South Korea
The Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) has recently informed us that they are temporarily unable to accept any applications from Australian families in 2007. At this stage it is unsure if any files will be accepted in 2008.
South Korea has made strong efforts to promote the adoption of children needing families with domestic Korean families.
These efforts have been very successful and are underpinned by changes in policy and practice in the South Korean government and other Korean welfare programs.
Some of the government policy changes advised by ESWS are:
- allowing single parents to adopt
- raising the age of applicants from 50 years to 60 years of age
- applicants being able to adopt regardless of the size of their family
- the government supporting the cost to applicants for domestic adoption
- a monthly allowance is available for adoptive families
- domestic adoption should be made in preference to overseas adoption for all children.
There are currently a large number of outstanding Australian files at ESWS. ESWS have confirmed that once they have dealt with these files, they will be in a position to start accepting new applications from prospective adoptive parents in Australia.
However, it is important to note that ESWS have not specific about when they consider a file to be dealt with. Additionally, ESWS have not provided an estimate of how long this would be or the number of applications that they might accept from Australia in the future. The Australian Central Authority will keep in contact with ESWS and will provide updated information as it becomes available.
Implications for couples who are interested in adopting from South Korea, but have not yet been assessed, are that there could be very significant delays in making an application for South Korea. It is possible for couples to be assessed for South Korea, pending further information from ESWS. Alternatively, couples may consider choosing another country.
Specific eligibility criteria
- Specific guidelines about a couple's ages became law in 1996. Each person should be no older than 44 years of age when their file is sent to South Korea.
- Korea has maximum permissible weight for couples. The ESWS has an allowance of weights for men and women according to their height and has stated that couples where 1 or more have a BMI of over 30 will not be accepted.
- ESWS will not accept couples with particular medical conditions, for example, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Hepatitis B or significant mental health issues. If couples are unsure of the acceptability of a particular medical condition, our adoption unit can clarify with Korea whether that medical condition is acceptable.
- Couples should have a minimum of 10 years of formal schooling.
- Couples need to be married for three years before their files will be accepted in Korea.
- People of the Jehovah Witness faith may be acceptable if they are prepared to provide an affidavit stating that they will undertake to give consent to blood transfusions for their adopted child if required.
- Korea now accepts couples of the Latter Day Saints faith (Mormon).
- Couples must have a minimum annual income of US$30,000.
Information about children requiring adoptive placements
- Children adopted from South Korea are usually between five to six months old at the time of the placement proposal.
- ESWS has a preference for couples who do not specify the sex of the child. Couples wanting to consider this adoption program need to feel comfortable with accepting a child of either sex.
- If couples clearly prefer a female child, it is wise to reconsider South Korea as an appropriate choice. More boys than girls are allocated to overseas couples, as local couples in South Korea usually seek to adopt female children. The placement proposal of female children is less common and they are likely to have some health issues, for example, effects of drinking alcohol and/or smoking cigarettes during pregnancy.
Costs
- The costs of this program are approximately A$20,000 to A$23,000, including airfares, accommodation, legal costs and translation of documents.
Further information
For further information on the individual country programs, refer to overseas country information or contact our Adoption Services Queensland Unit.- Last updated
- 26 October 2007