South Korea and Norway Team Up on Adoption Inquiry

Seoul, South Korea — South Korea and Norway have announced a collaborative effort to investigate irregularities related to intercountry adoptions. This partnership aims to enhance the rights of adoptees as both countries delve into their respective past adoption practices, which have come under scrutiny.

The agreement was established during a meeting on Thursday between Park Sun-young, Chairperson of Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and Camilla Bernt, head of the Norwegian Investigation Committee on Intercountry Adoption, held at the TRC office in Seoul. Both sides have committed to sharing their findings as they move forward.

The TRC's meeting follows the release of initial findings from its extensive investigation into adoption misconduct that spans from the 1960s to the 1990s. This investigation has revealed that the South Korean government was responsible for insufficient oversight and administrative failures which led to a prevalence of misconduct, including falsifications and corrupt practices in the adoption process.

According to reports from the TRC, over 6,500 children were adopted from South Korea to Norway between 1969 and 2024. This figure represents a significant portion — 32% — of all international adoptions conducted in Norway. Many adoptees from this group have raised concerns about the handling of their adoptions and have filed claims with the TRC related to their experiences.

While the TRC continues its examination, Norway's investigation has been in progress since its establishment in December 2023. The focus is not only on the specific cases but also on whether Norwegian authorities adequately supervised the international adoption processes and if illegal or unethical practices were present. In January, the Norwegian committee released an interim report on adoptions involving Ecuador and Colombia and is now preparing reports pertaining to Korea.

In an email statement to The Korea Times, Bernt underscored the importance of the TRC's findings for Norway's investigation. "Korea is the country from which there has been the highest number of adoptions to Norway," she noted, emphasizing that the TRC's report will serve as a crucial reference for their work.

Bernt explained that the meeting served to enhance their understanding of Korean adoption regulations, both historical and current. In addition to the TRC, the Norwegian committee plans to engage with various stakeholders, including adoption agencies such as Holt, the organization responsible for managing all adoptions from Korea to Norway, along with original parents and relevant organizations.

As both nations continue to explore this sensitive subject, their cooperation marks a significant step towards accountability and support for adoptees affected by past practices.

For further updates on the ongoing investigation, keep following the coverage from both Korean and Norwegian media sources.