South Korea: Why are South Koreans Reluctant to Adopt Children?

Steve Evans, BBC News - Asia

This video report from the BBC examines South Koreans’ perspectives on domestic adoption. According to the news piece, South Korea used to be a “great exporter of babies” through foreign adoptions. In the last ten years, however, the South Korean government has been restricting foreign adoptions. Meanwhile, local South Koreans are often unwilling to adopt children, as the culture emphasizes blood ties and there is often stigma associated with raising someone else’s child. This reluctance to adopt has resulted in an increase in the number of children in orphanages, says the BBC. The short video includes interviews with adoptees and adoptive parents in South Korea.