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Our recent visit to the Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) in Korea was both productive and meaningful. We had the privilege of meeting with department heads and ESWS President Dr. Kim Jin Sook, discussing the upcoming regulatory changes expected to take effect in July 2025. Although the future of international adoption from Korea remains uncertain under the new regulations, we are working closely with ESWS to ensure that the remaining children in their care can still be placed with loving families.
At present, there is one two-year-old boy at ESWS who needs a family. Additionally, as we approach 2025, there may be another child or two in need of placement. To prepare for this possibility, we’re seeking one or two families interested in adopting a Waiting Child from Korea, ready to welcome a child should these placements become available before the regulatory changes take effect. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out to Pauline.
The Future of Korean International Adoption
In a meeting with representatives from Korea’s Central Authority, the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC), we discussed the possible continuation of international adoption in some form after the new regulations are implemented. NCRC has assured us that all families whose cases have not been completed before the Hague transition in July 2025 will have their cases transferred to NCRC and processed for adoption. However, it’s important to emphasize that no process or time frame has been finalized. NCRC states that they will inform agencies of any updates once finalized. Many factors are still under review, and we will keep families informed as updates become available.
Ongoing Commitment to Post-Adoption Services
One area we know is of paramount concern to our families is post-adoption support and birth family searches. ESWS and New Beginnings will continue to work with adoptees and adoptive families for post-adoption support as long as we can. All Korean adoption files will be transferred to NCRC by July 2025, and the responsibilities for record-keeping and support services will shift from agencies to Korea’s Central Authority.
While procedural adjustments are anticipated, we remain committed to providing these essential services to families and adoptees as long as we are able. We will keep you updated on any changes to adoption or post-adoption services as we learn more. For now, we are advising the following:
Visits to ESWS/File Reviews/Foster Mother meetings: If you will be traveling to Korea before July 2025 and wish to visit ESWS, New Beginnings’ adoptees should reach out to us as soon as possible to schedule their appointments. In our recent visit, the post-adoption department said they receive dozens of requests weekly, and accommodating everyone may not be possible.
Letters: For those families wanting to leave letters or photos in their child’s file for the birth family, we encourage you to do so within the next few months so that Eastern can include them in the files before they are transferred to NCRC. Please send them to New Beginnings at our main office in Mineola. Do not put any identifying information such as full names, addresses, or any other contact information in the letters/photos.
Birth Family Searches: Birth family search requests have recently increased as adoptees try to complete searches before the July 2025 transition. There may come a point where Eastern will not be able to process the search due to the high number of requests so close to the transition time. If you are interested in a birth parent search, we encourage adoptees to file their requests as soon as possible and no later than March 2025. Please note that search requests will still be processed after the July transition, just by NCRC, not ESWS.
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