Learn How To:

  • Start A Birth Family Search Through Korea Social Service (KSS) Via Email

  • Continue A Prior Birth Family Search Through Korea Social Service (KSS) Via Email

  • Schedule An In-Person File Review At KSS’ Post -Adoption Services Building in Seoul.

For Korea Social Service (KSS) Adoptees ONLY.

Please DO NOT contact KSS unless KSS was your Korean Adoption Agency.

*Please DO NOT contact KSS if you were adopted through these other Korean Adoption Agencies which are NOT KSS:
HOLT Korea, ESWS, or SWS (now KWS).

Also, please DO NOT confuse KSS with KAS (the predecessor to NCRC). Thank you!

Please be sure to read this entire page before initiating a Birth Family Search (BFS) through Korea Social Service (KSS) in Seoul.

We are happy to help KSS Adoptees initiate a Birth Family Search with KSS in Seoul. Please contact us if you would like our free assistance. You must be able to prove that you are a KSS Adoptee.

Thank you!

All KSS Adoptee Files are stored at KSS’ Post Adoption Services Building in Seoul. You can schedule an

in-person file review at this location. You can also initiate a Birth Family Search with KSS through email (see info. below). Learn how to initiate a Birth Family Search through KSS by email below, and also how to request information even if you have already conducted a Birth Family Search with KSS. Please note that the amount of information KSS Adoptees are able to receive varies greatly per person.

KSS additionally has the majority of files on microfiche on their computers at KSS’ Post Adoption Services building in Seoul.

Gaining access to a KSS Adoptee’s complete adoption file is often difficult, but varies from case to case.

We highly recommend that you contact us prior to starting your Birth Family Search with KSS. We are happy to offer tips and advice.

How To Start A Birth Family Search At KSS.

UPDATE May 2024: Please Refer to the “Illustrated Step By Step Guide” on the “Step By Step KSS Birth Family Search” page above.

KSS Has Computerized Versions of KSS Adoptees’ Files.

At its Post Adoption Services building in Seoul, KSS has computerized microfiche versions of KSS Adoptees’ files. According to KSS itself, KSS began microfiching their files in the 1980s, and we presume that KSS microfiched files from the 1970s and 1960s. The paper files are more extensive than the microfiche files. You should request a copy of your paper adoption file at KSS if you visit its Post Adoption Services building in person.

If You Have Exhausted All Birth Family Search Options With KSS in Seoul, You Can Try A Birth Family Search Through NCRC (The National Center for the Rights of the Child).

Important Note: You MUST FIRST initiate a Birth Family Search through KSS in Seoul before attempting to initiate a Birth Family Search through NCRC. If you use NCRC first for Birth Family Search, KSS may decline to help you.

Please see How To Use NCRC For Birth Family Search here.

Don’t Give Up.

We want to highlight something that a KSS Adoptee who is in reunion with his Korean family shared as good advice for birth family search:

"Why does everyone think the adoption agencies close the (KSS Adoptee's birth family search) file when there’s no response (from birth family after the first attempts at contact by KSS / NCRC)? Like they have any right to do that. They should reword it and say that this year they won’t do anything else, but you can always try again later.

Also, do you guys realize how little information is in those “letters” they (KSS / NCRC) sent out (to your birth family)? It basically asks if anyone in your family is missing. They can’t say that child you gave up for adoption x number of years ago.

When I worked in BFS (Birth Family Search), I found it more effective to plan your own trip to Korea, and then tell the agency (KSS) to send a letter to your (birth) family and let them know the dates you’ll be in Korea."

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Just because KSS / NCRC conducts 1 birth family search attempt that is not successful (for each attempt, they will attempt to send the birth family 3 separate letters), does not mean that you cannot ask KSS / NCRC to conduct a new birth family search each year. You can ask KSS / NCRC to conduct a new birth family search each year.

We want to add that you will always have the best chance of finding birth family when you are physically in Korea. You must work all of the prior steps in this list FIRST, but making an in-person appointment at NCRC when you are in Korea will yield the best results in terms of birth family search.

Organizations Which Help Adoptees in Korea:


GOAL

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Nest

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325KAMRA in Korea (Free DNA Testing for Korean Birth Parents and Korean Adoptees):

Kakao= 325KAMRA

phone = +82 10 7437 7543

Appointments needed

Website

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Korean Adoptee Homeland Tours:

• The Mosaic Tour

• GOAL’s First Trip Home