About Us
KoRoot is a non-profit organization for returning overseas Korean adoptees, birth families and adoptive parents with its foundation in the heart of hospitality. It is also an NGO trying to find appropriate perspectives on domestic and inter-country adoption discourses.
KoRoot (The House of Korean Root) is a non-profit organization founded in 2003. It supports overseas adoptees born in Korea to visit and resettle in their mother country as well as contributes to the advancement of human rights of adopted people.
KoRoot aspires to work together with adopted people to raise society's awareness of overseas adoption through active interaction between Korean society and adoptees as well as empower adoptees as they build their identities. Furthermore, we aim to contribute to the establishment of birth family centered child rearing in Korean society in solidarity with adoptees, birth families, and unwed mothers.
Our Activities
-Overseas Adoptees Shelter Project: Operating a special guesthouse for overseas adoptees.
-Motherland Living Support Project: Supporting the needs of overseas adoptees living in Korea or finding their birth families as well as celebrating traditional holidays.
-Human Rights Advocacy Project: Improvement of the system and solidarity activities that advocates the rights of overseas adoptees and birth parents.
-Research Project: Research to improve the perception and institution of overseas adoptions.
-Publishing Project: Publishing for diversification of discourses on overseas adoption.
KoRoot history
2020
● 1st Adoption Truths Day Declaration reading(May 11th)
● Hosting Dialogues with Adoptees :: Law, Policy & Intercountry adoption of Korea
● Co-hosting 1st Adoption Truths Day International Conference “Adoption Justice: Issues of Records and Identity”
● "Beyond the Trap of Racism: The Story of Mixed Koreans, Mixed Adoptees" was published
● Joint press conference against the introduction of the anonymous birth registration system
● Joint press conference calls for universal birth registration system
2019
● Approved to be an associated member of Family for Every Child in UK - 37 members in 34 countries
● Co-hosting 9th Single Moms’ Day human rights campaign (May 4th) and international conference
●『Why the children were forced to leave Korea』was published
● Screening of 'Side by Side', a documentary for overseas adoption (Director Glenn Morey)
● UBR Network won the 2019 Korea Human Rights Award(awarded by National Human Rights Commission)
2018
● Co-hosting press conference and memorial ceremony of Korean adoptee from Norway Jan Sorskog
● Human Library ’Reunion between birth family and adoptee, and human library’
● Co-hosting 8th Single Moms’ Day marching campaign(May 5th) and international conference
● Campaign ‘a country that sends children overseas for adoption today’ with Kakao storyfunding
● meeting with Child welfare policy team of Ministry of Health and Welfare
● My story theatre(Playback Theatre) with adoptees and birth families
● 7th Solidarity Day - children's life tied to their birth records
2017
● International Conference for the 7th Single Moms’ Day
● University of California Irvine Symposium “The End of Korean International Adoption” presentation(USA), Episcopal Church LA Intercountry Adoption Speech by Pastor Kim Do Hyun
● Psychological counseling & healing seminar for adoptees “Hilbrand Westra: Adoption & Trauma”
● Asian Philanthropy Award - The Philanthropist of the Year (Pastor Kim Do Hyun)
● Funeral assistance for Korean adoptees’ deaths(April Philip Clay- US, Dec. Jan-Norway)
2016
● International Conference for the 6th Single Moms’ Day
● Finding family through DNA testing [ adoptees’ voice network beyond geographical border] workshop
● Adoption politics roundtable for the meeting of birth families and adoptees
●Culture Project(Traditional martial arts training, poetry reading and meditation, soap work and knitting, small outlet crafts, chocolate and bread making)
● ”Women’s Lives during Joseon Dynasty” seminar with Prof. Jang Byeongin
● 325KAMRA Korean partner, American Mixed-blood & Adoptee Group, – identifying birth family members through DNA testing service
2015
● Volunteer/activist training
● International Conference for the 5th Single Moms’ Day
● International Korean Adoption: A Fifty- Year History of Policy and Practice Korean translation and publishing
● Culture Projects (accessories making, wool scarf making, cooking class with Christmas dinner)
2014
● Memorial ceremony for US adoptee, Hyunsoo O’Callaghan
● International Conference for the 4th Single Moms’ Day
● First Friday Movie Night (reflecting on Korean modern history through movies) (five events)
● Jeollanamdo Historical Trip with adoptees
2013
● International Conference and Human Library for ‘the 3rd Single Moms’ Day
● Korean translation of Outsiders Within selected by Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as an excellent scholarly book of the year (Social Science field)
● 10th Anniversary Event
2012
● Publishing company established and commemoration held for the Korean translation and publishing of Outsiders Within edited by Jane Jeong Trenka and more
● International Conference commemorating the 2nd Single Moms’ Day
● Mini concert by German adoptee, Miriam Akkermann
● 1st Solidarity Day (continuing annually to the present)
2011
● International Conference commemorating 1st Single Moms’ Day
● Fully Amended Special Adoption Law passed at National Assembly
● Fundraiser for adoptees’ livelihood through potluck dinner & auction
2010
● Call for the amendment of Special Adoption Law and screening of a documentary film Resilience
● “Hague Convention on Child Trafficking and Intercountry Adoption and Korean adoption system” Presentation (Place- Korean Women’s development Institute) by Dr. David Smolin
● International Association of Korean Lawyers session with Dr. David Smolin
● Book release party for the novel Remembering Koryo written by a French adoptee, Eric
● “Meet the Artist” event with Belgian adoptee cartoonist, Jeongshik Jeon
● Non-profit organization registration through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2009
● Memorial ceremony for Swedish adoptee, Susan Brink
● 4th Adoption Day commemoration and photo and video art exhibition by adoptee artists(Kim Sperling and others): “Dispersed and Returned”
2008
● Heurgbyulnal Intercultural Business School of KoRoot (HIBSOK)
● English Poetry reading by a US adoptee, Prof. Lee Herrick
● 5th anniversary ceremony and party in celebration of the Korean translation of Comforting an Orphan Nation by Tobias Hubinette
● English Poetry reading by a US adoptee Prof. Jennifer Kwon Dobbs
2007
● Heurgbyulnal Intercultural Business School of KoRoot (HIBSOK)
● Autumn Night Garden Concert
2006
● Heurgbyulnal Intercultural Business School of KoRoot (HIBSOK)
● Patriarchy and Overseas Adoption: Public Discussion about Adoption Day (Place- National Human Rights Commission of Korea)
● 3rd anniversary commemoration and screening of a film by US adoptee director Tammy Chu.
2005
● Opening - Heurgbyulnal Intercultural Business School of KoRoot (HIBSOK)
2004
● The inauguration of Rev. Do Hyun Kim and JungAe Kong for KoRoot
● 1st anniversary commemoration and exhibition by adopted Belgian conceptual artist Mihee Cho
● Memorial service for US adoptee Scott Kim Calla
● Evening party for US adoptee writer Jane Jeong Trenka
2003
● Non-profit organization registration in the International Cooperation Division of the City of Seoul
● Opening ceremony of KoRoot(July 7th)
● First Chuseok festival with adoptees
2002
● General meeting of foundation of overseas adoptees center Joint Rep. :Kim, GilJa(Founder of Kyungin Women’s College), Seo, Kyung Suk (Executive chairman of Korean Sharing Movement)
