The Republic of Korea is where inter-country adoption began for most Americans. What Harry and Bertha Holt started in 1956 in the aftermath of the Korean War would lead to the adoption of tens of thousands of children born in what is commonly called South Korea. In the early years, the children were mainly those orphaned by the war or born to a Korean mother and a foreign soldier father. Korean officials estimated in 2002 that more than 150,000 Korean-born children had been adopted around the world since 1953, more than 99,000 of them by American families.

For much of the last two decades, Korean adoptions by Americans held steady at about 1,700 per year. But adoptions by Americans from other countries were growing and, since 1994, Korea has been eclipsed by China, Russia and, more recently, Guatemala. In 2007, just 939 Korean children were adopted by Americans, bringing the total since 1990 to 27,299. Though Korea remains open for adoption, the strength of its economy combined with efforts to increase domestic adoption could mean that the number of children adopted by foreigners will continue to fall.

The Laws

There are no private adoptions in Korea: The country requires prospective adoptive parents to use an adoption agency authorized by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. There are only four such agencies: Eastern Social Welfare Society, Holt International Children's Services, Korea Social Service and Social Welfare Society. Many other U.S. adoption agencies have established relationships to Korea by working through these four primary agencies.

The Republic of Korea is not, however, a party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, the international treaty that has been implemented by many countries around the world. So there has been no change in paperwork for a Korean adoption even though the Convention entered into force in the United States on April 1, 2008.

Parental Health And Marital Status

Only couples who have been married for at least three years are eligible to adopt from Korea. Both spouses must be between 25 and 42 when their homestudy is accepted by Korean adoption authorities and both parents must be under 45 when they get their referral. Other big differences with Korea: Parents must have a high school degree or its equivalent and must have no more than four children already, with at least 12 months between the youngest child in the family and the child being referred. Unlike China and Russia, the Korean government places no other restrictions on the prospective adoptive parents because of their health and Korea does not require a diagnosis of infertility.

How Korea Cares For Adoptable Children

Adoptable children in Korea have generally been relinquished at birth. Unlike the past, when many Korean-born children joined their foreign adoptive families as infants, Korea now requires that officials spent five months trying to place a child for domestic adoption before international adoption can be considered. Adoption officials say that most children now being adopted in Korea are 12 months old at the time of referral and travel to their new families--Korea programs still offer to escort children to their adoptive families--three to six months after referral.

Most adoptable children in Korea are cared for by foster families. Some orphanages still exist, though the country seems to be moving everything to a foster care model. Orphanages--and residents for expectant single mothers--are affiliated with one of the four primary licensed agencies in Korea.

Time Frame For A Korea Adoption

It may seem a paradox, but as the number of Korean children referred for foreign adoption has fallen, the wait time for a referral has increased. Many agencies now report at least a 16-month wait for a boy and longer for a girl.

Travel Requirements For Korea

Korean adoptions are completed in a single trip, but prospective adoptive parents can also elect to have their Korea-born child escorted to the United States by the adoption agency. Choosing the travel option does not seem to shorten the time for referral.

Cost Of A Korean Adoption

Plan on spending about $20,000 to adopt from Korea, exclusive of travel or escort fees, which add about $2,500-$3,000 to the cost. Escort fees can be slightly more expensive than traveling.

Key Resources
U.S. State Department profile

CIA Factbook profile

World Health Organization profile

U.S. Immigrant Visas Issued, by country