking adoption is likely higher, as many agencies stopped taking applications during the transition to the new public system.

2. Supporting Birth Families First

Advocates argue that the focus should shift from “finding new homes” to “keeping original families together.” Kim Min-jeong, head of the Unwed Mothers’ Family Association, highlights the extreme poverty single mothers face:

“Many unwed mothers complain that they are seven months pregnant but cannot eat because there is no rice… If support was provided during pregnancy, the number of child abandonments would decrease.”

The Path Forward

To make “Zero International Adoptions” a reality, the government must now focus on:

• Strengthening Domestic Care: Streamlining the domestic adoption process to reduce the burden on prospective parents.

• Support for Single Mothers: Addressing the “blind spots” in welfare to ensure financial stability during pregnancy.

• Public Accountability: Ensuring the state-run adoption system is transparent and prioritizes the rights of the child over all else.

South Korea is finally taking responsibility for its most vulnerable citizens, aiming to close a 70-year chapter of loss and move toward a future of domestic protection.

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This collection, compiled by Korean adoptees, serves as a tribute to transracially adopted people from around the world. It has been hailed as the first book to allow Korean adoptees to speak freely since the pioneering of intercountry adoption after the Korean War.

If you were adopted, you are not alone.

These stories validate the experiences of all those who have been ridiculed or outright abused but have found the will to survive, thrive, and share their tale. Adopted people all over the world are reclaiming the right to truth and access to birth documents.