KoRoot

Almost 200,000 Korean children have been adopted internationally since the 1950s. When overseas adoptees reach adulthood, many choose to return to South Korea, to learn more about the country of their birth and search for family members.

KoRoot was established in 2003 to support these overseas adoptees with the challenges they face in navigating an unfamiliar country and seeking answers about their family background and identity. Their guesthouse provides a welcoming home for the ‘returnees’, as well as a range of assistance including family tracing, legal support, trauma counseling and cultural events.

Their research institute focuses on raising awareness of the issues surrounding overseas adoption by publishing and translating key academic literature about adoption and child rights. Also they have organized conferences and seminars on birth mothers rights and adoptee’s identity and records.

KoRoot also promote alternatives to international adoption including family strengthening policies and improvement of child care system in Korea. They collaborate with other organizations to lobby for the country’s law on adoption and child protection to meet international standards.

For more information on the organization, visit http://koroot.org/eng.