Gov't steps up on adoption

[Anchor]

Since the Korean War, 170,000 children have been adopted overseas.

In the past, overseas adoptions have been carried out indiscriminately, leading to criticism that Korea is a "child exporting country."

From now on, the entire adoption process will be managed and overseen by the central and local governments.

Reporter Hong Seong-hee has the details.

[Report]

This couple decided to adopt Yein after struggling with infertility.

[Yoo Bo-yeon/Yein's mother: "From the moment we decided, she became my child in my heart. It really upset me that this child was living in an institution."]

However, not all children can be adopted like Yein.

Currently, there are 177 children waiting for adoption.

The domestic adoption rate is gradually increasing, but it is still around 60%.

In 2022, 142 children were adopted overseas, and in 2023, 79 children were adopted.

Korea has the third highest number of overseas adoptions in the world, leading to criticism as a "child exporting country."

Private agencies have also manipulated documents for overseas adoptions or exploited them as a means of making money.

[Peter Müller/Danish adoptee: "The adoption agencies falsified documents. So I'm searching for the real background information."]

In the future, the state will be responsible for all processes and procedures related to adoption.

Adoption applications and consultations will be centralized at the Child Rights Protection Agency, and local governments will protect children until adoption.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will assess the suitability of adoptive parents.

Overseas adoptions will only be pursued if a family cannot be found domestically.

Even after overseas adoption, the government plans to monitor the child's adjustment for one year.

[Jeong Yeong-ran/Head of the Mission to Promote Adoption in Korea: "I hope the government will play a positive role in providing a smooth application process for prospective adoptive parents right from the very start of the adoption application stage..."]

The government will also take over and manage adoption records scattered in the private sector, but there is currently no formal archive, highlighting the need to expedite the establishment of a record center.

KBS News, Hong Seong-hee.