South Korea's international adoptees are pursuing legal accountability and systemic reforms rather than seeking to return to their home country. The movement centers on addressing historical wrongs in the country's international adoption system, which became a major source of foreign adoptions during and after the Korean War.
While South Korea's government has publicly acknowledged wrongdoing within the adoption system, advocates argue that meaningful accountability mechanisms remain insufficient. The distinction between seeking justice and homecoming is significant, indicating that adoptees' primary concern is not repatriation but rather establishing responsibility for past practices and preventing future abuses.
The push for justice reflects broader concerns about transparency and systemic reform in how international adoptions were managed, including issues around documentation, consent, and the circumstances under which children were placed for adoption abroad. This accountability-focused approach suggests adoptees are working toward institutional and legal changes within South Korea's adoption framework rather than personal returns to the country.
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