Korean adoptees around the globe are facing a heartbreaking prospect: they might not have actually been true orphans and could potentially have been misinformed about their origins.
made into orphans
.
For many years, adopted individuals were informed that they had been "abandoned",
rescued
or 'unwelcome'. Numerous individuals were informed that their Korean families were too 'impoverished' or 'unable' to care for them—and they should solely feel thankful for being adopted.
However, these time-honored tales are currently being examined.
Our
recent research
examines the stories that have hidden the more troubling aspects of intercountry adoption. Instead of looking at adoption purely as an act of rescue, our research investigates the wider power dynamics that led to the large-scale movement of South Korean children to Western nations like Australia.
South Korea's reflection on its adoption past
In March, South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued its report.
preliminary findings
following the gathering of records and statements from a group of overseas Korean adoptee-led organizations (which includes the Australia-US
Korean Rights Group
).
The preliminary
report
exposed a concerning trend of human rights abuses within the nation's adoption sector, encompassing issues such as:
-
forced relinquishments
-
falsified records
-
babies switched at adoption
-
inadequate screening processes, and
-
deep-rooted institutional corruption.
The chairman of the commission mentioned
Significant infringements of the rights of adopted individuals, their birth parents – notably unmarried Korean mothers – as well as other parties concerned have taken place. Such injustices should not have happened.
The commission is anticipated to publish its concluding report shortly; however, because of the impending presidential election and the political instability in South Korea, the schedule continues to be uncertain.
Chilling cases
Intercountry adoption has previously been thrust into the spotlight due to various issues such as irregularities, human rights violations, and unlawful activities.
While Australia was expanding the number of children for intercountry adoption from South Korea in the 1980s, Park In-keun – director of South Korea’s infamous
Brothers Home
, an illegal detention facility that sent children overseas for adoption – was arrested for embezzlement and illegal confinement.
He was eventually cleared of the more severe accusations in South Korea prior to this.
escaping
He faced charges once more in 2014 related to embezzlement, which included misusing government subsidies as well as inmate wages.
forced into slave labour
In South Korea. He passed away two years thereafter.
Various claims of human rights violations and misconduct surfaced simultaneously with the arrests.
Julie Chu
.
She faced accusations of being involved in a "baby trafficking" ring. It was alleged that children were abducted in Taiwan during the 1970s and '80s with the aim of sending them to various Western nations, such as Australia. She was
convicted of forgery
but refuted having any involvement in smuggling.
Since then, additional instances have kept arising, affecting various nations including
Chile
,
Sri Lanka
,
India
,
Ethiopia
and
Guatemala
.
What does the term "adoption industrial complex" refer to?
International adoption isn't merely a social practice; it can also function as an economic and political system, often referred to as the
transnational adoption industrial complex
.
This network of organizations, institutions, governmental policies, and financial systems gave rise to a globally integrated adoption industry valued at
billions of dollars
As indicated by various studies, Western nations, which act as "recipient" countries, fueled the ongoing demand for this phenomenon.
sourcing of children
.
Like Park Geon-Tae, who serves as a senior investigator for South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
said
:
In simple terms, the supply existed due to the demand.
Australia received an estimated
3,600 Korean children
From the 1970s up until now, involving over 10,000 international adoptions.
Expectant adoptive parents generally paid somewhere in the range of AU$4,500 to $5,000 during the 1980s to arrange for a child’s adoption in Australia, which was comparable to
A$21,000 today
.
Since colonization, Australia has endured a extensive and troubling past concerning child removal.
Stolen Generations
including Indigenous children in the process
forced adoption
Of children born to unmarried mothers, child separation has been thoroughly ingrained in the country's social policies.
Although nationwide apologies have recognized the irreversible damages inflicted by these policies, the underlying ideologies and frameworks were subsequently repurposed as
blueprint for intercountry adoption
.
In recent times, various Western countries like Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland have started examining their involvement in the international adoption system. Some of these countries have halted their adoption processes, offered official apologies, or initiated investigations into the matter.
investigations
.
So far, both Australia and the United States have not.
Challenging the ‘rescue’ myth
Inter-country adoption has often been portrayed as a noble endeavor aimed at providing aid. The main concept revolved around the belief that these children required "saving" and that existence in a Western nation would invariably be "superior" to staying with their families in their native lands.
A lot of adopted individuals and their birth families were supposed to simply carry on with their lives or feel thankful for being "rescued."
However,
research
This expression of thankfulness overlooks the profound hurt inflicted by mandatory detachment.
Studies
reports indicate that adopted individuals face enduring disruptions because of their dislocation from culture, family, and ancestry. The enforced integration often complicates or even prevents them from reconnecting with their roots and heritage.
Numerous individuals who were adopted from overseas have similarly raised worries regarding
abuse
, instances of violence and abuse within adoptive households.
Challenging the 'orphan epidemic' misconception
The belief in a worldwide orphan crisis has similarly been a significant motivator for international adoptions.
Adoption organizations frequently cite older UNICEF statistics suggesting that there are
150 million
Orphans worldwide. Nevertheless, this statistic masks the reality that many of these children categorized as “
orphans
are from families headed by single parents, or are residing in households with extended relatives or alternative guardians.
This occurred in South Korea as well. The majority of children who were adopted came from similar circumstances.
not true orphans
However, those children who possessed at least one parent or extended family member they could potentially stay with, provided they received sufficient support.
The notion that millions of children raised by single parents were considered "orphans" requiring "saving" was employed to back demands for action.
faster, less regulated
adoptions.
Categorizing these children as "orphans" facilitated the acquisition of millions of dollars in charitable contributions. Nonetheless, contributors often showed little interest in funding programs aimed at helping kids remain with their families and within their own communities abroad.
Rather than keeping them in place, the emphasis was typically on relocating or transferring them for the purpose mentioned.
intercountry adoption
.
The question arises: Was this initiative focused on placing infants with their birth families or on providing Western families with children?
Samara Kim is one of the original members of KADS Connect, an organization that advocates for South Korean adoptees.
Kathomi Gatwiri and Lynne McPherson do not hold positions with, provide consulting services for, possess stock in, or receive financial support from any entity that could gain from this article. They have declared no additional associations outside of their academic appointments.
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