{"id":2203999,"date":"2024-02-28T17:05:07","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T08:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203999"},"modified":"2024-02-29T16:42:34","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T07:42:34","slug":"south-koreas-adoption-scandal-unveils-harrowing-realities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/02\/south-koreas-adoption-scandal-unveils-harrowing-realities\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s adoption scandal unveils harrowing realities"},"content":{"rendered":"
Bill Vorhees, formerly known as Lee Jung-won, and his involuntary journey from South Korea to an adoptive family in the U.S. underscores the profound risks inherent in international adoption practices: the personal trauma endured by adoptees and the pervasive illegal and unethical adoption practices.<\/span><\/p>\n At just 7 years old, Vorhees\u2019 life was irrevocably altered in <\/span>1976<\/span><\/a> when he was snatched from his mother. His abductors subsequently handed him over to Holt Children’s Services, a South Korean adoption agency, which falsely designated him as an orphan.<\/span><\/p>\n Vorhees was then adopted by a single U.S. man, who subjected him to abuse and sexual violence upon his arrival in the U.S.<\/span><\/p>\n Vorhees\u2019 experience is not isolated but shared by hundreds of adoptees, each grappling with their own harrowing pasts and the mysteries of their origins.<\/span><\/p>\n The concerted efforts of advocacy groups, such as the Danish Korean Rights Group (DKRG), have brought these issues to the forefront, demanding attention and action from South Korean authorities. Their efforts have prompted the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of Korea to initiate investigations into over 300 cases by <\/span>Dec. 2022<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The collective stories of adoptees like Vorhees reveal the critical flaws in South Korea\u2019s adoption framework, characterized by a lack of regulation and oversight. Experts and activists told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> that legislative and procedural changes are urgently needed to address these shortcomings and ensure the protection and proper care of children in the adoption process.<\/span><\/p>\n