Update on Records Access and Birth Family Search
As of July 19, 2025, the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) is the government agency responsible for all adoptions in Korea, both domestic and international. This change coincides with Korea’s formal entry into the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption and marks a significant transition in how post-adoption services are delivered.
NCRC has also taken on the responsibility of maintaining and managing adoption records. This includes the transfer and long-term archiving of approximately 70 years of adoption files—an estimated 260,000 records—from Korea’s eight major private adoption agencies and various childcare facilities.
A temporary archival facility in Goyang has been established to receive these records. The full transfer is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Beginning in 2026, NCRC will begin collecting remaining records from local governments, smaller agencies, and childcare institutions across the country. Given the volume of records and complexity of the transition, NCRC anticipates needing several months to organize the archive for reliable access.
For adoptees seeking post-adoption services—including birth family searches, DNA registration, copies of adoption files, or official certificates for F-4 visa or dual citizenship applications—NCRC will be the primary point of contact. Services will resume in mid-September 2025, and inquiries can be directed to:
📧 [email protected]
🌐 NCRC Website (for updates and developments)
Adoptees placed through New Beginnings are welcome to continue contacting us for any documentation we may still have on file. We are committed to supporting you as this transition unfolds.