Paperslip’s Birth Family Search Checklist and Questionnaire for KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY.
Download Word Format Document
Download PDF Format Document
The purpose of this page is for KSS Adoptees - who either have not yet or who have already conducted a birth family search through KSS - to make sure they have NOT MISSED ANYTHING in the birth family search process, with which we can help them. If you are a KSS Adoptee, please DOWNLOAD and PRINT either the WORD or PDF form linked above, complete the Questionnaire, and return it to us via email at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com along with relevant documents (optional, though recommended).
This is not required for anyone to do, but it is recommended for any KSS Adoptee with a serious interest in birth family search.
Please note that Korea Social Service Adoptees should join the PRIVATE KSS Adoptee Facebook forum KSS Cribmates to connect with the community and stay up to date with the latest information. Please be sure to answer the membership questions, or you may be declined!
Thank you!
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Please note that the text below is the SAME text that is included in the WORD and PDF documents linked above. We have just included this text here for those KSS Adoptees who wish to view this information on our website:
Paperslip’s Birth Family Search Checklist and Questionnaire for KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY:
Please note that this page is NOT applicable to those who were adopted through:
Holt, Korea Welfare Society / KWS (formerly Social Welfare Society / SWS), or Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) / Eastern Child Welfare Society (ECWS).
KSS (Korea Social Service) is also NOT the same thing as Korea Adoption Services (KAS).
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Paperslip Contact Info:
Website: www.paperslip.org
Email: paperslipadoptee@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION:
We have created this form to allow us to informally help KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees with your birth family search for FREE. We do NOT represent the Korean Adoption Agency KSS (Korea Social Service) in any way. However, we have walked MANY KSS Adoptees through the initial stages of the specific KSS birth family search process.
Please note that the extent of what we can do is to help you to fill out your KSS birth family search forms correctly, and connect you with translator resources online and in Korea. It will help you to stay in touch with us throughout your process. We certainly cannot guarantee that you will find your birth family. Unfortunately, it is a minority of Adoptees who succeed in finding birth family. But it is not impossible. Since 2021, 30 KSS Adoptees with whom we have been in touch in the early stages of birth family search have succeeded in finding birth family. Please note that this is still a minority of KSS Adoptees who attempt a birth family search. We currently do not do on the ground search in Korea, but we can connect you with resources there. We are happy to help you to initiate a birth family search through KSS and to obtain information from KSS which you likely do not already have. We are also happy to help guide you informally throughout the birth family search process. We are based in the US and not in Korea.
Even if you have previously done a birth family search through KSS and previously communicated with us at Paperslip, please read through this form in case there is something about the birth family search process of which you were not aware.
Please note that we are volunteers and have no obligation to assist you. However, we are happy to help you if we can! Please be kind and courteous in your interactions with us, and we will treat you with the same kindness, respect and courtesy. Please respect our time and understand that we are dealing with multiple KSS Adoptees. However, also please know that it is our goal to try to help you as much as we can!
If you are interested in supporting our efforts in assisting KSS Adoptees for FREE, please consider a donation:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-korean-adoptees-with-paperslip
However, we never charge KSS Adoptees for our FREE assistance.
Thank you!
Please see the next pages for important information.
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If you are a KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptee:
Please download the form in Word or PDF format (plesae see the LINKS at the top of this page). Please answer the questions and email your completed form to:
paperslipadoptee@gmail.com
*Please note that the text below is the SAME text included in the Word or PDF forms which you can download at the TOP of this page:
Please include a copy of the first page of your ENGLISH Adoptive Child Study Summary if you have it. It’s best to locate this document if you can. If you don’t have it, you can still send us your completed questionnaire. Examples of this document can be found here:
KSS (Korea Social Service) English Adoptive Child Study Summary Examples:
https://www.paperslip.org/english-adoptive-child-study-summary-examples
Please include a copy of your KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary if you have it. This document could NOT be obtained by most KSS Adoptees PRIOR to mid-2021. If you have not already specifically requested it from KSS using their forms, you will NOT likely have it:
KSS (Korea Social Service) KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary Examples:
https://www.paperslip.org/korean-adoptive-child-study-summary-examples-and-translation-keys
*Please note that you may additionally be able to obtain some documents from your Western home country of adoption. However, we strongly believe that the best place for a KSS Adoptee to start a birth family search is through KSS in Seoul.
*Please do NOT fill out this questionnaire if you were adopted through:
Holt, Korea Welfare Society / KWS (formerly Social Welfare Society / SWS), or Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) / Eastern Child Welfare Society (ECWS).
KSS (Korea Social Service) is also NOT the same thing as Korea Adoption Services (KAS).
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Paperslip Birth Family Search Information and Questionnaire for KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY:
1. Were you aware that you can request BOTH a birth family search AND your formerly secret “KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary” from KSS at the SAME TIME, just by filling out two simple forms?
Yes / No (Please circle).
For KSS Adoptees, here is the process for birth family search:
Please see the “Step By Step Illustrated Guide” about halfway down the page linked below for complete instructions on how to officially request BOTH a birth family search AND your “KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary” (which was NOT obtainable prior to mid 2021) at the SAME TIME:
Step By Step KSS Birth Family Search:
https://www.paperslip.org/step-by-step-kss-birth-family-search
Please complete STEPS 1-4, then email your completed forms to us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com for a FREE review of your forms, BEFORE you send them to KSS. This could save you YEARS of wasted time! Adoptees often make mistakes on these forms, which KSS will NOT ask you to correct! You could miss out on VERY important information if you fill out your forms incorrectly!
2. Were you aware that AFTER you have received a response from KSS (acknowledging your birth family search request, and sending you your “KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary”) that you can THEN ADDITIONALLY request OTHER documents ONE AT A TIME from KSS via their forms?
For more info please see:
STEP 7 of the “Illustrated Step By Step Guide”:
https://www.paperslip.org/step-by-step-kss-birth-family-search
STEP 7:
AFTER KSS has fulfilled your FIRST birth family search request and sent you your "KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary", you can THEN request OTHER documents ONE AT A TIME. You must WAIT to RECEIVE one document, THEN resubmit a NEW request (we recommend resubmitting BOTH of KSS' forms per each request - just each time, write a different type of form to request via Option D).
PLEASE READ STEP 7 on the link above and see the COMPLETE LIST of documents you can try to request. Do NOT request documents you already have, as this will only waste your time!
Some documents KSS may have for you, some they may not. The only way to find out is to keep deploying (resubmitting) the forms to KSS, requesting a NEW document type, AFTER they respond to your previous request. This is extremely tedious, and KSS’ responses are not always pleasant, but it works and is the ONLY way to get documents from KSS.
You cannot simply ask KSS to provide you with ALL documents - they will NOT do that. Do NOT waste your time demanding that KSS to provide you with “ALL” documents. They will NEVER do that! If you follow STEP 7, you WILL get documents from KSS. If you do not follow STEP 7, you will NOT get documents from KSS.
3. Were you aware that many of KSS’ “Feeder Orphanages” are still open, and may still contain records about you, independently of KSS?
Yes / No (Please circle).
For contact information, please see:
Sources of KSS Orphans + Orphanage List:
See: KSS Feeder Orphanages:
https://www.paperslip.org/sources-of-kss-orphans-orphanage-list
4. If you are a US Adoptee, are you aware that you can file a FREE FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request, which can potentially allow you to obtain DOZENS of pages of adoption related documents, without triggering any birth family search through your Korean or US Adoption Agencies?
Yes / No (Please circle).
For info please see:
FOIA Request for US Adoptees:
https://www.paperslip.org/foia-request-for-us-adoptees
5. Are you aware that KSS still operates a Post Adoption Services building, where all of our records are stored, on the former site of KSS in Seoul?
Yes / No (Please circle).
6. Do you have birth parent information in any of the adoption documents in your possession?
Yes / No (Please circle).
7. Are you aware that IF you have birth parent names and at least a YEAR of birth (it’s better if you have a full birthdate) in your English or Korean adoption paperwork, that you can BOTH request an official birth family search through KSS (until KSS files move to NCRC starting around July 2025) AND through a Korean Police “Missing Persons” Department if you go to Korea?
Yes / No (Please circle).
8. Have you previously requested a birth family search through KSS?
Yes / No (Please circle).
9. Have you previously requested a birth family search through a Korean Police Missing Persons Department?
Yes / No (Please circle).
10. Have you previously visited Korea?
Yes / No (Please circle).
11. Have you previously visited KSS in Seoul?
Yes / No (Please circle).
12. Have you previously visited any important site related to your history (such as a maternity clinic, hospital, or “feeder orphanage” in Korea?
Yes / No (Please circle). Please explain if Yes:
13. If you have previously requested a birth family search through KSS, how many months ago did you hear back from KSS regarding the results of your request?
Please answer below:
14. If you have previously requested a birth family search through KSS, what was the result? Please write your answer in the space below:
15. Are you aware that you can request a NEW birth family search through KSS once per year?
Yes / No (Please circle).
16. Are you aware that ALL KSS files will move from KSS to the Korean Government Agency NCRC (National Center for the Rights of the Child) starting in July 2025?
Yes / No (Please circle).
17. Are you aware that once KSS files move to NCRC, you will only be able to request a birth family search through NCRC, and not through KSS?
Yes / No (Please circle).
18. Were you aware that if you want to visit KSS in Seoul, you will likely need to do so BEFORE July 2025, as once ALL KSS files move to the Korean Government Agency starting in July 2025, KSS will likely CLOSE its last remaining Post Adoption Services building, and there will be nothing remaining of KSS in Seoul?
Yes / No (Please circle).
19. Were you aware that IF you want to visit KSS in Seoul before they likely close, sometime in mid-late 2025 (we are guessing), that you will need to check KSS’ online calendar and then email them to schedule an in-person file review?
Yes / No (Please circle).
20. Were you aware that going to KSS is no guarantee of obtaining access to your complete Korean adoption file, and that the best way to obtain information from KSS is by completing their forms?
Yes / No (Please circle).
21. Were you aware that IF you have your original Korean travel document (Travel Certificate or “Passport”), that you may be able to obtain one or two documents in Korea at a Gucheong Center? (*Please note that we consider this to be recreational document hunting, and not essential to birth family search).
Yes / No (Please circle).
For information please see:
How To Use Your Original Korean Passport or Travel Certificate Number For Birth Family Search - And To Check If Your Korean Citizenship Was Properly Revoked At The Time of Your Adoption:
https://www.paperslip.org/new-how-to-use-your-original-korean-passport-or-travel-certificate-number-for-birth-family-search
22. Are you aware that you are always welcome to reach out to us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com with any questions concerning birth family search?
Yes / No (Please circle).
23. Are you aware that it’s best to keep in touch with us at Paperslip through email at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com throughout your birth family search, in case there is advice or tips which we can offer?
Yes / No (Please circle).
24. Is there anything additional you would like to tell us, either about your birth family search, or something else?
Please answer below:
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DNA TESTING:
Because so much (though not all) of the information in our adoption documents is often falsified, we say that “DNA is the only truth”. Please answer the DNA questions below:
DNA Test Questions:
Which if any DNA tests have you taken? Please circle Yes or No next to each test:
23 and Me: Yes / No
o Please be sure to search Google for stories about the issues which 23 and Me is facing. 23 and Me has the MOST Korean DNA in its database by far of all the major commercially available DNA tests. However, the company is in serious financial difficulty and is likely to close / sell its data.
Ancestry: Yes / No
FTDNA (Family Tree DNA – this is the test distributed for free by 325Kamra, but which can also be purchased independently): Yes / No
MyHeritage: Yes / No
GEDMatch: Yes / No
Korean Police Missing Persons DNA Test
o Important Note about this test: It is highly likely that you will ONLY be able to take this test if you are considered “abandoned” / a Missing Person, who has no birth parent information in your English or Korean adoption file. The irony is that many KSS Adoptees are not even aware that there is secretly birth parent information in their formerly secret “KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary”, which may actually prevent them from being able to take this test. We strongly advise that you try as hard as you can do take this test IF you can. However, unfortunately, if you have birth parent information in your adoption file, you may not be able to take this test.
o Option 1 for taking this test is at a police station in Korea.
o Please Note: You must request your “Adoption Certificate” from your Korean Adoption Agency in order to take this test if taken at a police station in Korea. The Adoption Certificate is NOT an historical document, and is only valid for 3 months.
o Be sure to take a copy of your current passport. You may also need a translator. We advise that you contact paperslipadoptee@gmail.com for more info.
o Option 2 for taking this test is at a Korean Consulate in your Western home country of adoption. You will need to email NCRC to request your NCRC Certificate in order to take this test at a a Korean Consulate.
NCRC Email: familysearch@ncrc.or.kr
Please NOTE: NCRC currently has just 2-3 birth family search workers to service the needs of ALL Korean Adoptees around the WORLD. Please organize ONE email to NCRC and do NOT flood them with emails. You may only have the opportunity to correspond with them a few times, if that many. So be WISE in how you correspond with NCRC.
If you have previously taken a DNA Test, what was the closest relative match you have found? Have you contact them? Are you aware it’s best not to include that you are an Adoptee in your DNA profile, and that it’s best NOT to tell a DNA relative that you are adopted right away if you contact them, since this can scare them off?
Please answer below: