Adoption From South Korea
AF Photo Gallery	South Korea Fast Facts: 2010 adoptions: 865 children Age/Gender: 61% Male, 86% under 1 year of age; 13% 1 to 4 years of age in 2009 Estimated Total Cost: $25,000 to $30,000 Profile: 9 months and older. 86% are under 1 year old (2009). Parent Ages: Both parents must be 25 to 44 years old at placement and the age difference between the couple cannot exceed 15 years; age requirement may be waived for special-needs children and parents of Korean ancestry. Family Status: Must be married at least 3 years. Singles may not adopt. Fewer than 4 children already at home. Travel: Parents may travel to South Korea or have children escorted to the U.S. Timeline: From completed dossier to referral, about six to 24 months. Wait time for a boy or special-needs child may be shorter. South Korea Adoption Directory Find an adoption agency placing children from South Korea in your state:
The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs handles adoptions in South Korea and is responsible for approving U.S.-based adoption agencies. Typically, infants are relinquished at birth by unwed mothers and live with a foster family until they're adopted. Children generally receive good medical care, and background information on the birth family is usually available. Parents have the option of traveling to South Korea for the adoption, or having the child escorted to the U.S. South Korea is not a member of the Hague Adoption Convention. Although this program remains stable at the moment, there are signs that this may change. The South Korean government announced its intent to phase out intercountry adoption in the next few years and the number of adoptions dropped from 1,079 to the U.S. in 2009 to 865 to the U.S. in 2010. Adopting parents are therefore advised to check the following for updates: seoul.usembassy.gov/visas_ adoptions4.html. View photos and get parent-to-parent advice in our online community, www.adoptivefamiliescircle.com.
Personal Stories About South Korean Adoption Music in His Genes "My son craves the comfort of music the way other kids his age rely on t heir blankets." Why Tae Kwan Do? One woman's steps into her future daughter's culture also teaches her about herself. Helpful Books for South Korea Adopters When You Were Born in Korea by Brian E. Boyd I Wish for You a Beautiful Life: Letters from the Korean Birth Mothers of Ae Ran Won to Their Children edited by Sara Dorow Best Web Resources for South Korea Adopters U.S. State Department Country Information U.S. Embassy in South Korea Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN) Adopting from Korea and Afterwards Adopt Korea E-mail listserv Adopting from Korea E-mail listserv Korean Focus Support Group

Adoption From South Korea

AF Photo Gallery

South Korea Fast Facts:

2010 adoptions: 865 children
Age/Gender: 61% Male, 86% under 1 year of age; 13% 1 to 4 years of age in 2009
Estimated Total Cost: $25,000 to $30,000
Profile: 9 months and older. 86% are under 1 year old (2009).
Parent Ages: Both parents must be 25 to 44 years old at placement and the age difference between the couple cannot exceed 15 years; age requirement may be waived for special-needs children and parents of Korean ancestry.
Family Status: Must be married at least 3 years. Singles may not adopt. Fewer than 4 children already at home.
Travel: Parents may travel to South Korea or have children escorted to the U.S.
Timeline: From completed dossier to referral, about six to 24 months. Wait time for a boy or special-needs child may be shorter.

South Korea Adoption Directory

Find an adoption agency placing children from South Korea in your state:

The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs handles adoptions in South Korea and is responsible for approving U.S.-based adoption agencies. Typically, infants are relinquished at birth by unwed mothers and live with a foster family until they're adopted. Children generally receive good medical care, and background information on the birth family is usually available. Parents have the option of traveling to South Korea for the adoption, or having the child escorted to the U.S. South Korea is not a member of the Hague Adoption Convention.

Although this program remains stable at the moment, there are signs that this may change. The South Korean government announced its intent to phase out intercountry adoption in the next few years and the number of adoptions dropped from 1,079 to the U.S. in 2009 to 865 to the U.S. in 2010. Adopting parents are therefore advised to check the following for updates: seoul.usembassy.gov/visas_ adoptions4.html. View photos and get parent-to-parent advice in our online community, www.adoptivefamiliescircle.com.

Personal Stories About South Korean Adoption

Music in His Genes
"My son craves the comfort of music the way other kids his age rely on t heir blankets."
Why Tae Kwan Do?
One woman's steps into her future daughter's culture also teaches her about herself.

Helpful Books for South Korea Adopters

When You Were Born in Korea
by Brian E. Boyd
I Wish for You a Beautiful Life: Letters from the Korean Birth Mothers of Ae Ran Won to Their Children
edited by Sara Dorow

The Print Adoption Guide

Top Topics

The AF Community

Adoption From South Korea

AF Photo Gallery

South Korea Fast Facts:

South Korea Adoption Directory

Find an adoption agency placing children from South Korea in your state:

Personal Stories About South Korean Adoption

Helpful Books for South Korea Adopters

Best Web Resources for South Korea Adopters

Find adoption professionals

Find local advice and help