The Take Another Take: The children abandoned by South Korea’s adoption policy
May 31, 2025
Anna Kook, an AJ+ reporter, sheds light on the complex world of Korean adoptees and the haunting legacy of South Korea's adoption policies. She shares her experience following a biracial adoptee's emotional journey to find his roots, revealing the struggles faced by mixed-race children. The podcast explores the harsh realities of women exploited in the military context and their ties to adoption. Kook emphasizes the importance of personal narratives and the ongoing search for accountability and justice in this deeply impactful issue.
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Simone's Adoption Journey
- Simone, a biracial adoptee, returned to South Korea after 50 years to search for his birth mother.
- He was adopted to the Netherlands because Korean laws then denied him citizenship and school registration.
Falsified Adoption Records
- Many children adopted abroad from South Korea were legally listed as orphans but actually had living families.
- This falsification concealed real family connections, leaving adoptees without answers for decades.
Racism in Adoption Policy
- South Korea's post-war policies considered being truly Korean only if one looked fully Korean.
- Biracial children like Simone faced legal and social exclusion, impacting their rights and opportunities.