The Same Questions That Korean Adoptees Ask All The Time.

We created this page because Korean Adoptees (understandably) often ask the exact same questions. Please feel free to share this link with any Korean Adoptees you know. Thank you!

Please note that Paperslip.org is a site by and mainly for KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees. KSS is a specific Korean Adoption Agency - and KSS was the SMALLEST Korean Adoption Agency.

However, this site ALSO contains information relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees.

It is important to know what YOUR Korean Adoption Agency was as this is the best place to request a birth family search - at least for now:

Please note that starting in July 2025, ALL Korean Adoption Agency files will move to the Korean Government Agency NCRC (National Center for the Rights of the Child). Once the files are moved, it is presumed that all birth family search requests will have to go through NCRC. Please see the IMPORTANT NOTICE below for more info.

EDIT: As of January 7th, 2025, HOLT has confirmed that ALL Korean Adoption Agency files will move to NCRC in July 2025. Please see the IMPORTANT NEWS item:

HOLT Confirms Movement of ALL Korean Adoption Files From ALL Korean Adoption Agencies To The Korean Government Agency NCRC Starting in July 2025

Section 1 of this page contains information specific to KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY.

Section 2 of this page contains information relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees, regardless of their Korean or Western Adoption Agencies.

Please carefully note what information is relevant ONLY to KSS Adoptees, and what information is relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees.

If you do not know what your KOREAN Adoption Agency was, please see:

Figure Out Your KOREAN Adoption Agency NOW BEFORE It Is Too Late

Thank you!

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

ALL Korean Adoption files will move from the Korean Adoption Agencies to the Korean Government Agency NCRC (National Center for the Rights of the Child) beginning in July 2025. We strongly advise Korean Adoptees to request a birth family search and any relevant Korean facing documents BEFORE July 2025.

After the files move from the Korean Adoption Agencies to NCRC, the Post Adoption Services of the major Korean Adoption Agencies are expected to CLOSE. After July 2025, it is likely that ALL birth family searches will have to be conducted through NCRC. Expect major delays in birth family search for the foreseeable future, due to NCRC’s lack of budget, physical building for the files, and staff.

SECTION 1:
INFORMATION FOR KSS (KOREA SOCIAL SERVICE) ADOPTEES ONLY:

PLEASE NOTE: KSS (Korea Social Service) is the SMALLEST of the major Korean Adoption Agencies. People OFTEN CONFUSE KSS with (KWS / Korea Welfare Society, which was formerly SWS / Social Welfare Society). KWS is a totally different Korean Adoption Agency. People ALSO confuse KSS with the Korean Government Agency KAS / Korea Adoption Services. Please make sure you are actually a KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptee before you contact KSS! You can email us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com if you are not sure if you are a KSS Adoptee.

IF you are a KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptee, we offer FREE birth family search assistance! Please join the PRIVATE forum KSS Cribmates and be sure to answer the membership questions! Please email us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com for FREE birth family search advice! Our assistance may save you YEARS of wasted time!

For KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY, 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):

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.

We can also advise you regarding further steps if you have previously conducted a birth family search through KSS.

SECTION 2:
INFORMATION FOR ALL KOREAN ADOPTEES:

The  links below may be useful for ALL Korean Adoptees, no matter their Korean or Western Adoption Agencies. Please ACTUALLY READ the information in these links, which contain important information which may make a critical difference for you in your birth family search. So often, Korean Adoptees ask the SAME questions, but in our experience most people DO NOT ACTUALLY READ the information when provided. This can cost you YEARS of wasted time. Many of the most common questions and concerns of Korean Adoptees are addressed in the links below:

A Letter to Korean Adoptees New To Birth Family Search:

https://www.paperslip.org/a-letter-to-korean-adoptees-new-to-birth-family-search

Links To Information Relevant To ALL Korean Adoptees:

https://www.paperslip.org/links-to-information-relevant-to-all-korean-adoptees

IMPORTANT HISTORY ABOUT KOREAN ADOPTION AGENCIES:

Please note that prior to 1976, Korean Adoption was a bit like the Wild West. There were many agencies and orphanages, “baby brokers”, private adoptions, Western foreigners visiting Korea and willy-nilly taking children back home with them, etc. Starting in 1976, the Korean government designated just 4 “indigenous” Korean Adoption Agencies to process International Adoptions to the West - these Korean Adoption Agencies are listed below. All 4 Korean Adoption Agencies *remain operational in Korea and have Post Adoption Services for Adoptees (at least, until July 2025, when ALL Korean Adoption files move to the Korean Government Agency NCRC / The National Center for the Rights of the Child).

Please note that KSS (Korea Social Service) no longer processes adoptions (they processed adoptions 1964-2012) but they still have one remaining Post Adoption Services building (at least until July 2025 - please see KSS Adoptees Should Request Their Files NOW if you are a KSS Adoptee).

What many Korean Adoptees don’t know is that almost always a Korean Adoption Agency partnered with a Western (US, European, Canadian, or Australian) Adoption Agency. It is usually best to initiate a birth family search through the KOREAN Adoption Agency. Please note that wait times can be long as  the Korean Adoption Agencies are deliberately understaffed, though most have English speaking staff. Please note that after ALL Korean Adoption files move from the Korean Adoption Agencies to NCRC starting in July 2025, Korean Adoptees will need to initiate a birth family search through NCRC. 

HOLT specifically split into Holt KOREA and Holt INTERNATIONAL in 1976 in order to remain “indigenously run” by Koreans when the Korean government mandated that all Korean Adoption Agencies be run by Koreans. Holt’s favorite game is to take advantage of Adoptees’ confusion and ping-pong Adoptees back and forth between the two Holts. Please know you should start a birth family search with Holt KOREA (at least until July 2025). 

The 4 major KOREAN Adoption Agencies as of 1976 were:

1. HOLT Korea (not to be confused with Holt International, which is the Western Holt Adoption Agency)

2. Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) - formerly Eastern Child Welfare Society (ECWS)

3. Social Welfare Society (SWS) / now Korea Welfare Society (KWS). *Please note that if your adoption was through International Social Service (ISS) or Child Placement Service (CPS) then KWS may now have possesion of your files. 

4. Korea Social Service (KSS)

*If you are a KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptee, do yourself a favor and contact us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com BEFORE you contact KSS. We advise KSS Adoptees for FREE and we can potentially save you YEARS of WASTED TIME! 

FREE Birth Family Search Advice for KSS (Korea Social Service Adoptees).

PAID Birth Family Search Advice For Non-KSS Adoptees:

*We offer FREE birth family search assistance to KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY.

*Please note that if you are NOT a KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptee, we offer affordably priced PAID birth family search assistance in a one-hour Zoom session. Please see:

NEW! Advisory Sessions / Paid 1-hour Sessions for Non-KSS Adoptees