Probe finds South Korea violated human rights of adoptees after World War II, Korean War

​​​​​​​By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea fabricated birth records and falsely claimed children had been abandoned during the postwar era when large numbers of babies were sent abroad for adoption, a probe found Wednesday.

Officials said more than 200,000 South Korean children have been adopted abroad since the 1950s, during the country's reconstruction after World War II and the Korean War, CNN reported.

Many of the adopted children, scattered across the world, are seeking to trace their roots. They have accused agencies of coercion and deceit, with some claiming they were forcibly taken from their parents.

South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its findings Wednesday on the first 100 cases analyzed out of 367 petitions submitted by adoptees who were sent abroad between 1964 and 1999.

The findings showed that 56 were identified as "victims" of the government's negligence, constituting a violation of their rights under the South Korean Constitution and international agreements.

The commission uncovered evidence of falsified records, false reports claiming that the children being adopted had been abandoned by their birth parents and cases where proper parental consent for adoption was not obtained.

The adoption process was also plagued with issues, such as insufficient screening of adoptive parents and neglect by guardians responsible for caring for the children.​​​​​​​