The KSS File Room at KSS’ Post Adoption Services Building, 2016-2025.
Image © Paperslip.org. You may not share or reproduce this image without our permission.
In 2019, I took this photo of KSS’s file room, located within its Post Adoption Services building, just across the hall from the rooms where KSS social workers met with Adoptees for file reviews. Most Adoptees were likely unaware that the file room was even in this building, as KSS kept the door firmly closed during visits.
KSS stored all Adoptees’ files in this room, likely from 2016 — after the demolition of its former campus — until 2025, when it ceased Post Adoption Services. On July 19th, 2025, all former Korean Adoption Agency files, including those of KSS, were transferred to NCRC.
Note: I am truly sorry to have to watermark these images. I wouldn’t have to do that if people didn’t have a tendency to steal Paperslip’s work.
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KSS processed overseas adoptions from 1964-2012. I do not know the exact year that KSS built its main campus in Seoul, pictured below in the diorama they had at their former Post Adoption Services building in Seoul (Building 1, upper left in the image below).
From sometime in the 1960s or early 1970s — 2016 when KSS tore its old campus down, KSS files were stored in the KSS Receiving Home (Building 2, upper left in the image below).
Presumably from 2016 — July 19th, 2025, KSS stored all KSS Adoptees’ files at their former Post Adoption Services building in Seoul (Building 1, upper left in the image below).
All former KSS files which were transferred to NCRC on July 19th, 2025 are now at NCRC’s Temporary Storage Facility in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do. All former Korean Adoption Agency files, including those of KSS, will likely move AGAIN sometime in 2026 — this time from NCRC’s Temporary Storage Facility in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do to the Seongam Branch of the National Archives.
To submit a Petition for Adoption Information Disclosure to NCRC, please see:
ALL Korean Adoptees Start Here!
General Birth Family Search Steps Through NCRC — Overview.
Image © Paperslip.org. You may not share or reproduce this image without our permission.
Above — Top: KSS’ diorama of its old campus in Seoul. This is generally what people call “KSS”.
Above — Bottom Right: The KSS Receiving Home. This is where all KSS files were stored, presumably from the time when KSS’ main campus was built sometime in the 1960s or early 1970s, through 2016 when KSS tore its main campus down, including the KSS Receiving Home. I presume that at that point, all KSS files were moved to its Post Adoption Services building (Building 1 in the KSS diorama). On July 19th, 2025, all KSS files were transferred to NCRC’s Temporary Storage Facility in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do. All former Korean Adoption Agency files, including those of KSS, will likely move AGAIN sometime in 2026 — this time from NCRC’s Temporary Storage Facility in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do to the Seongam Branch of the National Archives.
Please note that NOT all KSS files were preserved during the file transfer. NCRC did not transfer the digital microfiche files which KSS had on its computers, nor KSS’ computers. I do not know if KSS transferred its death books, which I saw in person in 2019 at KSS’ Post Adoption Services building in Seoul.
Please Note — Because I was ruthlessly pushed out of the TRC 2 movement by DKRG, I was NOT able to discuss with TRC 2 investigators about KSS’ death books, which I saw in person at KSS in 2019. These books contained photos of children who died at KSS, and their death dates. “Thanks” to DKRG, these death books may be lost to history. I have asked NCRC in person in March 2026 if KSS transferred these death books to NCRC, but NCRC currently says they are in the process of cataloguing everything, and do not know. DKRG was not aware of these “death books”, and I was unable to inform them after they, for no reason, ceased all communication with me on December 7th, 2022. So KSS Adoptees have DKRG to “thank” for the loss of this crucial part of KSS Adoptees’ history.
Please see:
Will NCRC Preserve KSS’ Death Books, Digital Microfiche Files, and Computers?
Image © Paperslip.org. You may not share or reproduce this image without our permission.
In 2019, I took this photo of KSS’s file room, located within its Post Adoption Services building, just across the hall from the rooms where KSS social workers met with Adoptees for file reviews. Most Adoptees were likely unaware that the file room was even in this building, as KSS kept the door firmly closed during visits.
KSS stored all Adoptees’ files in this room, likely from 2016 — after the demolition of its former campus — until 2025, when it ceased Post Adoption Services. On July 19th, 2025, all former Korean Adoption Agency files, including those of KSS, were transferred to NCRC.
Note: I am truly sorry to have to watermark these images. I wouldn’t have to do that if people didn’t have a tendency to steal Paperslip’s work.
Image © Paperslip.org. You may not share or reproduce this image without our permission.
On April 12th, 2026, I attempted to generate an AI representation of KSS’ former file room. Please note that per the actual photo of KSS’ file room above, the filing cabinets were FIVE drawers high, not four. Also, the cabinets attached to the walls above the filing cabinets may have been light colored instead of dark brown. There were more rows of filing cabinets in the center of the room than the image above shows. But this gives a general feel for the very small file room at KSS. It had a very claustrophobic feeling. I was allowed into KSS’ filing room in 2019 and 2021.
Note: I am truly sorry to have to watermark these images. I wouldn’t have to do that if people didn’t have a tendency to steal Paperslip’s work.
Image © Paperslip.org. You may not share or reproduce this image without our permission.
(Date unknown). Photo of KSS files out in the hallway of its former Post Adoption Services building. Apparently the files were in the hallway, outside of their usual filing cabinets, in advance of a major Korean Adoptee conference in Seoul. ALL KSS files were transferred to NCRC starting July 19th, 2025.
*Please note that the “76-” numbers you see on the folders refers to the year that the KSS Adoptee LEFT KOREA — NOT the year the Adoptee was born (though these years in some cases may have been the same). So 76 = 1976 — the year that these Adoptees LEFT KOREA for adoption to the US, Netherlands, Denmark, or Switzerland (the only countries to which KSS adopted, between 1964-2012).
Note: I am truly sorry to have to watermark these images. I wouldn’t have to do that if people didn’t have a tendency to steal Paperslip’s work.