Adoption from Korea?

Question

Has anyone here adopted a child from Korea? Any advice? Any good source for Korean names?

Answer 1

Well, my two cents: thousands of kids that need to be adopted in the U.S.! Otherwise, can't help you!

Answer 2

my neice is half korean.  She was not adopted however her name is kianna and I think its super cute!

Answer 3

As far as the name question . . . If you adopt from Korea, the child will already have a given name, perhaps from his or her birthmother.  If you want a Korean name, it would probably honor your child's history to keep his or her given name.  Many parents like to give their child an "American" first name so they don't feel "different", but honor their heritage by using their original given name as their middle name.

Answer 4

My younger brother was adopted from Korea in the 1980's.  He had some health problems when we received him.  He came when he was very young (an infant) so aside from his health problems, he adjusted well.  

My mom always brought us to annual Korean adoptees meetings.  Korean kids that had been adopted got together (it must have been through the agency) and played, ate traditional foods and learned about thier culture.  They also got a lot from the interaction with the other children.  We grew up in a very "white" area and my brother used to ask my mom when he was going to get "round eyes" too.  So I think it was really good for him to interact with other children "like him" or in his situation.  I enjoyed those meetings too, as I learned a lot about Korean culture.  I would ask your agency if they have any meetings or support they can offer.  Below is a website with some support group info for adopters of Korean children.

My brother is now 25 and autistic so his ability to express his emotions are a bit below par.  But I have heard from other adoptees that they really begin to process the adoption and sense of self toward the begining of college or end of HS.  

My best advice is to be open with your children.  Don't keep secrets from them regarding their past or their adoption, ever.  Once you hide information from them it is difficult to tell the truth in the future.

Best of luck!

Answer 5

Hi...i was adopted from Seoul, Korea when i was 9 months old, i am now 31. my family used an agency here in the states and they were the ones in contact with the Korean agency.  my parents said it did take time and Korea did have certain criteria. for example, how much income the family had and their age. now again that was  a long time ago and things may have changed. i was fortunate enough when graduated from college to go to Korea and visit, a few times. i was able to volunteer at orphanages and schools. there are so many children there that need homes and i am aware there are all over the world including here the states. but, everone's reason for why they choose where is their personal opinion. there is a program called "the ties program" that helps adoptive children go back to their birth countries and i am sure they have information you are looking for. it was with them that i went back so many times to visit my birth country.

Here is the website help guide you  in some direction.  http://www.adoptivefamilytravel.com/kore...

as for Korean names, the children already have them when they are adopted. i was always told the child has to have a Korean name or they can't be adopted.  for me..i was given mine in the hospital.

good luck on your search...

p.s. here are some adoption agencies: Holt Children's Services, Eastern Social Welfare Society, Korean Social Service and Social Welfare Society. this is from "the ties" website. fyi..i was adopted form social welfare society.

the most amazing thing happened when i was coming back home to the states. the owner of my adoption agency was on the plane bringing  about five babies that were adopted, the same way that i had been so many years ago.  and i got to hold one of babies on the plane ride. he and i had met previousy on my trip when i went to visit the agency.  it is an experience i will never forget.

Answer 6

We adopted both of our children from Korea, the youngest just came hope in May. The process was very smooth both times, and I really think the Korea program is great. The foster care the children recieve is wonderful, and does make attachment easier then those who spent the first months of their lives in orphanages. (attachment still will take some time though no matter where you adopt from)

I'm not sure what state you are in, but Korea does require you to work with an instate agency, so usually there will only be one or two agencies you could go through. Holt International has a great website, and very active message board for Korea adoptive families, and you do not need to be adopting through Holt to join.

As far as names, children are given Korean names by either the birthmother or social worker. Like many others we chose to give both kids "American" first names, and kept their Korean names as middle names, but some families do just keep the Korean name as the first name.

Good luck, and definetly check out

Holtintl.org and also

a4everfamily.org (it has great information on attachment after international adoption)