We received some disheartening news from our agency yesterday, concerning the timeline of our adoption. Currently in Korea there are many new regulation changes to be voted on by their parliament concerning overseas adoptions. If some of the regulations are put into law, the new changes will take affect Jan. 07. This is an article taken from a Korean source was sent to all families in process to give us better understanding of what changes may take place, and how those changes could effect our wait time.
By Park chunk-a
Staff Reporter
To activate domestic adoption, the government has decided to allow single households to adopt a child from next year. The number of single households has been on a steady increase, accounting for percent of the total households in Korea last year Janis Ok-Jo, a ministry official, ``We have secured billion won in budgets for adoption-related projects next year.''
Also, the government will grant monthly allowance of 100,000 won to a household who adopts a child until he or she turns 18. It will also grant 2 million won in administrative fee, which is needed for adopting a child.
To raise people's awareness that adoption is another form of birth, the government will also allow two weeks of ``adoption leave'' from next year. Public officials will be allowed to benefit from the system first.
In addition, to reduce the number of overseas adoption through increase of domestic adoption, the government will pursue ``domestic adoption-first'' system, aimed at trying to match children eligible for adoption to Korean parents first for five months. Only after the five months, children can be subject to overseas adoption. According to the ministry, cases of domestic adoption is as much as 20 percent lower than overseas adoption.
``While adoption is considered as a way to carry out spirit of noblesse oblige or giving help to society abroad, Koreans tend to choose adoption for getting pure joy of rearing children,''' said Cho Min-hye, an official at the Mission to Promote Adoption in Korea.
For overseas adoptees, the government will expand granting scholarships for Korean language education in universities as well as organizations and providing various services for them including housing and tourism when they visit Korea.
To enhance people's positive view on domestic adoption, the government will also mention good aspects of adoption in school curriculum.
``We find it urgent to reduce Koreans' prejudice against adoption. Other than incentive policies, we will launch various publicity activities to establish adoption-friendly atmosphere,'' said Janis.
The biggest factor that can delay our process is if the government puts into action the "5 month rule" that would start in 2007. Considering that we are on target to receive a referral of a child in Nov/Dec of this year, and under the current law the babies are available to be matched with families as soon as the birth mother signs her rights away. So most infants are matched with families at the age of 1-2 months old (under the current law).
Say if we were matched with a baby and he/she is 2 months old in Dec. 06, and the new law is put into effect for 2007, what the agency is saying is that the government could try and match that same child with a family who lives in Korea, so we could have a huge upset if this were to occur. To try and avoid such occurrences the agency will not give out referrals in Nov/Dec IF these measures are voted into policy.
No policy has been voted into law yet, so our agency says they are going to do business as usual, until they know exactly what changes will take place. They are just giving us a heads up on the matter so we're not shocked by any changes that may take place. So again we just need to wait and see what happens.
Please pray that we will be content with whatever happens, and for us not to become discouraged. We are saddened by the news, but at the same time it's not like we're not going to be able to adopt. It might be that we'll have to wait 3-5 months longer for our referral than expected. Yeah, it sucks. But really what can we do? Nothing, but pray and know that God is in control of this adoption, not us, not policy changes, not the agency, but only HIM!
Kind of a funny after thought but when I was searching for adoption resource books, I stumbled across a book titled, "Adoption Is Not For Sissies". At first I thought the title would detour families from pursuing adoption, but now I know there is much truth in that phrase.
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