Adoption agencies and police departments: to assist with birth search and information sharing
Government Information Agency and mass media: to assist with birth search for undocumented adoptees
Ministry of Culture and Tourism: to provide introductory book of Korea and culture related information
Ministry of Finance and Economy: to provide employment opportunities
Ministry of Planning and Budget: to allocate budget for overseas adoption projects
Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development: to provide Korean language training and scholarship for adoptees who want to study in Korea
Support for Korean language training
Support for adoptee organizations of their resident countries
Provide tailored post-adoption services for overseas adoptees
Utilize audio-visual materials such as books, DVDs, etc., to educate the public
Increase interaction between overseas adoptee organizations and domestic organizations
Conduct campaigns to the Korean public through mass media
Support post-adoption projects, executed through private organizations such as InKAS
Starting year of the programs: 2004
Related laws and regulations: Article 3 and Clause 4
Responsible dept: Exchange Department
Major duties: to invite overseas Koreans, support adoptee organizations, and support post adoption services
Related laws and regulations : _1) Basis of program: Overseas Korean Law Article 7, Article 3 and Overseas Korean Foundation Bylaw _ Article 4 _2) Origins of Program: a directive from the President Kim Dae Jung Mar 3, 1998 (As Ministry of Foreign _ Affairs and Trade reported to the President, it was recommended to progressively support overseas _ adoptees)
1954
Commenced adoption
1961
Established Orphan and Adoption Special Law
1966
Overseas adoption agencies appointed by Korean government
1976
Established Adoption Special Law and made a five year plan of adoption ;
1988~1996
Original plan to discontinue overseas adoption (however adoption continued)
1996
Announced a special law related to promoting overseas adoption and its procedures
1996. Sep
Child Welfare Department of Ministry of Health and Welfare began supporting post-adoption services
1997.Nov
Responsibility for post-adoption services of overseas adoptees transferred to OKF from Ministry of Health and Welfare
1998~2015
Announced gradual reduction of overseas adoption
1999. Dec
Started issuing F4 Visa to overseas Korean adoptees
2005. Oct
Minister of Health and Welfare announces at the National Congress that overseas adoption will be discontinued in five years
2006. May 10
- Announcement promoting active domestic adoption in Adoption Day congratulatory address
- A grant will be given to a family of adopting children: 2 million won and 100,000 won
every month until the child reaches age 18
- Implementation of an adoption vacation of one month
- Support for childcare facilities for adopted child: 150,000 to 300,000 won
- Presently upon adoption of a disabled child 525,000 won is granted monthly with annual __increase of 10
2006. Jul 18
- Announced active domestic adoption measures to be enforced as of January of 2007
- A grant of 100,000 won will be given to the adoptive family every month until the child becomes 18 years old. Korean government will pay for the adoption fee of 2 million won
- Single parent will be allowed to adopt and the age limit of the parents who want to adopt will be 60 years old. Limiting number of adopted children in a household will be repealed (presently five children is the limit)
- Adoption vacation (two weeks): it will start government employees as of 2007
- Promote domestic adoption preferably: overseas adoption will be permitted only for the cases failed after five months trial period of domestic adoption
About OAKs Program
