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= Domestic Adoption in South Korea = South Korea, beginning at the conclusion of the Korean War in 1953, began to partake in transnational adoption.

History of Adoption Practices
There was an increased number of orphaned children following the Korean War (1950-1953). In 1954, Korean adoptions formally began following the creation of the Children Placement Services.

The Special Adoption Act & Its Aftermath
After South Korea reached its peak for exporting adoptees overseas in 1985, having sent 8,837 children abroad, the country received criticism for such high numbers of international adoption. In 1989, South Korea implemented a new policy to, eventually, put an end to international adoption and, in turn, keep adoptions domestic. For the time being, it was stated that only mixed-race and disabled children would be exported for international adoptions.

The Special Adoption Act
In 2011, adoption law in South Korea was amended, known as the Special Adoption Act. In August of 2012, the Special Adoption Act went into effect. The Special Adoption Act was passed in the hopes of increasing domestic adoption and decreasing international adoption. This new amendment changed some of the regulations regarding the adoption process. To start, there were three new stipulations related to the birthparents included in this amendment. First, it required a waiting period of seven days post childbirth before the birthparents could consent to adoption. Second, it became mandatory for birthparents to be informed, in the event they kept the child, of available resources. This was meant to urge the birthparents to reconsider and to discourage adoption altogether. The last requirement of the birthparents put in place by this act is the obligation to go to family court for adoption. The obligatory approval of the family court meant that adoptions, and the birthparents that put their children up for adoption, would become documented in public records.

Aside from the effect of the Special Adoption Act on birthparents, there became new rules and regulations regarding adoptive parents. Adoptive parents were to, following the implementation of the act, be screened for any history of any criminal activity such as child abuse, drug abuse, domestic violence, and other related activities that would indicate an unsafe home for children. If anything of this nature surfaces at any point during the adoption process, the adoption can be cancelled.

For the adopted children, there became more resources available to them. Through the Special Adoption Act, the Central Adoption Agency was formed. The Central Adoption Agency was a way to keep track of birthparents' data for adopted children to access later in their lives if the birthparents consented to the disclosure of personal information about themselves. Adopted children may access information related to their adoption even if they do not have access to the information about their birthparents. In special circumstances, such as for medical purposes, the consent of the birthparents is not required for the adopted child to receive the necessary information.

State of Domestic Adoption & Abandonment Following the Special Adoption Act
While the Special Adoption Act was passed with the intention of increasing domestic adoption and decreasing other events such as international adoption and child abandonment, it did not reap the results expected.

Unwed Mothers & Social Welfare
Unwed mothers have contributed greatly to the large number of children put up for adoption each year for a variety of reasons. To start, government support for single mothers was not provided until 2003. Even after government support began, the funds allotted were only 50,000 won, or $44, per month. In 2009, this monthly allowance increased to 100,000 won, or $89, per month.

Organizations to Support Unwed Mothers
Organizations have emerged to provide support for the rights of unwed mothers in South Korea.


 * Korean Unwed Mother Family Association (KUMFA)
 * Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network
 * Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea (TRACK)
 * Adoptee Solidarity Korea