South Korea Ratifies Hague Adoption Convention After Decades of Adoption Scandals
South Korea has ratified the Hague Adoption Convention, an international treaty ensuring ethical international adoptions. This policy shift comes after years of unregulated child placements by private agencies, leading to numerous adoption scandals. The treaty will impose stricter oversight, reaffirming South Korea's commitment to children's rights and ethical adoption processes.
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- South Korea
In a historic move, South Korea has ratified the Hague Adoption Convention, a significant step toward establishing ethical international adoption practices. This decision marks a pivotal change in policy decades after the country sent thousands of children abroad under a loosely regulated system.
The government's announcement follows mounting pressure to address fraudulent and abusive practices in its adoption programme, especially prominent in the 1970s and '80s. An increasing number of adoptees have come forward with reports of fabricated records and accusations of being wrongfully removed from their families.
The treaty, set to take effect on October 1, mandates enhanced state oversight to ensure adoptions are conducted legally and ethically. South Korea signed the convention in 2013 but delayed ratification for over a decade as the nation worked to align its adoption system with international standards.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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