Why the discovery of KSS Books could not have led to the decoding of KSS K-Numbers.

Image source: Online archive.

Why the discovery of KSS Books could NOT have led to the decoding of KSS K-Numbers.

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Dr. Philsik Shin (an adoption researcher in S. Korea) shared with me on December 21st, 2022 during a Zoom about a recent discovery by a friend of his of a pair of KSS books. Dr. Shin’s friend had shared widely about the discovery to various KSS Adoptees, which is how I came to learn about it. I then asked Dr. Shin for further information.

In what back then I immediately perceived as a (first) sign of deception, I was NEVER told directly of this discovery of KSS books by Dr. Shin’s friend himself — despite the fact that I had confidentially informed Dr. Shin’s friend of my decoding of KSS K-Numbers between 2020-2021 during a Zoom in February 2022. Due to absolutely NO fault or knowledge of Dr. Shin, Dr. Shin’s friend would later be FALSELY credited with my KSS K-Number research by DKRG on January 1st, 2023. It would take him over one year to finally admit he had NO role in decoding KSS K-Numbers.

The actions of DKRG and of Dr. Shin’s friend in relation to attempted plagiarism of my KSS K-Number research (amongst other transgressions by DKRG) have tragically resulted in the likely PERMANENT LOSS of another set of important KSS books, which I saw at KSS in 2019 — KSS’ Death Books.

It should be noted that this discovery of these KSS books sometime in late 2022 was made AFTER I had already unfortunately informed Dr. Shin’s friend of my KSS K-Number decoding in February 2022, after being introduced innocently by Dr. Shin, who knew of our mutual interest in KSS. It was the worst decision I have ever made in my life to agree to connect with and confide in this Non-Adoptee DoKAD, who is the son of two KSS Adoptees — both of whom directly witnessed my conducting my KSS K-Number research.

Due to the fact that Dr. Shin and his friend were NOT allowed to photograph the pages of individual Adoptees, and the fact that these books do NOT cover ALL of KSS’ years of operation, there is absolutely NO WAY that KSS K-Numbers could have been decoded from Dr. Shin and his friend’s restricted viewing of these books in 2022, access to which was strictly controlled by a curator.

However, Dr. Shin’s friend has tried to make the case that he decoded KSS K-Numbers directly from these KSS books.

But there are several reasons why decoding KSS K-Numbers from these KSS books would have been IMPOSSIBLE.

Based on what Dr. Shin told me about the discovery of these KSS books almost immediately after they were found — the fact that access to them was extremely restricted, and the fact that they only cover the years 1964 through 1983 (while KSS remained open until 2012) — there is absolutely NO WAY that all KSS K-Number codes could have been decoded through such severely restricted access to these books, which do NOT cover ALL of KSS’ history.

And there are NO photographs to prove that Dr. Shin and his friend even SAW all the pages of the book — there is only photographic evidence of two pages on which the K-Numbers of Dr. Shin’s friend’s KSS Adoptee parents are listed (from 1973 and 1975), and a few pages of statistics. There is therefore NOTHING to PROVE that any kind of KSS K-Number decoding took place by the restricted viewing of these KSS books in 2022.

By contrast, my KSS K-Number research has been validated in the press on three separate occasions, between 2022-2026. I have film evidence of my visit to KSS in 2021 in which I used my knowledge of KSS’ K-Number codes to try to identify my real file, which is included in the 2022 SBS documentary about my case. KSS’ Director CONFIRMS these codes to me and confirms my finding that KSS K-Numbers REPEATED in the 1970s, on camera.

I had already decoded KSS K-Numbers by 2021, and had already confidentially informed Dr. Shin’s friend of these codes in February 2022 — BEFORE the KSS books were found later that year. So it is completely unfounded for anyone to claim that KSS K-Number decoding occurred as a result of looking at these KSS books, given that access to them was severely restricted by a curator, and that photographs of the books’ pages were extremely limited.

Additionally, there would have been NO WAY to determine certain hidden caveats about KSS’ K-Number encoding (which I had already determined by 2021) simply by looking at these books.

WISHING that one had made an original discovery such as mine — that KSS encoded its K-Numbers in the first digit for the Partner Western Adoption Agencies — is NOT THE SAME as ACTUALLY DOING IT.

At least I have a sense of ethics, and don’t try to take credit for the discovery of these KSS books myself…

My knowledge of all of this may come as a surprise to Dr. Shin’s friend…since I have never shared publicly before that I have been aware of the discovery of these KSS books for YEARS.

However, I have also known for years that decoding KSS’ K-Numbers from these books would have been impossible.

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According to my careful notes from my Zoom with Dr. Shin on December 21st, 2022, Dr. Shin told me:

“That KSS book looked so precious. The book contained all KSS overseas adoptees' Korean names from 1965 to 1983 and annual KSS overseas adoption statistics from 1965 to 1983. But it was impossible to take pictures of the pages listing the adoptees' names, so (we) asked permission to take pictures of the annual statistics pages, and we were allowed to photograph those pages.”

In other words — the curator did NOT allow individual pages listing Adoptees’ information — including their K-Numbers — to be photographed except for pages related to two specific Adoptees from the 1970s and a few pages of statistics. There is thus NO PROOF that KSS K-Numbers were decoded from this book.

“When we went to…where the book is kept, we couldn't touch it. Only the curator, wearing rubber gloves, was allowed to turn the pages of the book.”

“The book cannot be shared because it contains a great deal of private information, even if it is digitized.”

Below:
"海外人鼗兒童名單I"
"List of Overseas Children I"

Below:

"海外人養兒童名單II"
List of Overseas Children II
1976-*1983

*KSS did not close until 2012.

Below:
"大韓國社會奉仕會" 
"社會愛上 法人"
(Roughly: KSS)