Seoul to phase out overseas adoption by 2029

Beginning next year, overseas adoption will be phased out. The shift comes 73 years after the practice began in 1953, shortly after the Korean War, as part of efforts to address the needs of war orphans. The government plans to fully halt overseas adoption by 2029.

On Dec. 26, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the Third Basic Plan for Child Policy for 2025 through 2029, which includes the phased suspension of overseas adoption. Under the plan, the government will prioritize domestic protection systems, including domestic adoption, rather than sending children abroad. In cases where overseas adoption is deemed unavoidable, such as for children with disabilities, the government will directly consult with foreign authorities and related institutions to carry out the procedures, rather than relying on child welfare agencies.

At its peak in the 1980s, South Korea sent more than 8,000 children abroad for adoption each year, a scale that earned the country the stigma of being labeled an “orphan-exporting country.”

Lee Sran, first vice minister of health and welfare, said the government plans to halt overseas adoption within two to three years, citing the principle of prioritizing the best interests of children. She added that, combined with expanded government support to ensure all children can grow up in South Korea, the policy will reduce overseas adoptions to zero by 2029.


조유라 jyr0101@donga.com