The Dark Truth Behind South Korean Adoptions.

In a recent exposé by The New York Times, the Guardian, The Telegraph, South Korea’s Dark Past as the West’s ‘baby farm‘, CBC News, and Denmark AP, the world was awakened to the painful past of South Korean adoptees who have been returning to their homeland to confront a corrupt adoption system that persisted for decades. This dark chapter in history sheds light on the insidious practices of adoption agencies, which may raise questions about their involvement in child trafficking and the urgent need for accountability.

The Profit-Driven Adoption Agencies

One of the most alarming aspects of South Korea’s adoption system was the profit-driven motives of adoption agencies such as Holt. These agencies created a perverse incentive to falsify adoption paperwork without the knowledge of Korean parents. This deceitful practice left many mothers coerced into signing away their babies with no follow-up or support from these adoption agencies. The implications of such actions are deeply troubling and raise concerns about the ethics and the violation of human rights.

The Hague Adoption Convention: A Cloak of Legitimacy

Holt and other adoption agencies have defended their actions by claiming that the government approved their adoption fees under the Hague Adoption Convention (HAC). However, questions arise when it becomes apparent that the HAC allows children to be labeled as orphans, potentially masking the true circumstances of their adoption. This raises the critical issue of whether adoption agencies are using the Hague Adoption Convention as a cover for their questionable practices. Watch this video on how manipulative counseling tactics are used to give ‘informed consent” for relinquishment of adoption from Haitian families. This is called an ‘ethical’ HAC-approved adoption.

Child Trafficking: How Are They Still Getting Away With It

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this entire situation is the apparent involvement of adoption agencies in what many describe as child trafficking. The adoption agencies’ pursuit of profit and financial incentives to clinics and orphanages that serve as adoption brokers raises serious ethical questions. Are these agencies exploiting vulnerable children and their families for monetary gain?

When Will It Stop?

The painful truth is that the dark shadow of South Korea’s adoption system has persisted for over 70 years. Children were stolen from the streets of Seoul. The question must be asked is how long adoption agencies will continue to evade accountability for these actions and how long society will allow this business to persist. Why do we continue to monetize and displace Korean children to meet adoption demands? When will this cycle of exploitation come to an end?

In conclusion, the recent revelations about South Korean adoptees confronting their painful past should serve as a wake-up call for society to demand accountability from adoption agencies. The disturbing continuous proof of child trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable families cannot be ignored any longer. We must collectively work towards ending these troubling practices and ensuring that past intercountry adoptees survivors receive the utmost transparency, ethics, and respect for the human rights they deserve.