Adoptees say local adoption system not free from irregularities

혻혻 By Kim Young-gyo
SEOUL, May 14 (Yonhap) — Following recent allegations of irregularities in international adoptions from Vietnam, Korean adoptees said Wednesday South Korea’s adoption system has also had serious problems.

혻혻 “Earlier signals about trafficking from Vietnam … has significant comparisons with those of South Korea in earlier 1970s and 1980s,” said a Dutch activist, who was adopted from South Korea, in an interview with Yonhap News Agency.

혻혻 Hilbrand Westra has been actively involved in international adoption, working as a chairman of the Netherlands-based United Adoptees International, the first independent and international foundation by adoptees, since 2006 with a political and social aim to address problems involving adoption.

혻혻 “In the seventies and eighties, many children disappeared from streets in Seoul and Busan. Many older Koreans in these cities have been confirming that they knew or heard about this. Still, no one ever asked for a thorough investigation in South Korea,” Westra said.

혻혻 Last month, the U.S. embassy in Vietnam released a report, describing cases in which children had allegedly been sold and families pressured to give up their babies. The report also said adoption facilitators were engaging in fraudulent operations to conceal the identity of the birth parents.

혻혻 Dismissing the accusations, the Vietnamese government said it would end an adoption agreement with the United States after July 1.
“Since adoption exists, child trafficking is a booming mechanism behind it. But since child trafficking is not called abduction and is used for adoption it is internationally not forbidden. In other words, stealing children for adoption is allowed as long as you keep the child safe and healthy afterwards,” Westra said.

혻혻 He argued that South Korea has not ratified international agreements on adoption, leaving possible corruption in the adoption system uncontrolled.

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