An Overview of International Adoption from Korea

Korea’s Adoption Guidelines and Process

Jul 8, 2009

The article provides an overview of the Korea international adoption process, a program with a long history of foreign adoption and strict guidelines for applicants.

As the longest running international adoption program for U.S. families, adoptions from South Korea follow a prescribed process and are fairly predictable. International adoption from South Korea has declined since 2004, although it experienced a slight resurgence in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of State. The DOS recorded 1,065 adoptions in 2008, an increase over the less than 950 children adopted from South Korea in 2007, but a decline from the more than 1,700 adoptions processed in 2004, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Children are available as infants. Children can be escorted from Korea, and some families appreciate the lack of international travel. There is some uncertainty about a rumored shutdown in 2011, as domestic adoption is encouraged in Korea and the government prepares to care for more of its children.

The Children of Korea

The children can be five to six months at referral (children must be available for in-country adoption for five months before being legally available for international adoption). Toddlers are also available. Girls and boys are available for adoption and, although Korean guidelines allow gender requests, many adoption agencies do not because of long waiting lists for infant girls.

Children with special needs also are available for adoption. While awaiting adoption, children are placed in foster care homes or group home settings. Background, family, and medical history is usually available for children eligible for adoption in Korea.

Guidelines for Families Adopting from Korea

Married couples between the ages of 25 and 44 are allowed to adopt from South Korea. Singles are not allowed to adopt from South Korea. Couples must be married at least three years and there should be no more than one divorce for each spouse. Korea places a limit on the number of children already in the home (4) for families hoping to adopt. Age and family size restrictions are sometimes waived for special needs children. The Korean international adoption program also has restrictive medical guidelines that can preclude some families from adopting, including weight guidelines for adoptive parents.

The Process When Adopting From Korea

Korea is one of the few international adoption programs that does not require a dossier. Instead, the adoption homestudy is submitted to Korea for approval. Referral waits vary depending on adoption agency and the number of families waiting – ranging anywhere from a few months to more than a year. The wait from referral to travel is approximately 4 months.

The referral process is handled differently depending on the adoption agency and the placement agency in South Korea that the adoption agency uses. With two of the placement agencies, referrals are sent to the U.S. adoption agency and the agency makes the referral to a family on its waiting list. The other two placement agencies match the child with a family and notify the U.S. adoption agency of the referral.

Potential adoptive parents can travel to Korea or can have their child escorted to the U.S. Adoptive parents usually travel by themselves, although most adoption agencies will provide some sort of travel support. If the adoptive family travels to Korea, the in-country stay is short – typically only a few days.

South Korea has been – and remains – one of the more stable international adoption programs. There is some uncertainty about the long-term future of the program as South Korea works to encourage domestic adoption.