South Korean adoption scandal: Belgian adoptees seek justice

An investigation by South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission wrapped up on May 26 and its findings are damning. The body was set up in 2022 following a petition signed by hundreds of adoptees of South Korean origin from around the world, denouncing the illegal circumstances of their adoption. While the final report is still pending, the commission’s interim findings make for difficult reading: they reveal serious human rights violations, including fraudulent registration of orphans, falsified identities and inadequate oversight of adoptive parents.