INFORMATION LINKS FOR KOREAN ADOPTEES #KADS

I believe one of the most sacrificial acts of love adoptive parents can do is to give up their preconceptions and agendas about what their child's views "should" be and be open to hear the conflicting emotions and thoughts their child often experiences. – Sherrie Eldridge

ORGANIZATIONS AND EVENTS FOR KOREAN ADOPTEES (#KADS)

Through my own #BirthFamilyReunion that took place in October of 2013 in Korea, I’ve been given lots of information regarding return trips to Korea, scholarships, and other programs and/or organizations specifically for international Korean adoptees (#KAD) that would like to visit Korea or those that might be interested in living or studying in Korea either short-term or indefinitely. I wanted to compile this information that is often provided to me by other Korean adoptees and continue to update it as new information is provided for others. *Please note that I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information from these organizations, but this is more of a compilation of resources for use. 

I understand the descriptions for each organization is very basic, but I created this page as a single place for an extensive list of websites for Korean adoptees, their families, and others to utilize. If you know of an organization that is not listed and you think it could be helpful to other #KADS, I am glad to add this. Please EMAIL ME with the website link, also if they have a Facebook Page or other #SNS sites and a short brief description if possible. Unfortunately since I am ONLY ONE PERSON I do not always have the time to devote myself entirely to this page, but I hope this is still useful and helpful to everyone that may come across it through search engines (#SEO) or other various means. Please feel free to share this link with others as well, because once again, being a Korean-American adoptee, I wish I would have known more about these organizations that are available to us as #KADs either for free or small memberships fees.

*DISCLAIMER: Once again please note that I cannot fully verify that the information from the organizations or their webpages or links listed below is completely accurate as these are third party sites and I merely created this page to assist Korean Adoptees (#KADs), their families, friends, and those that are interested in international adoption. Lastly, I am NOT affiliated directly nor do I work for any of the below organizations, I'm just a solo KAD living in Seoul at the moment.

WHY A GENERATION OF ADOPTEES IS RETURNING TO SOUTH KOREA - By Maggie Jones #NYTimes

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"Korea is home, but it's not one I'm completely comfortable in."
PLEASE READ this wonderful article that was posted on January 14, 2015 in The New York Times and may help adoptive parents, #KADs, and other family members and/or friends of Korean adoptees to understand what it means to be a Korean Adoptee and why many of us feel that it is important to return to our Motherland of Korea, regardless of searching and being reunited with our birth families or not. It is this fact that 'ties us and bonds us together' through this very unique aspect of our past and for our entire life.
Global Overseas Adoptees’ Link (G.O.A.L.) is the ONLY NGO in Korea that is UNAFFILIATED with any of the adoption agencies and does an amazing job for #F4Visa #KoreanDualCitizenship #KADScholardship #KoreanScholarships #SeoulScholarship #LanguageStudies #FirstTripHome #GOAL #GlobalOverseasAdopteesLinks  Facebook page
The primary goal of 325KAMARA, is to DNA test Korean family who relinquished or lost children to international adoption. Our aim is to provide Korean Adoptees with their biological stories and family medical histories. We also hope to reunite Korean adoptees with biological family members when possible.
Ask Ajumma can assist with ordering food, furniture, groceries, flowers, reserving hotels, houskeepers, drivers... virtually anything. If it can be delivered or it's a service available in Korea, we can order it for you. We will assist with returns as necessary as well. 
Foreigners can visit an Assistance Center for Foreigners to report a crime or request a consultation. You may also get your fingerprints taken and they may have the FBI fingerprint card on hand as well as receive a criminal background check printed out in both Korean and English all at  no charge. 
Eastern Social Welfare Society (#ESWS) offers a variety of services including pre and post-adoption, services for adult adoptees, guest house for both families and adult adoptees, and various programs and scholarships. #ESWS #HOMEtoHOMEprogram #HIS #HALLYMUNIVERSITYSUMMERPROGRAM Facebook page
If you weren't adopted through (#ESWS) most likely you were adopted through Holt International where a variety of services are available for both adoption and post-adoption services. #HOLT #GivingTuesday #UNselfie Facebook page
Holt International Korea provides Services has grown to take the forefront of Korean social welfare programs for the children, unwed mothers, and the special needs, providing comprehensive and professional services with partnerships and collaborations with communities. 
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Social Welfare Society (#SWS) is another adoption agency that many KADs were adopted through and provides various services including teen scholarships. #SWS #PreAdoption #PostAdoption #AdoptionServices #KADservices #SeoulAdoptee #KoreanSocialWelfareSociety #SocialWelfareSociety *No Facebook Page
International Korean Adoptee Services (#InKAS) has a number of services for adoptees, scholarships, programs, as well as a dedicated guest house for adult adoptees. InKAS offer an annual Summer Camp (7-10 days) to Korea for adoptees, with priority to those that have never been to Korea. #INKAS #InKASsummerCAMP #LANGUAGEbound Facebook page
Korea Adoption Services (KAS), formerly KCARE (Korea Central Adoption Resources) offers a variety of services "including 100% scholarships for those adoptees adopted through KSS and who want to study at Yonsei Language School (연세어학동). They give out 10 scholarships a year, that's what they told me." (contributor: Mda Veldman via Adoptee Facebook group) #KSS #KoreaAdoptionServices *No Facebook page
Koroot (뿌리의집) is a guesthouse for Korean Adoptees from all over the world visiting their mother country and a NGO finding solutions for overseas adoptions. The nightly rate is 15,000 KRW (around $15). #KOROOT #KADGuestHouse #SeoulGuestHouse #KoreanGuestHouse Facebook page
Doongji is the Korean word for "Nest" offers several services for adoptees including FREE pick up from the airport and other assistance services. #NESTKorea #NonProfit #KADreturnKorea #ReturnKorea #MotherlandKorea Facebook page
The Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) is a leading, nonprofit organization that supports and empowers adults, youth and children to lead safe and healthy lives based on dignity, compassion and mutual respect. #KAFSC #KoreanAmericanFamilyServiceCenter#NewYork #TriState #KoreaNYC #NYC Facebook Page
IKAA is platform to share and exchange information internationally and provide a permanent forum for the network of Korean Adoptee Associations Worldwide. #IKAA #InternationalKoreanAdopteeAssociations #KoreanAmericans Facebook page
Dillon International offers a variety of services for both #pre-adoption and #post-adoption including assistance with #birthfamily reunion searches as well as heritage events and discovery camps. #KADBirthFamilyReunuionStory. #DILLONINTERNATIONAL #DillionAdoption #Birthland #AdoptiveFamilies #DillionInternationWikipedia Facebook page
Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN) is based out of Camp Hill, PA and offers a variety of resources and information including annual conferences in both Korea and the United States. #KAAN #KoreanAmericanAdopteeAdoptiveFamilyNetwork #LifeAsAdoptee Facebook page
Seoul Searching offers a variety or resources to learn more about Korean culture and offers some information for #adoptees, but is open to all #Koreans #globally. #SEOULSEARCHING #SeoulSearcher #KoreanCulture #AdoptionInformationServices Facebook page
Adoptee Solidarity Korea (#ASKAD) in an American based organization that has the mission to address problems associated with Korean overseas adoption through education and activism by raising awareness through advocacy and change. #ADOPTEESOLIDARITY #KADSolidarity #KADReunion #KADProgram #AdopteePrograms *No Facebook page
Korean Adoptees has quite a bit of information including events and news, organization links for Australians and Americans, birth family search, and more. #KOREANADOPTEES #InternationalAdoption #KoreanAustralianAdoptee #AustralianKAD #AustraliaAdoption #KADsns #FacebookKAD #KADKangaroos *No Facebook page
KCCA has been offering services for Korean Canadians since 1991 and includes Motherland Tours, The John Lim Scholarship (#JohnLimScholarship), Korea Homeland Visits (#KoreaHomeLandVisits) for Families, and more. #KCCA #KoreanCanadian #CandaAdoption  *No Facebook page
Mixed Roots Foundation is an American nonprofit and is NOT exclusively for Korean adoptees (#KAD) but they do seem to have quite of a few resources and information including a Adoptee Mentor Program (#AMP). #MIXEDROOTS #AmericanNonProfit #NonProfit #MixedRootsFondation #KoreanIdentity #KoreanHeritage #KADGeneration #KoreanAdopteeGeneration Facebook page
While the name of this organization might be borderline offensive, it does issue a current list of adoption events and is not just for Korean adoptees and is specific to those in the United States (#USA). #RAINBOWKIDS #AdoptionServices Facebook page
Adoption is complicated, and everyone involved could devote themselves to becoming be a life-long learner. With knowledge comes understanding and understanding brings peace. Here are some more sites that have helped us learn along the way. (#AdoptedFilm2005) #ReturningToKorea #ChinaAdoption #PointMadeFilms #AdoptionUnderstanding #InternationalAdoption *No Facebook Page
Korea Social Service, Inc. (#KSS) is a nonprofit social work organization working to help and guide children, youths, women, and families in the fields of child welfare and youth development. The major programs of KSS include: counseling services, sponsorship programs, aid programs, adoption programs (#domestic and #international), #post-adoption services, and youth development programs. #KoreaSocialServices
The Ties Program, is a group of people touched by the adoption constellation. International adoptees are often curious about the places where their lives began. GIFT offers $4,000 to $5,000 grants to international adoptees visiting their birth country. The Ties Program has been assisting families to Korea for 20 years, and will be adding "adult adoptee" options soon. This is also a 501(c)(3) non for profit. #THETIESPROGRAM #INTERNATIONALADOPTEES
The Korea Foundation was established in 1991 and offers a variety of fellowships including; language training, research, global networking, studies abroad, as well as offering language classes and other resources both in Korea and abroad. 
KOREAN GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
I was extremely shocked and surprised to learn that there are various scholarships offered for Korean adoptees that plan to stay in Korea for a year or more. This includes taking a one year language course through one of the universities where tuition costs are completely paid by the Korean government AND includes roughly a $900 monthly living allowance. After the end of the one year language course you will take a proficiency exam and if you achieve a Topik score level 3 or higher and already have a Bachelor’s degree you can actually apply to obtained your Master’s degree where once again the Korean government will pay all of the tuition costs for a 2-4 year master's program (depending upon your field of study) and continue the monthly living allowance. Here is the information I received from an individual that is currently obtaining his master degree for free! *I know that unfortunately some of the application dates have passed but this is done annually, I believe at the same time each year, so if you are thinking about this at least you have an idea of when you would need to apply for these scholarships. 
Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is supported by the government of the Republic of Korea and offers both undergraduate and graduate scholarships (link click here). The Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) has detailed information that also includes Round-trip economy airline ticket and roughly $900 monthly living allowance.
The National Institute for International Education (NIIED) is an executive agency under the Ministry of Education, and plays a leading role in strengthening national competitiveness by developing international human resources among overseas Koreans, exchanging students under national government scholarship programs, and providing educational administrative services.
Deadlines differ depending on country and whether you choose to apply through the Korean Embassy in the US or directly through one of the designated Korean universities. If awarded the scholarship, the benefit of the former is the ability to apply to three universities. The latter means applying to only one university, but if you're able to form a relationship with faculty at your desired school it could be the better option. It's ultimately a matter of preference and strategy.
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