What are some reasons babies from Korea are put up for adoption?

kateiskate

Well being adopted from Korea myself in the 1980's I know that one of the biggest reasons that women relinquish their babies to adoption is the social stigma against unwed and widowed mothers that is huge in Korea. First moms like ours are pressured by society, their families, and their friends to give us away. I also was told I was "Left on a doorstep". I have very little to begin a search with as I don't even know my real birthdate, just an estimation made by doctors.

ETA: I wanted to add that the reason I don't know my real birthdate is because I was left at an orphanage by an unknown woman who could have been an aunt, sister, cousin, or my first mom. I am not sure if that person left any info with me, but I am sure that she did not leave my date of birth or name. My Korean name was given to me by the orphanage as I had the same last name as all of the other kids in the orphanage. My date of birth was given to me as an estimate by doctors who assumed I was born around a certain time.

almost human

I asked this question on a Korean Adoptee Board. The largest waves of Korean adoptions came during the 70's and 80's. An astonishing, disturbing amount. This was the post reconstruction period where Korea was experiencing it's own industrial revolution. These abandonments and relinquishments were due to the fact that all the young people were called to work in the cities and help the industrialization efforts. Young people were separated from their families, and their families watchful eyes and traditional values and forced to work long hours far from their loved ones. In no time in Korea's long embattled history were young girls ever living on their own away from their families. This was a huge sea-change in this country. Many young girls entered into relationships or were taken advantage of, and they were not prepared for and had not the means, support, or will to suffer the HUGE social stigma they would receive in perhaps the world's most rigidly Confuscian society.

Other Confuscian reasons for adoption in Korea would be the rejection of step-children in second marriages, where the head of household had all legal rights to give away a child who was not his blood kin. And other times a girl's family might give a child away against her wishes to ensure her chances for a profitable marriage would not be ruined.

Korea has only recently become a first world country as well. Up until the 90's many many families struggled with just obtaining enough food, and many children were placed in orphanages both temporarily and permanently as an economic relief.

IF you are biracial due to being sired by a G.I. , that also is huge since patriarchal lineage through the centuries is one of the cornerstones of Korean culture, and bi-racial bias is only beginning to be overcome in the past year or so.

Adoption is a symptom of social rupture. It's never as simple as it seems.

kimberly

To answer question Korean babies that are put in orphanages and put up for adoptions is that some Korean mothers that have mix babies with
Americans guys usually have to put up there babies for adoptions or put in orphanage is because Koreans rather have their own kind not mixed
babies. And the first born baby in the family has to be a full blooded Korean boy. Don't really know why on that question But that what I was
told. And there are mothers that just can't take care of their babies at all.

Elizabeth S

One of my dearest friends is from S. Korea and has a older sister who was given up for adoption due to severe financial problems associated with young parents. Her mom doesn't regret the adoption because she knows the baby was warm and well-fed, something she herself didn't have for a time. My friend doesn't know her exact birthday either since it wasn't a big deal with her family. My experience with traditional, working poor families from Asia (as a teacher) is that recording a birthdate never crossed their minds.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: