Investigation revealing corruption in Korean adoptions sparks global reassessment

An investigation by the Associated Press and Frontline has uncovered that Western governments facilitated and encouraged the adoption of South Korean children for many years even amid evidence that adoption agencies were competing fiercely for children, pressuring birth mothers and bribing hospitals. Many adoptees have now found that their adoption documents were falsified, prompting a global reassessment of adoption practices.

The investigation: The AP investigation uncovered cases of kidnapped or missing children being sent abroad, fabricated identities and parents falsely told their children had died. The demand for South Korean children surged after the 1950-53 Korean War, particularly from Western families facing domestic shortages of adoptable children. Scandinavian countries, including Sweden and Denmark, exerted diplomatic pressure on South Korea to continue adoptions despite concerns about the ethics of the practice. In the U.S., Harry Holt, an evangelical Christian, pioneered the adoption system, flying children to American families in large numbers, often without sufficient safeguards to ensure the children were true orphans.
Reevaluating the system: European countries are now reevaluating their role in international adoptions, with several nations halting foreign adoptions or issuing apologies. However, the U.S., which played a leading role in international adoptions, has yet to fully address its accountability. Although a U.S. review has acknowledged the possibility of falsified adoption documents, it has found no evidence that officials were aware of the fraud. The investigation continues, with a documentary titled “South Korea’s Adoption Reckoning” premiering on PBS on Friday.

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