

South Korea admits to widespread adoption fraud. Here's one story
15 snips Mar 31, 2025
Documentarian Deann Borshay Liem shares her poignant journey as a Korean adoptee, revealing how she uncovered the truth behind her adoption. She reacts to a recent South Korean report exposing widespread adoption fraud and malpractice that impacted tens of thousands of children. Liem discusses the emotional turmoil of discovering her birth mother was alive and the complexities of identity for adoptees. Her insights reflect a powerful call for justice and truth in adoption practices, emphasizing the need for reconciliation and better access to records.
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Switched Identity
- Deann Borshay Liem discovered inconsistencies in her adoption records, including two different photos with the same name.
- This led her to realize she had been switched with another child and that her identity was falsified.
Confronting the Agency
- Liem confronted the social worker who admitted to switching her with another child to avoid disappointing Liem's adoptive parents.
- The social worker claimed the original adoptee's father refused adoption at the last minute.
The Need for Origins
- Not knowing one's origins is a significant emotional burden for adoptees, regardless of the quality of their adoptive families.
- This stems from a fundamental human need to understand one's identity and where one comes from.