Adopted Koreans Demand Better Access to Records in Seoul Protest

South Koreans adopted by Western families demonstrated outside the presidential office in Seoul on Friday. The group demanded full access to their personal files and stronger government efforts to locate biological relatives. This action follows a meeting of hundreds of adoptees held in the capital the previous week.

The protest group cited inaccurate or falsified archives as a primary obstacle to finding family. A joint statement signed by nine organizations from Europe and the United States, along with Korean human rights advocates, outlined specific requests. The signatories asked authorities to expand DNA testing and matching services. They also sought extended access to administrative and residency records to aid in family searches.

The demonstrators called for new investigations into the manipulation of adoption records and the origins of the children. They highlighted past separations between children and parents that affected the country's historical adoption program. The group further requested clearer channels for reparations for those affected by widespread fraud and abuse.

The government of President Lee Jae Myung is currently weighing major changes to how it handles requests from adoptees. The current process is overseen by the National Center for Child Rights, an agency under the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Officials are considering giving a larger role to the Overseas Koreans Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This agency is viewed as better positioned to coordinate with Western countries that received Korean children, though changes may require new legislation.

Legislators are also debating multiple bills aimed at improving biological family searches. These proposals include easing privacy restrictions to allow adoptees to obtain information about their parents. A key provision would allow access unless the biological parents explicitly request confidentiality. The government is reviewing these policy shifts while balancing the needs of adoptees with existing privacy laws.