The South Korean government’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has temporarily halted its investigation into the widespread fraud and abuse within the nation’s foreign adoption program. This suspension is due to disagreements among commissioners over which cases should be formally acknowledged as problematic. Alignment among panel members was elusive, leading to the decision to interrupt proceedings, even as significant evidence had already been unearthed.
Only a small fraction of cases, 56 out of 367 complaints made by adoptees, have been recognized as involving human rights violations. This decision arrives weeks before the investigation’s official conclusion date of May 26. The unresolved fate of 311 pending cases largely depends on whether a new truth commission will be established through legislation by the incoming government. This new administration is set to take office following a presidential election on June 3.
After nearly three years of scrutinizing adoption cases from across Europe, the United States, and Australia, the commission released an interim report in March. The findings stated the government’s responsibility in promoting an adoption process fraught with deception and abuse, primarily motivated by a goal to minimize welfare expenses. This was largely executed by private agencies that often falsified children’s backgrounds. Nonetheless, the report came under fire from adoptees and some commission members for its cautious tone and failure to more assertively indict the government’s involvement. Tensions further escalated when the commission, with a majority of conservative members, decided on March 25 to delay judgment on 42 cases, citing a lack of sufficient documentation to confirm fraudulent activities in the adoption process.
While specific documents at the crux of these internal debates have not been disclosed, it appears some commissioners hesitated to validate cases lacking definitive evidence of biological detail tampering in adoption records. The panel ultimately resolved to suspend, rather than abandon, the investigation into these cases, with the possibility of revival should a new truth commission come into effect. Investigations into the remaining 269 cases were also paused due to time constraints before the impending deadline, adding layers of complexity to an already convoluted situation.
The prospects for reinstating the commission remain uncertain amidst South Korea’s political climate, where attention is diverted to the upcoming early presidential election. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted following impeachment over drastic political maneuvers. The absence of several commissioners and the lack of consensus hinders the commission’s ability to continue producing investigative reports on adoptions, thus stalling progress.
Among the commission’s findings was the unfortunate reality for many Korean adoptees who were mistakenly registered as orphans despite having identifiable family members. This has created significant challenges for adoptees attempting to trace their heritage. The commission’s approach reflects a partial understanding of systemic adoption issues, contradicting prior acknowledgments of manipulated origin details.
Research indicates that over 90% of Korean children sent to Western countries between 1980 and 1987 had traceable family connections. These revelations match previous reports by various media, showcasing how South Korean, Western governments, and adoption agencies cooperatively facilitated the transfer of approximately 200,000 Korean children to international parents, with many of these adoptions stemming from dubious or unscrupulous practices.
Since military regimes supported foreign adoptions through limited oversight and authoritative agency powers, children wrongfully placed into adoption became a norm. Western countries often ignored arising issues, focusing instead on satisfying high domestic demands for adoptees. South Korea’s government has yet to take responsibility or formally acknowledge past adoption irregularities, having disregarded a recommendation for an official apology from the commission.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, inspired by South Africa’s version from the 1990s, originally began in 2006 to illuminate past human rights abuses. Though discontinued in 2010, the commission was reborn in December 2020 with an emphasis on military dictatorship-era human rights issues. Foreign adoptions remained a key focus, alongside other historical atrocities. Recently, confirmed cases have emerged linking Brothers Home, a notorious facility in Busan, to international adoptions. These investigations have highlighted the complex, profit-driven nature of such operations in South Korea’s past.