There are many changes happening in the world of Korean Adoptees in 2025. Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) about these changes.
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Questions Regarding The Movement Of ALL Korean Adoption Agency Files to NCRC (National Center for the Rights of the Child) beginning July 19th, 2025.
Question: Why are ALL Korean Adoption Agency files moving to NCRC (National Center for the Rights of the Child) beginning July 19th, 2025?
Answer: Largely this is to do with S. Korea’s coming ratification of the Hague Convention in 2025. Korea previously signed but did not ratify the Hague Convention. Ratification of the Hague convention apparently stipulates the centralization of adoption files under one central authority. The Korean Government Agency NCRC (National Center for the Rights of the Child) will thus begin to take over ALL Korean Adoption Agency files beginning on July 19th, 2025.
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Question: Where will NCRC store all of the Korean Adoption Agency files which they will take over beginning on July 19th, 2025?
Question: Will I be able to conduct a birth family search through my Korean Adoption Agency AFTER July 19th, 2025?
Answer: NO. ALL Korean Adoptees will have to submit birth family search requests through the KAS (Korea Adoption Services) website. KAS is the predecessor to NCRC and they are both Korean Government Agencies. The Post Adoption Services of the 4 major Korean Adoption Agencies will CLOSE after July 19th, 2025.
Question: How do I request a birth family search AFTER July 19th, 2025?
Answer: ALL future birth family search requests AFTER July 19th, 2025 will have to be submitted through the KAS website.
Please see the DROPDOWN MENU on Paperslip’s home page titled:
”Starting July 19th, 2025, ALL Birth Family Search Requests Must Be Processed Through NCRC/KAS”
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Question: If I have a birth family search in progress through my relevant Korean Adoption Agency that is incomplete by July 19th, 2025, will my case automatically roll over to NCRC / KAS?
Answer: NCRC / KAS have provided NO GUIDANCE about this. We would presume that the answer is no—and that Adoptees who have birth family searches in progress at their relevant Korean Adoption Agency will very likely have to submit a NEW request through the KAS website after the file transfer on July 19th, 2025. NCRC / KAS have advised that they will not accept new requests until around mid-September 2025, to allow them time to deal with the file transfer.
However, not even NCRC knows how long the file transfer may take to completely sort out. NCRC’s President has previously said that it may take 10 years to completely sort out.
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Question: I heard that NCRC moved its offices to a new location in Seoul in early 2025. Where are NCRC’s new offices located?
Question: Is NCRC’s new office building in Seoul located close to NCRC’s new temporary storage facility for ALL Korean Adoption Agency files?
Answer: NO. Unfortunately NCRC’s new office building in Seoul is about 1 hour away from NCRC’s new temporary storage facility for ALL Korean Adoption Agency files, located in Goyang-si Gyeonggi-do—which is about one hour north of Seoul. This is highly inconvenient for Adoptees. We are not sure how this will all work in terms of birth family search requests made through NCRC / KAS. Please note that NCRC will apparently have office space on site at the new temporary storage facility for ALL Korean Adoption Agency files, located in Goyang-si Gyeonggi-do. However, NCRC will ALSO maintain a main office in Seoul.
Question: How often can I submit a birth family search to NCRC / KAS?
Answer: You can make a NEW birth family search ONCE PER YEAR through the KAS website. Please note that you must wait ONE FULL YEAR from the date of the last correspondence from NCRC / KAS regarding your previous birth family search request. Each birth family search request entails sending 3 registered letters to the last known address of any known birth parents.
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Question: Whom can I ask if I have specific questions about birth family search?
Answer: Please note that while Paperslip does not do on the ground birth family searches in Korea, we can help guide Adoptees through the basics of the birth family search process and help to demystify some of the various approaches to birth family search. We can also refer you to some on-the-ground resources in Korea. Please see:
KSS Adoptees can reach out to us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com for FREE initial birth family search assistance. KSS Adoptees are also highly encouraged to join the Facebook forum for KSS Adoptees ONLY called KSS Cribmates. Please be sure to answer the membership questions.
Non-KSS Adoptees can reach out to us directly at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com— however, please note that any questions by non-KSS Adoptees will have to be handled in the context of a PAID Zoom session.
