About Us
More than 200,000 Korean children have been adopted internationally since the 1950s. When overseas adoptees reach adulthood, many choose to return to South Korea, to learn more about the country of their birth and search for family members.
KoRoot is an NGO established in 2003 to support Korean overseas adoptees with the challenges they face in navigating an unfamiliar country and seeking answers about their family background and identity. Their guesthouse provides a welcoming home for the ‘returnees’, as well as a range of assistance including family tracing, legal support, trauma counseling and cultural events.
KoRoot's research focuses on raising awareness of the issues surrounding overseas adoption by publishing and translating key academic literature about adoption and adoptee rights.
KoRoot has organized conferences and seminars on birth mothers rights and adoptee’s rights and identity records.
Today, KoRoots is also focused on acting as the adoptees' embassy in Korea through help, support and advice.
KoRoot's partners (will be continuously updated)
AUSKRG (Australian and US Korean Rights Group) is an Australian and American based organization working for the rights of Korean adoptees in the US and Australia mediated via the Korean adoption company ESWS. KoRoot is representing AUSKRG adoptees in the ongoing investigation at the Korean Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
CAFE is a Belgian Flemish based organization for international adoptees. The organization carries out extensive research and fights for the rights of international adoptees.
DKRG - Danish Korean Rights Group - is a Danish organization that works for the human rights of adoptees. In 2022, the organization launched an investigation into the rights of adoptees in Korea at the Korean Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
DKRG - Francophone Korean Rights Group - organizes French-speaking adoptees in France and in the French-speaking areas of Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada.
Organization for overseas adoptees based in Korea
NKRG - Norwegian Korean Rights Group - is a Norwegian organization working for the human rights of adoptees. In 2023, the organization succeded launching an investigation into the violation of human rights of adoptees in Norway.
NLKRG - Netherlands Korean Rights Group - is a Dutch organization that researches adoption and fights for the rights of adoptees. NLKRG also helps Dutch adoptees from Korea to search for background information and biological family.
SKAN - Swedish Korean Adoptee's Network - is a Swedish organization that works for the rights of Korean adoptees in Sweden. The organization is involved in the Swedish investigation into possible human rights violations in connection with adoptions to Sweden. KoRoot represents SKAN at Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission regarding the commission's investigation into human rights violations in adoptions from Korea.
Korean partners
Domestic Adoptee's Association of Korea is an organization for Korean domestic adoptees.
KUMFA – Korean Unwed Mothers Families Association advocates for the rights of unwed mothers and their children in Korea. It's goal is to enable Korean women to have sufficient resources and support.
Intree is an organization for Korean unwed mothers.
ASF
Adoption Solidarity Forum is an umbrella organization for Korean organizations working with and for Korean adoptees and Korean families.
Korean governmental bodies
DNA
Our Team
Professor Helen Noh, chairman of KoRoot
Do-Hyun Kim, KoRoot co-representative
Peter Møller, KoRoot co-representative
Sehee Chon, Head Adoptee Advocacy
Mrs. Choi, Head of Finance
Boonyoung Han, Adoptee Advocacy
Vigdis Eckhardt, Board of Advisors, KoRoot Representative to Norway
Kimura Byol, Board of Advisors, KoRoot Representative for French speaking adoptees
Ben Coz, Board of Advisors and US adoptee
Mary Bowers, Board of Advisors and US adoptee
May-Britt Koed, Board of Advisors, KoRoot Representative to Denmark
*(Board of Advisors expands and will be updated)
