Post by: Tyler Fisher
Over the course of the different research projects in Korea, one of the main projects I was working on was a manual for those who are looking to adopt a child in Korea, specifically those who are looking to go through the private adoption process. Private adoptions allow for children to be legally adopted without going through the agency process, which generally means that the process can be both cheaper and quicker both for those who are giving up the child for adoption and for those who are adopting the child. Along with that is the immigration and naturalization process for those who are from other countries, specifically the United States. The manual addresses this process by giving general instructions on how to receive a visa or naturalize an adopted child so that the child can become a United States citizen. While the manual is not a substitute for legal advice from a qualified and competent attorney, it is a resource for people who are in the dark about the private adoption process that teaches them how the process works, at least in a general way. The purpose of the manual is not only to provide general advice to those who may be looking to adopt or allow their child to be adopted, but to also inform those in the legal profession, and whoever else might read the manual, about the process to prevent misinformation. This will prevent misunderstanding about the process from judges, who may not certify or grant adoptions because of unfamiliarity with the private adoption process, instead mistakenly thinking that there is human trafficking happening. This manual provides assistance to those who seek the adoption process, but also provides information others so that they can be aware of the reality of private adoptions so that misinformation and confusion with human trafficking does not make its way into the legal decisions in Korea.
This post was written by a Center for Global Justice Intern. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.