Demystifying The KSS Birth Family Search Process

This page is for KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY.

**This page is NOT relevant to Adoptees who were adopted through:**

Holt
Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) - previously Eastern Child Welfare Society (ECWS)
Social Welfare Society (SWS) - now Korea Welfare Society (KWS)

Demystifying The KSS (Korea Social Service) Birth Family Search Process.

Demystifying the KSS birth family search process:

We have created this page because we have not previously known what the KSS letter to birth parents says when, as part of each birth family search attempt, KSS sends 3 registered letters to the last known address of birth parent/s of the KSS Adoptee. (KSS attempts to send the same letter 3 times). We now have an example of a KSS letter (see Korean and English below).

Thank you to a generous KSS Adoptee for sharing this KSS letter with us. This is a letter that KSS apparently sent to her possible birth parents in the 2020s. We do not know if this is the exact same kind of letter sent to ALL potential birth parents, however, the likelihood is high that the letter is similar.

This is interesting in the context of KSS' birth family search process. For each birth family search attempt, KSS sends a registered letter 3 times to the last known address of the birth parent/s. We have never seen a KSS letter like this before.

If KSS receives no response from the birth parent/s or a negative response, then KSS tells the Adoptee "case closed". THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE CASE IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED!!!

*What KSS does NOT tell the Adoptee is that a KSS Adoptee can request a NEW birth family search ONCE PER YEAR.

*However, please note, if there is actually NO birth parent information in your Korean Adoptive Child Study Summary or other KSS documents, then there is nothing that KSS can do. You should, however, be sure to contact any orphanage you were at - such as Nam Kwang, Star of the Sea, etc, to see if THEY have any documents. If possible it is best to visit in person. For contact information for KSS’ major “feeder orphanages”, please see: Sources of KSS Orphans + Orphanage List

Please note that KSS Adoptees can request a NEW birth family search from KSS ONCE PER YEAR. However, this assumes that KSS has birth family information to go on. Even if your ENGLISH Adoptive Child Study Summary says you were "abandoned" with "unknown parents" it is possible that your KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary MAY contain birth parent names and information - which KSS / NCRC can use to conduct a birth family search. For more information about that process, please see:

https://www.paperslip.org/kss-adoptees-should-request-their-files-now

We have personally never seen a letter like this before, so we are grateful to be able to share this with permission from the KSS Adoptee:

Korean text lifted through Google Lens and translated through ChatGPT:

님께,

본회는 국내외입양 전문기관으로, 입양특례법 제 36조에 의하여 입양 된 사람들의 친가족을 찾기 위하여 본 편지를 보냅니다.

어릴 때 입양되었던 아이들이 이제 성인이 되어 자신의 뿌리를 알기 위하여 친가족을 간절히 찾고 있으며, 그 안타까운 마음을 충분히 이 해하기에 그 가족을 찾고자 본회에서 열심히 일하고 있습니다.

오래전 기록이라 친부모에 대한 정확한 인적사항이 없어 여러 방법을 동원하여 가족을 찾고 있으며, 공공기관의 협조를 받아 친가족 또는 당시의 연고자와 비슷한 인적사항을 가진 다수의 분들에게 협조를 구 하는 본 편지를 보내고 있습니다.

사정상 입양인의 자세한 인적사항을 본 지면에 공개할 수 없음을 양해 바라며, 혹시라도 귀하께서 오래전 피치 못할 이유로 자녀 또는 아동 을 포기하신 적이 있거나, 조금이나마 입양과 관련된 내용을 아시는 것이 있다면 본회로 연락 주셔서 확인해 주시면 대단히 감사하겠습니 다.

전혀 무고하신 분이 본 편지로 인하여 어려움을 겪는 일이 없으시길 바라는 마음으로 조심스럽게 이 글을 씁니다.

감사합니다.

202X.

드림

한국사회봉사회

02-XXX-XXXX

(KSS website)

English translation via ChatGPT:

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are sending this letter as an organization specializing in domestic and international adoptions, in accordance with Article 36 of the Special Adoption Act, to help adoptees find their biological families.

Children who were adopted at a young age have now become adults and are earnestly seeking their biological families to understand their roots. We fully comprehend the deep emotions behind this yearning and are working diligently to assist them in their search.

Due to the old records, we do not have precise information about the biological parents. Therefore, we are employing various methods to locate the families, and with the cooperation of public institutions, we are sending this letter to many individuals whose information closely matches that of the adoptee's biological family or acquaintances from that time.

We ask for your understanding that we cannot disclose detailed information about the adoptee in this letter. However, if you have ever had to give up a child or know anything related to adoption, we would greatly appreciate it if you could contact us to confirm.

We write this letter cautiously, hoping it does not cause any distress to innocent individuals.

Thank you.

202X

Sincerely,

Korean Social Service Society

(KSS Phone Number)

(KSS website)