Korea Adoption Overview

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Overview
Background
Factsheet

What’s Involved in Adopting a Child From South Korea?

The government office responsible for adoptions in South Korea is the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The South Korean authorities believe that the international adoption process in Korea should be child-oriented rather than parent-oriented – they keep the best interests of the child at the forefront throughout the international adoption process. (As it should be, don’t you think?) Most Korean children adopted by U.S. citizens leave South Korea in the foster care of a U.S. adoption agency affiliated with one of the four South Korean government licensed adoption agencies. The adoptive parents in the United States then formally adopt the child in America.

After the child arrives in the U.S., the U.S. adoption agency follows up with the parents and child through a series of home visits at six-month intervals. The U.S. agency sends reports of the post-placement home visits to the South Korean adoption agency, which keeps the reports in the child’s permanent file. The U.S. family does not officially adopt the child until the child has been in the U.S. for one year. It’s important to note that the Korean adoption agencies’ files on adopted Korean children are maintained indefinitely – very useful in the event that a child adopted from Korea wants to search for his/her birthmother.

In a Nut Shell

Children Available: Healthy infants, both boys and girls, six months of age and older. Special needs and older children are also available for adoption.

Parent Requirements: Couples aged 25 to 44 years old who have been married at least three years may adopt. There must be no more than one divorce in each parent’s past. Single parents may not adopt from South Korea.

Travel Requirements: Travel to South Korea is not required. However, it is always strongly recommended that adoptive parents travel to the country of their child’s birth. Parents who do choose to travel to South Korea need stay only two or three days to complete the adoption.

Time Frame: From the time of your initial application through child placement averages twelve months.

Number of Children Adopted by Americans in 2004: 1,716

Additional Information: No dossier is required to adopt children from South Korea. To adopt from Korea, you should not have more than four children currently living at home. The children available for adoption from South Korea are in foster care. Children who have a low birth weight or who are born prematurely are classified as having minor special needs. Six months of post-placement reports and supervision are required.