South Korea Confronts Adoption Abuses in Historic Acknowledgment

On March 26, 2025, South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission delivered a pivotal report revealing egregious malpractices that occurred within the country's adoption agencies over the previous decades. For the first time, the government admitted to fabricating documents, knowingly misrepresenting children’s circumstances to facilitate adoption, and sending them abroad as if they were mere commodities.The report emphasizes a troubling legacy, wherein children were dispatched to homes in the United States and Europe, often referred to as being sent “like luggage” to profit adoption agencies. Many of these children were presented as orphans when, in fact, they had living parents. The commission's findings highlight the harsh reality that some infants who died before their flights were replaced with others, sent abroad in their stead. This acknowledgment comes amidst increased pressure from a growing community of South Korean adoptees who returned to address the country's adoption policies, holding South Korea accountable for its haunting history of child placements that lacked due oversight and ethical considerations. South Korea boasts the world's largest diaspora of intercountry adoptees, with an estimated 200,000 children shipped overseas since the Korean War ended in 1953, primarily to North America and Europe. Following the war, the nation opted to promote these international adoptions over creating a robust welfare system, leading to a troubling reliance on private agencies for child placements.The commission's findings exemplify the urgent need for apologies and restitution, highlighting the deep impacts on both the adoptees and their families. This historic report may serve as a crucial step marking the start of healing and recognition for those affected by South Korea's past child exportation practices.