June 2025 — Paperslip's Visit To NCRC To Ask Questions About The Upcoming File Transfer of ALL Korean Adoption Agency Files From The Major Korean Adoption Agencies to NCRC — Starting July 19th, 2025.

Please note that this page is relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees — however there is information below which is also SPECIFIC to KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees — which is the primary focus of this website.

Posted to Paperslip — June 15th, 2025 KST

Disclaimer:
Please note that things are changing fast in the world of birth family search. While we do our best to inform Adoptees, it is ultimately up to the Adoptee to verify information shared on this page. YOU are the one ultimately responsible for your birth family search. Unfortunately, Korean Adoption Agencies and NCRC (National Center for the Rights of the Child) do NOT always keep Adoptees up to date on timely information important to their search. We are NOT responsible for the accuracy of the information on this page — information and policy can change suddenly without notice by the Korean Adoption Agencies, NCRC, or KAS (Korean Adoption Services).

Also, please understand that we consider ourselves primarily responsible for keeping the KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptee community informed. Our primary area of expertise is regarding KSS — not the other Korean Adoption Agencies. Therefore, we do not consider ourselves responsible for keeping ALL Korean Adoptees up-to-date regarding birth family search. However, since ALL Korean Adoption Agency files — including those of KSS — are moving to NCRC beginning on July 19th, 2025, this means that much of the information related to birth family search from here forward will be much the SAME for Adoptees, regardless of their Korean Adoption Agency.

Please Note:

What NCRC / KAS refer to as “Petition for Adoption Information Disclosure” is the same thing as what we call a “birth family search request”.

Please Note:
NCRC and KAS are both Korean Government Agencies — they are NOT Korean Adoption Agencies.

Please do NOT confuse KAS with KWS (Korea Welfare Society) or KSS (Korea Social Services) — KWS and KSS are Korean Adoption Agencies.

The 4 major KOREAN Adoption Agencies as of 1976 were:

1. HOLT Korea (not to be confused with Holt International, which is the Western Holt Adoption Agency)

2. Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) - formerly Eastern Child Welfare Society (ECWS)

3. Korea Welfare Society (KWS) / formerly Social Welfare Society (SWS). *Please note that if your adoption was through International Social Service (ISS) or Child Placement Service (CPS) then KWS may have possesion of your files.

4. Korea Social Service (KSS)

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We recently visited NCRC’s new office location in Seoul in June 2025 to ask questions about the upcoming file transfer for ALL of the major Korean Adoption Agencies to NCRC, beginning July 19th, 2025.

For general questions about the file transfer, please see:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

For the future of birth family search AFTER July 19th, 2025, please see:

Birth Family Search Requests Will Have To Be Submitted Through The KAS (Korea Adoption Services) Website After July 19th, 2025

For NCRC’s NEW ADDRESS (as of early 2025) please see:

IMPORTANT! New Changes Coming To NCRC in 2025 - Including NEW Address!

For Important Advice regarding the NCRC file transfer, please see:

Now More Than Ever, It’s Important To Safely Back Up Any Documents You Have Which Contain Birth Parent Information!

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Please note — even though the file transfer will begin July 19th, 2025 and NCRC/ KAS will begin accepting new birth family search requests through the KAS site beginning in mid-September 2025, please do NOT assume that NCRC / KAS will have all of the adoption file transfer process sorted out by then. In fact, IF you have birth parent information in the adoption files in your possession, you should submit PDF COPIES of this information through the KAS website when you make a new birth family search request. Do NOT assume that they will have access to your information! The current head of NCRC has previously admitted that the file transfer process could take 10 YEARS to sort out.

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Please note that we have paraphrased the answers of NCRC post-adoption services staff.

General Notes from our meeting with NCRC:

The Home page of the KAS website (through which ALL Korean Adoptees will have to submit new birth family search requests) will be changed in September 2025. The design of the home page will change, but the process for submitting a birth family search request will remain fundamentally the same. The final details are not yet decided.

Please see:

NCRC’s Old Video for submitting birth family search request:
(*Please note that KCARE is a former Korean Government Agency which preceded NCRC):

URGENT Information For KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees Who Plan To Visit Korea After June 15th, 2025 —
Regarding The Future of Requests For Adoption Certificates After July 19th, 2025:

*Please note that the information below is generally applicable to ALL Korean Adoptees, but there is information which is SPECIFIC to ONLY KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees:

IF you are a KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptee and you plan to visit Korea AFTER June 2025 and you have an interest in birth family search, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you read about the section in the post below regarding ADOPTION CERTIFICATES:

According to NCRC:
NCRC DOES NOT YET KNOW how Adoptees will request adoption certificates AFTER July 19th, 2025.

So if you plan to visit Korea AFTER today (June 15th, 2025) then you should REQUEST YOUR ADOPTION CERTIFICATE FROM KSS (or your Korean Adoption Agency) NOW — BEFORE JULY 19th, 2025!

Please note - different Korean Adoption Agencies may have different types of adoption certificates.

Please note that we only have specific information regarding KSS’ (Korea Social Services’) Adoption Certificates available. If you do not know the specific adoption certificates available for your specific Korean Adoption Agency, then we recommend that you join Facebook groups for your specific Korean Adoption Agency. You can find links to these Facebook groups here. Learn how to identify your Korean Adoption Agency here.

INFORMATION FOR KSS (KOREA SOCIAL SERVICE) ADOPTEES ONLY:

KSS (Korea Social Service) seems to have 2 different Adoption Certificates:

1. Standard Adoption Certificate
We believe that the “Standard Adoption Certificate” can be used for birth family search requests made at Jumin Centers, City Halls, Police Stations, and for the F-4 or Dual Citizenship process — but to be honest, we are not totally sure. It is best to contact KSS by email PRIOR TO JULY 19th, 2025 to request your adoption certificate/s and to state the purpose/s of the adoption certificate/s you are requesting, and the dates that you will be in Korea. Please see our important note about adoption certificates only being good for 3 months below.

2. Adoption Certificate for DNA Testing (the KNPA Test) at a Korean Police Station in Korea - please note you must specify your dates of travel and the police station you are going to take the DNA test at. We recommend specifying JONGNO Police Station (in Seoul).

Please note that Adoption Certificate/s are only good for 3 months. However, we strongly recommend you request your Adoption Certificate from KSS (or your relevant Korean Adoption Agency) NOW even if you plan to visit Korea over 3 months from now - because there may be a GAP OF TIME between when you can get your adoption certificate from KSS, and when you can get it from NCRC!

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For KSS Adoptees: We recommend that you request your adoption certificates for BOTH DNA testing in Korea AND for Dual Citizenship — even if you do not plan to apply for dual citizenship. Hopefully this covers all of the bases for you in birth family search in Korea in terms of adoption certificates. Do what you need to do to get your adoption certificates for the dates that you will be in Korea.

Please note that a separate NCRC Certificate is required if you wish to take the KNPA Test at a Korean Consulate in your home country of adoption. We do not know if NCRC will continue to provide THIS specific kind of adoption certificate between July 19th, 2025 - mid September 2025. We think it is best to request this NCRC Certificate NOW — prior to July 19th, 2025 — if you plan to take the KNPA Test at a Korean Consulate in your home country after July 19th, 2025. Supposedly the NCRC Certificate has no 3 month limitation — supposedly this NCRC Certificate no longer expires.

General Questions About The File Transfer Of ALL Korean Adoption Agency Files From The Major Korean Adoption Agencies to NCRC, Beginning July 19th, 2025:

Question:
How long will it take to collect files from the agencies?

Answer:
NCRC does not even know how much the Korean Adoption Agenices have. So it is impossible to know exactly how long the file transfer process may take.

Question:

Since you are on the Post-Adoption Services team, is there any way to speak with the file management team?

Answer:

No. While the Post-Adoption Services team is located on the same floor (7th floor) as the file management team, Adoptees cannot speak directly to the file management team.

*Paperslip Note: We recently spoke to Adoptee advocates who were in attendance at an information meeting regarding the upcoming NCRC file transfer. Major concerns were raised about the temporary storage location for adoption files — and how temperature fluctuations in the temporary storage facility may cause damage to the files.

Paperslip was the FIRST to report about the address of NCRC’s temporary storage facility for ALL Korean Adoption Agency files, back on May 2nd, 2025:

“NCRC Secures Adoption Records Preservation Facility in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province”

Question:

If Adoptees experience issues creating a log in on the KAS site — through which they have to submit any future birth family search requests after July 19th, 2025 — can Adoptees email the old NCRC address and submit a petition that way? 

Answer:

No. They must submit their Petition for Adoption Disclosure (birth family search request) through the KAS site only.

It is unclear how long the old NCRC email address may be active.

Question:

Since it is unclear that NCRC / KAS will be able to locate Adoptees’ files in the wake of the file transfer beginning July 19th, 2025, can Adoptees submit their own documents through the KAS website if they have any information pertaining to their search — such as documents containing birth parent name/s and birthdate/s, the hospital or clinic where the Adoptee was born in, etc?

Answer:

YES, Adoptees can submit an unlimited number of documents to NCRC through the KAS website. The best format for these documents is PDF format.

Paperslip Note — Please see:

Now More Than Ever, It’s Important To Safely Back Up Any Documents You Have Which Contain Birth Parent Information!

Question:

Will Adoptees have to visit the temporary storage facility where all Korean Adoption Agency files will be moved to, beginning on July 19th, 2025, in order to have a file review after mid-September 2025?

Answer:

NCRC has not decided this yet.

Question:

Will NCRC have staff at the temporary storage facility? If so, how can Adoptees make an appointment there?

Answer:

NCRC has not decided this yet. 

Information Specifically Related to KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees:

Question:

When does NCRC plan to move (take over) KSS (Korea Social Service) files?

Answer:

NCRC does not know yet.

Question:

Will KSS in Seoul close immediately after the file transfer? 

Answer:

NCRC does not know yet.

Question:

Will KSS Adoptees continue to be able to obtain the “Korean Adoptive Child Study Summary” from KSS after the file transfer?

Answer:

YES.

*Paperslip Note: Please do NOT assume that NCRC will be able to immediately access your documents in mid-September 2025. Just because this is when NCRC / KAS will permit Adoptees to submit a new birth family search request through the KAS website does NOT mean that NCRC will have the file transfer completely sorted out. In fact, this process may take YEARS of time, according to the current head of NCRC.

Information for Korean Adoptees who submitted birth family search requests to their Korean Adoption Agency close to the July 19th, 2025 deadline of the file transfer from Korean Adoption Agencies to NCRC:

Question:

If a Korean Adoptee has submitted a birth family search request to their Korean Adoption Agency close to the date of July 19th, 2025 (when NCRC begins to take over Korean Adoption Agency files) and the Adoptee’s case is still pending as of July 19th, 2025 (meaning the Adoptee has not received a final response from their Korean Adoption Agency regarding their birth family search), what happens? Does the Adoptee have to submit a NEW birth family search request (Petition for Adoption Information Disclosure) through the KAS website after mid-September 2025?

Answer:

If the Adoptees’ case is CLOSED before July 19th, 2025, then the Adoptee WILL need to submit a NEW birth family search request (Petition for Adoption Information Disclosure) through the KAS website after mid-September 2025.

However, if the Adoptee’s case is PENDING (meaning the Adoptee has not received a final response from their Korean Adoption Agency regarding their birth family search) as of July 19th, 2025, then the Adoptee does NOT have to do anything — NCRC will take over the case. For example, if the Korean Adoption Agency has sent the 1st letter to a known birth family member, then NCRC will send the 2nd and 3rd letter. In other words, NCRC will complete the birth family search process which was begun at the Korean Adoption Agency.

Question:

How long will NCRC spend on each Adoptee’s birth family search request / case?

Answer:

NCRC will spend 45 days -  from the moment that the request was received, NCRC has a total of 45 days to close the case. 

IF 45 days is too short, the NCRC social worker can extend the search ONCE for another 30 days. There can be only ONE extension.

This was not released to the public, that NCRC changed their regulation to permit a search to be extended for another 30 days beyond the 45 day legal limit. NCRC understands that 45 days is too short an amount of time for a birth family search.

Question:

If an Adoptee submits a birth family search request to their Korean Adoption Agency for example in June 2025 (close to the July 19th, 2025 start date of the transfer of ALL Korean Adoption Agency files to NCRC), and the Adoptees does not know they do NOT have to do anything to continue a search with NCRC — what happens if they accidentally submit a NEW request through the KAS website?

Answer:

If the Adoptee has a pending case, but the Adoptee did not know and applied for a new case through the KAS website (submitted a new birth family search request through NCRC / KAS), then NCRC will recognize this and inform the Adoptee.

In terms of the Korean Adoption Agencies — if an Adoptee has a pending case - it is not clear if the Korean Adoption Agency will notify NCRC if their case is pending or closed. So it is up to the Adoptee to let NCRC know what the status of the case is with their Korean Adoption Agency — based on what their Korean Adoption Agency tells them.

For example:

There might be a misunderstanding — where the Korean Adoption Agency thinks the Adoptee has a closed case, and does not let NCRC know.

Question: 

There may be a misunderstanding in some cases: an Adoption Agency may consider a case closed and therefore not inform NCRC, even though the Adoptee believes the case is still pending.

When Korean Adoption Agencies transfer files, they typically only notify NCRC about PENDING cases. If the Korean Adoption Agency deems the case closed, NCRC may not be informed. As a result, the Adoptee might assume their case is ACTIVE / PENDING, while the agency considers it COMPLETE / CLOSED.

In such situations, the Adoptee may not receive a clear answer from the Korean Adoption Agency about whether their case is pending or closed. If an Adoptee believes their case is still pending, they can contact NCRC directly, and NCRC may be able to clarify the status.

Question:

Would it be safest for an adoptee who believes they have a pending case to submit a new application with NCRC through the KAS website?

Answer:

An Adoptee can only go through the KAS website.

Question:

Is there a way for Adoptees to communicate with NCRC via email regarding the status of their case?

If an Adoptee accidentally emails NCRC, NCRC will inform the Adoptee how to go through the KAS website to start a search.

Even now NCRC does  not accept new cases through email.

Question:

Can Adoptees still use the old NCRC email address to ask questions about their case?

Answer:

This is not known — it might change — if the MOHW (Ministry of Health and Welfare) changes the policy, NCRC will have to change this practice. 
No one has raised this issue before.

IMPORTANT:
Regarding The Future of Requests For Adoption Certificates:

Question:

Since Korean Adoption Agencies have handled the issuing of Adoption Certificates — which are required for Adoptees to have in order to visit Jumin Centers, City Halls, Police, and to take the Korean Missing Person’s DNA Test (KNPA Test) — WHO handles adoption certificates in the future? How does an Adoptee apply for an adoption certificate? Do they just email NCRC? 

Answer:

NCRC is still discussing this.

Question:

If an Adoptee is doing a search between July - September 2025 and needs an adoption certificate, whom do they contact? 

Answer:

NCRC does not know.

There are two different teams dealing with adoption — this team is dealing with Post Adoption Services — they have not decided who in charge of adoption certificates.

NCRC has a plan to as soon as possible make it possible to request the adoption certificate on the KAS homepage — if this is not possible, then NCRC needs to be able to receive these requests via email. 

It has not been decided yet.

Question:

What should an adoptee do if coming to Korea July to September 2025 as regards adoption certificates? 

Up until July 19th, 2025, NCRC does not have authority to issue adoption certificates.

Question:

If the Korean Adoption Agency is not issuing adoption certificates, what does an Adoptee do? 

Answer:

Issuing adoption certificates is not part of Post-Adoption Services, and the Adoptee should be able to request and obtain adoption certificates from their Korean Adoption Agency until July 19th, 2025.

Paperslip note: we do not know for how long Korean Adoptees will be able to obtain adoption certificates from their Korean Adoption Agencies — if you need an adoption certificate or certificates from your Korean Adoption Agency, you should request them NOW if you plan to visit Korea for birth family search in the future — especially if you plan to visit Korea for birth family search between June 2025 through the end of 2025. We simply do not know when NCRC will figure out how Adoptees will be able to request adoption certificates AFTER July 19th, 2025.