According to an article in the Korea JoongAng Daily, Korean lawmakers have revised the country’s adoption policies with the help of adoptees and single mothers. The article said that the “revised law is expected to shift adoption policy from “adoption promotion” to “family preservation.””
With the new regulations, adoptees will have greater access to birth records, and birth mothers will be given seven days to decide whether to “keep or relinquish their child” according to the article.
The article said that adoption agencies and prospective adoptive parents have opposed the bill because they’re concerned it will “discourage adoption.”
Korea is currently one of the top five countries for international adoptions along with China, Ethiopia, Russia and Ukraine, and the article said, “more than 200,000 children have been adopted overseas since the 1950’s.”
If you are interested in learning more about international adoption, please visit the Adoption STAR website.