Honoring Our Truth: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Findings & Their Impact on Adoptees

In this episode, we dive into the shocking findings of South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which has exposed systemic fraud and human rights violations in the country’s international adoption program. With over 140,000 Korean adoptees sent overseas, many under falsified circumstances, this revelation forces us to reexamine the ethical failures of adoption policies and the profound impact on adoptees worldwide.

We explore the emotional toll of these findings, the urgent need for policy reform, and the steps adoptees can take to reclaim their agency. We also discuss advocacy efforts, legal actions, and the responsibility of adoption agencies in providing reparations.

This is a conversation about truth, validation, and empowerment. You are not alone in this—your voice matters, and together, we can create change.

Adoptee Resources for Empowerment & Advocacy

•National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) – Supports adoptees in birth family searches

•Global Overseas Adoptees’ Link (G.O.A.’L) – Assists with birth searches, translations, and Korean citizenship applications

•325Kamra – Provides free DNA testing for Korean adoptees searching for biological family

•Adoptee Hub – Offers search and reunion assistance, plus a database of adoptee resources

•Also-Known-As, Inc. – Provides mentorship and community support for adoptees

•Asian Adoptees of Canada - Connecting the adoptee community to share information, resources, and provide a forum for connection and collaboration

•International Korean Adoptee Association (IKAA) - Fosters community connections across North America, Europe, and Australia

•The Korean Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN) -  connecting the community and providing opportunities for dialogue, education, and support.

•Inclusion Initiative - A Community for adoptees, fosters, and our allies to change the future of work and close the professional opportunity gap due to a lack of established network

•Paperslip - Connecting Korean adoptees from Korean Social Service (KSS) adopted to the US, Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland between 1964-2012

•Banet - A group of Korean women supporting and helping Korean adoptees searching for birth families

Legal & Human Rights Advocacy

•Adoptee Rights Campaign – Advocates for adoptee citizenship rights in the U.S.

•Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea (TRACK) – Works to uncover adoption fraud and advocate for policy change

•Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Intercountry adoptees can request their own immigration and federal agency records

•Korean Adoptees for Justice (KAJ) – Focuses on adoptee activism and legal advocacy

•Adoptees for Justice – A movement fighting for adoptee rights and reparations

Mental Health & Healing

•IAMAdoptee – Provides mental health resources and support groups for adoptees

•The Adoptee Mentoring Society – Offers mentoring and identity-based support for adoptees

•The Empowered Adoptee - Provides healing and empowerment retreats for Korean Adoptees and free workshops 

•Omija - Supporting Korean American adoptee women and adoptees in reunion with birth family

Petitions & Activism

•Petition for Justice and Reform: Stand with Overseas Adopted Koreans – A movement demanding accountability for past adopti