MOHW (Ministry of Health and Welfare) Press Release:
Launch of the Adoption Policy Committee and First Meeting Held.

Posted to Paperslip on September 19th, 2025.
Posted in Korea on September 17th, 2025.
Translation via ChatGPT.

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Notably the only two Korean Adoptee / Korean Adoptee group representatives on S. Korea’s new Adoption Policy Committee are Louise Lindberg (current SG / Secretary General) of G.O.A.'L, and SeHee Chon of KoRoot.

Notably IKAA has no seat at the table which will shape adoption policy for the foreseeable future. The only Adoptee representative is the current SG of G.O.A.'L.

(See Attachment 2 at bottom of page).

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“Press Release
Embargo Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 (after 2:00 PM meeting)
Distribution Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Launch of the Adoption Policy Committee and First Meeting Held

– Full-scale deliberation and operation of a child-centered public adoption system –

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister: Jeong Eun-kyung) announced that, in accordance with the enforcement of the Special Act on Domestic Adoption (effective July 19, 2025), the newly established Adoption Policy Committee has been fully formed and held its first meeting on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 2:00 PM, at the National Center for the Rights of the Child (located in Jung-gu, Seoul).

Adoption Policy Committee: Established under Article 12 of the Special Act on Domestic Adoption to deliberate and decide on major policies for promoting domestic adoption and on individual adoption cases.

Secretariat: Serves as the administrative office for the committee (as per Article 12, Paragraph 7 of the Act).

The Adoption Policy Committee is chaired by the Minister of Health and Welfare and composed of 15 members appointed or commissioned by the Minister. The members include experts in child welfare, law, and medicine, as well as individuals with substantial experience in adoption policy and practice. Recommendations from the judiciary, local governments, and related organizations and institutions were also considered in forming the committee.

Moving forward, the Committee will be responsible for deliberating and deciding on key policy matters related to adoption, including:

• The establishment and implementation of basic plans to promote domestic adoption,

• The standards and content of pre-adoptive parent education programs.

In addition, the committee has completed the formation of subcommittees to deliberate on major aspects of individual adoption procedures. These subcommittees consist of experts from various fields such as academia, law, and healthcare, as well as experienced practitioners. The subcommittees will be operated as two separate bodies—one for domestic adoption and another for international adoption.

Each subcommittee is composed of 8 members and will:

• Review the qualifications of prospective adoptive parents,

• Assess the suitability of matches between children and adoptive parents,

• Deliberate on decisions regarding children eligible for international adoption and their matching process.

All decisions will be made in accordance with the principle of the best interests of the child.

During the first meeting, the committee focused discussions on:

• Operational plans for the Adoption Policy Committee, and

• The current status and future plans for implementing the restructured public adoption system.

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to continue using the Adoption Policy Committee as the central body for discussing the direction of domestic adoption policies, enhancing the fairness and transparency of adoption procedures, and establishing an adoption system that ensures the best interests of the child.

Minister Jeong Eun-kyung (Chairperson of the Adoption Policy Committee) stated:

“The Adoption Policy Committee is the driving force behind the public adoption system,” and
“We will work to establish and continuously improve a public adoption system that is firmly rooted in practice, with the committee at its core.”

<Attachments>

1. Overview of the Adoption Policy Committee

2. Member List of the Adoption Policy Committee

Attachment 1: Overview of the Adoption Policy Committee

□ Committee Overview

• (Legal Basis)
  Article 12 of the Special Act on Domestic Adoption

• (Functions)
  Deliberation and resolution of policies to promote domestic adoption and matters related to individual adoption cases

• Establishment and evaluation of plans to promote domestic adoption

• Selection of standards and content for pre-adoptive parent education programs

• Deliberation on adoption procedures and institutional improvements

• Matching (child–adoptive parent), decision-making and matching for children eligible for international adoption (by subcommittees), etc.

• (Status)
  Special subcommittee under the Child Policy Coordination Committee

• (Chairperson)
  Minister of Health and Welfare

• (Members)
  Appointed or commissioned by the Minister from among:

• Academic experts,

• Medical and legal professionals,

• Nominees from the Court Administration Office,

• Individuals with substantial knowledge and experience in adoption

• Term: 2 years

• (Composition)
  Up to 50 members, including the Chairperson

• (Policy Committee): Up to 15 members designated by the Chairperson for each meeting

• (Subcommittees): Two subcommittees established to deliberate and resolve individual adoption cases (domestic and international), each with up to 10 members (per Enforcement Decree)
  Deliberations and resolutions of the subcommittees are deemed to be those of the full committee (Article 12, Paragraph 6 of the Act)

• (Decision-Making Process)
  Decisions are made with the attendance of at least two-thirds of all members and a majority vote in favor

• (Supporting Organization)
  Secretariat established and operated within the National Center for the Rights of the Child

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Attachment 2: Adoption Policy Committee Member List

□ Policy Committee