Note:
*While this website is mostly geared toward Adoptees who were adopted through the Korean Adoption Agency Korea Social Service (KSS), there is also information here which is relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees, regardless of their Korean Adoption Agency. This page is relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees.
Birth Family Search Cocktail For ALL Korean Adoptees.
Section 1: Links relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees
Section 2: Links relevant to KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY
Section 1: Below are links relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees
Korean Adoptees often ask the exact same questions. So we have put together a list of resources to address the most common questions / concerns of Korean Adoptees who are interested in birth family search.
We wanted to create a SINGLE link which contains links to Paperslip pages which address the most common questions of Korean Adoptees interested in birth family search, so that this link could be easily shared amongst Korean Adoptees. Please feel free to share this link - thank you!
Suggestions? Email us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com
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Please note that the 4 major Korean Adoption Agencies (as of 1976) are:
1. HOLT Korea (not to be confused with Holt International, which is the Western Holt Adoption Agency)
2. Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) - formerly Eastern Child Welfare Society (ECWS)
3. Social Welfare Society (SWS) / now Korea Welfare Society (KWS)
*4. Korea Social Service (KSS) - KSS is the primary focus of this website (Paperslip) but we have expanded the site over time to include info relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees.
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Below are links relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees:
The best place to start if you are new to birth family search (BFS), or have not done bfs in a long time.
Contact information for the 4 major Korean Adoption Agencies and general advice on birth family search for ALL Korean Adoptees.
Pro-Active Birth Family Search Tips for KSS (Korea Social Service) and ALL Korean Adoptees
General birth family search tips for ALL Korean Adoptees who plan to visit Korea.
Anyone serious about birth family search should take ALL possible DNA tests. We recommend starting with 23 and Me and Ancestry, then transferring your raw data for free from Ancestry to FTDNA and MyHeritage. You can additionally take the Korean Police Missing Person’s DNA test in Korea or at a Korean consulate in your Western country of adoption. Please be sure to read in the link above about the different kinds of certificates you will need in order to take this test, depending on where you take the test.
FREE FOIA Request For US Adoptees
(Please note that a FOIA request can only be done by US Adoptees)
A FOIA request is the best way for a US Adoptee to obtain an abundance of adoption records for FREE. Please note that a FOIA request does NOT initiate any birth family search through either your Korean or Western adoption agency. Please be sure to read the link above carefully before filing a FOIA request.
NEW! Advisory Sessions - Free for KSS Adoptees | Paid for Non-KSS Adoptees
We try to make this site as “FREE self-service” as possible, but we know the info. can be overwhelming. We help KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees for FREE but offer paid advice sessions for non-KSS Adoptees.
Section 2: Below are links relevant to KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY.
KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees often ask the exact same questions. So we have put together a list of resources to address the most common questions / concerns of Korean Adoptees who are interested in birth family search.
Please feel free to share this link with KSS Adoptees, thank you!
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Please do NOT contact KSS (Korea Social Service) if you are NOT as KSS Adoptee!!! There are extremely limited resources for KSS so please do everyone a favor and figure out what your Korean Adoption Agency was BEFORE ever contacting KSS.
KSS is NOT the same as KWS or SWS or ESWS or Holt, nor is it the same as KAS (which is not even a Korean adoption agency, it is a government agency which is now called NCRC).
Please DO NOT contact KSS if you were adopted through these Korean Adoption Agencies:
1. HOLT Korea (not to be confused with Holt International, which is the Western Holt Adoption Agency)
2. Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) - formerly Eastern Child Welfare Society (ECWS)
3. Social Welfare Society (SWS) / now Korea Welfare Society (KWS)
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Below are links relevant to KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees ONLY:
KSS files will likely be moved to the Korean government (either NCRC or the National Archives) starting around July 2025. It is important for KSS Adoptees who have interest in birth family search and in obtaining information from KSS to do so NOW before KSS files are moved to the Korean government.
Step By Step KSS Birth Family Search
This is the most important page for KSS Adoptees with interest in birth family search and in obtaining information from KSS. We recommend viewing this page on a laptop or large screen device so that you can easily follow the instructions for filling out the forms for KSS.
See the “Illustrated Step by Step Guide” about halfway down the page. Follow the steps and GRAPHICS for filling out the 2 forms which you will need to email to KSS along with a copy of your photo ID in order to initiate a birth family search and request your KOREAN Adoptive Child Study Summary.
We are happy to review your completed forms for FREE BEFORE you submit them to KSS. Adoptees OFTEN make critical mistakes on these forms which may cost them YEARS of wasted time. Please email us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com if you would like us to review your forms for FREE. Please do NOT sent us any photo ID.
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KSS Adoptees should also check out these links which are relevant to ALL Korean Adoptees:
The best place to start if you are new to birth family search (BFS), or have not done bfs in a long time.
Pro-Active Birth Family Search Tips for KSS (Korea Social Service) and ALL Korean Adoptees
General birth family search tips for ALL Korean Adoptees who plan to visit Korea.
Anyone serious about birth family search should take ALL possible DNA tests. We recommend starting with 23 and Me and Ancestry, then transferring your raw data for free from Ancestry to FTDNA and MyHeritage. You can additionally take the Korean Police Missing Person’s DNA test in Korea or at a Korean consulate in your Western country of adoption. Please be sure to read in the link above about the different kinds of certificates you will need in order to take this test, depending on where you take the test.
FREE FOIA Request For US Adoptees
(Please note that a FOIA request can only be done by US Adoptees)
A FOIA request is the best way for a US Adoptee to obtain an abundance of adoption records for FREE. Please note that a FOIA request does NOT initiate any birth family search through either your Korean or Western adoption agency. Please be sure to read the link above carefully before filing a FOIA request.
NEW! Advisory Sessions - Free for KSS Adoptees | Paid for Non-KSS Adoptees
We try to make this site as “FREE self-service” as possible, but we know the info. can be overwhelming. We help KSS (Korea Social Service) Adoptees for FREE but offer paid advice sessions for non-KSS Adoptees.