The Take The children abandoned by South Korea’s adoption policy
Aug 18, 2025
In this thought-provoking discussion, AJ+ Reporter Anna Kook sheds light on South Korea’s complex adoption policies and their lasting impact. She shares Simone's emotional journey as a biracial man who returns to uncover his roots, emphasizing the struggles of identity and belonging faced by many adoptees. The conversation also addresses the dark history of exploitation endured by women in camp towns and the societal pressures that led to adoption practices post-Korean War. It's a compelling exploration of reconciliation with a painful past.
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Paper Orphans Hide Real Families
- Thousands of Korean adoptees were listed as orphans on paper despite having living family members.
- Falsified records erased adoptees' access to their birth families and blocked reunions for decades.
Racism Drove Forced Adoptions
- Racist laws and social norms forced biracial children into foreign adoption programs.
- Simone couldn't register properly or access schooling because he was part Black, reflecting systemic exclusion.
Adoption Served Political And Economic Goals
- South Korea’s government and private agencies promoted foreign adoption to solve poverty, single motherhood, and diplomatic aims.
- The system financially benefited intermediaries and deepened ties with the U.S., normalizing mass export of children.