SOUTH KOREA’S DEFECTIVE ADOPTION SYSTEM
Driven by poverty, South Korea was the world’s largest supply of youngsters for adoption.
It all began with Korean ladies who needed to offer away youngsters they’d with Western, largely American, troopers in the course of the Korean War within the Fifties.
However, the follow quickly unfold to poor households, orphanages and single moms, because the exercise reportedly introduced thousands and thousands of {dollars} into South Korea.
Overseas adoptions peaked in 1985, when practically 9,000 youngsters had been despatched overseas. These numbers progressively decreased because the South Korean authorities promoted home adoption.
Since the Fifties, round 200,000 youngsters in complete have been despatched overseas, however the circumstances during which adoption was permitted have been questioned.
In latest years, stories have emerged of newborns being kidnapped or taken away by docs who mentioned they had been lifeless or sick.
Amid heavy criticism over points corresponding to alleged falsified paperwork and human rights abuses, the adoption system will quickly endure drastic adjustments.
The authorities is about to implement reforms and take management of the adoption course of – at present run by personal companies – in July subsequent yr. He promised that the brand new state-led system will shield youngsters, promote home adoptions and cut back the variety of youngsters despatched overseas.
Meanwhile, Mrs Pennell, who has continued the seek for her mom, has no intention of giving up.
“I simply wish to hug her. I simply wish to know that she’s OK and that it was laborious for her, as a result of I’m certain it was,” she mentioned.
