The transfer of all former Korean Adoption Agency files from NCRC to the National Archives may be in doubt.

Image credit: Paperslip.org

When will all former Korean Adoption Agency files move from NCRC’s Temporary Storage Facility in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do to the Seongam Branch of the National Archives?

We are currently not sure IF or when this will happen.

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A Korean article in the Hankook Ilbo from April 1st, 2026 states the following (translation via ChatGPT):

“Society
Health/Welfare
Welfare Ministry Fails to Make Headway on Transfer of Adoption Records to National Archives; Disinfection Method Also Sparks Controversy

Published: April 1, 2026, 5:09 PM
By Dara Won

Transfer of 240,000 Volumes of Adoption Records Delayed

• Plan is to fumigate records before transferring them to the National Archives

• Concerns that film and photographic materials could deteriorate or be damaged

• “It is difficult to provide a specific schedule”

• Establishment of a dedicated adoption archives facility also remains stalled

The government had pledged to transfer adoption records received from private adoption agencies to the National Archives by the first half of this year, but it has now emerged that it has not even begun the preliminary work, including disinfection. Officials say the delay resulted from the time needed to determine an appropriate disinfection method. However, critics argue that because National Archives guidelines require all transferred materials to undergo prior disinfection, the government may have announced the plan without sufficient review.

On April 1, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held a press briefing on adoption records and adoption procedures, stating, “We have decided to use fumigation with a chemical substance (ethylene oxide gas)” and added, “It is difficult to provide a specific timeline for the transfer to the National Archives, but we will proceed as quickly as possible.”

Previously, the National Center for the Rights of the Child, an agency under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, announced in October last year that it would transfer the records to the National Archives by the first half of this year after concerns were raised about the temporary storage facility’s vulnerability to fire. Given that the collection consists of approximately 240,000 volumes of records in varying conditions and formats, substantial preprocessing work was always likely to be required. Critics say the agency appears to have set a timeline without fully accounting for this reality.

The decision to use fumigation has also become controversial. The adoption records include materials such as film negatives and photographs stored in plastic sleeves that could potentially be damaged during fumigation. This method, commonly used in museum and cultural heritage storage facilities, involves introducing chemical gases into a sealed space, maintaining a specific concentration, and then removing the gas. While effective at eliminating mold and pests, the gases can penetrate organic materials such as paper, photographs, and film. In particular, film and photographic materials may suffer chemical deterioration, image degradation, or separation of layers.

In response, a representative of the National Center for the Rights of the Child stated, “Research findings and past cases indicate that fumigation has only a minimal effect on film materials, which is why we selected this method.” However, the official also acknowledged, “We do not yet have an accurate assessment of how much film material is included among the 240,000 volumes.” The agency said it plans to conduct sample fumigation tests to further verify whether the method is appropriate.

More fundamentally, the government had promised to establish a dedicated adoption archives facility where the materials could ultimately be preserved. However, progress on that initiative has also been slow. Although the Ministry secured funding last year for a research project on establishing an adoption archives center, it has not yet even issued a public notice for the project. A ministry official said, “We will move forward as quickly as possible.”

The delay in transferring adoption records is already affecting adoptees. Processing requests for access to adoption records has slowed, and the transfer of adoption-related records held by local governments has also been postponed. The Ministry explained that it is attempting to improve the process by “providing de-identified information first and then obtaining consent from biological parents.”

Meanwhile, controversy has arisen over reports that executives and employees of the National Center for the Rights of the Child referred to prospective adoptive parents and children awaiting adoption as “inventory” and “human guinea pigs.” The agency stated that it plans to comprehensively verify the facts and circumstances surrounding those remarks.

Regarding delays in adoption procedures, the Ministry noted that “even when private adoption agencies handled the process, adoption procedures took an average of more than 550 days.” It said it intends to improve the system through measures such as introducing online applications, expanding training programs for prospective adoptive parents, and increasing staffing levels.”

Dara Won
dara@hankookilbo.com