Mother and Daughter Reunited After 44 Years Following US Adoption Post-Disappearance... First Case of Genetic Sampling at Overseas Diplomatic Mission

3-Year-Old Missing Child Reunited via Video Call After US Adoption on the 15th... In-Person Reunion Planned Once COVID Subsides
First Case Since Launch of Joint Government 'Overseas Korean Adoptee Family Search' Program This Year
Implemented at 34 Overseas Diplomatic Missions in 14 Countries with Overseas Adoptions

Forty-four years after going missing and being adopted to the United States, Lee Eung-soon (mother), Yoon Sang-hee (older sister), and Yoon Sang-myung (older brother) are having a video call with Yoon Sang-ae (American name Dennis McCarty) on the morning of the 15th at the Missing Persons Family Support Center of the Seoul Dongdaemun-gu Police Agency. This reunion is the first case of confirming biological relationships between adoptees and their families in Korea by collecting and analyzing the adoptee's DNA at overseas diplomatic missions through the "Overseas Korean Adoptee Family Search" system. Due to difficulties in entry and exit procedures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the families reunited via non-face-to-face video calls, and they plan to meet in person once the COVID-19 situation stabilizes. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Through the "Overseas Korean Adoptee Family Reunion" program jointly implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Police Agency, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Yoon Sang-ae (47 years old, 3 years old at the time of disappearance, U.S. name Dennis McCarthy), who went missing 44 years ago and was adopted to the United States, and her biological mother Lee Eung-soon (78 years old) and other family members had a dramatic reunion on October 15.

This reunion is the first case of confirming the biological relationship between an adoptee and their family in Korea by collecting and analyzing the adoptee's DNA at overseas diplomatic missions through the "Overseas Korean Adoptee Family Reunion" program implemented since January this year. This program is currently being carried out at 34 overseas diplomatic missions in 14 countries with overseas adoptions.

The reunion was triggered by Mr. Yoon, who went missing in 1976 and was adopted to the United States, entering Korea in 2016 to find his biological parents and having his DNA collected. Mr. Yoon disappeared in June 1976 after going out with his maternal grandmother and was adopted to the United States around December of the same year.

Biological mother Ms. Lee visited a police station in 2017 to find her child and had her DNA collected. The National Forensic Service confirmed the possibility of a biological relationship between their DNA samples.

For accurate confirmation of the biological relationship, it was necessary to recollect DNA samples from both parties. However, it was difficult to contact Mr. Yoon, who had returned to the United States, and the inconvenience of having to re-enter Korea made the final confirmation through DNA recollection challenging. Fortunately, assistance was provided through the joint "Overseas Korean Adoptee Family Reunion" program implemented by related ministries starting this year.

This program allows Korean adoptees seeking their families to apply for adoption information disclosure through the Child Rights Protection Agency. If confirmed as unconnected children, DNA is collected through overseas diplomatic missions, and the collected samples are sent to the National Police Agency via diplomatic pouches to be compared with the DNA information of missing persons' families.

Since DNA collection became possible overseas under this program, the Missing Persons Family Support Center of the National Police Agency immediately attempted to contact Mr. Yoon again and informed him that DNA recollection at overseas diplomatic missions was possible. Accordingly, Mr. Yoon visited the Consulate General in Boston to recollect his DNA, and recent results from the National Forensic Service confirmed that Mr. Yoon is the biological child of Ms. Lee.

After confirming the biological relationship, Mr. Yoon, who was adopted to the United States, and his biological mother Ms. Lee had an emotional reunion on October 15, after 44 years. Due to difficulties in entry and exit procedures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they first reunited via a non-face-to-face video call arranged by the Missing Persons Family Support Center of the National Police Agency, and plan to meet in person once the COVID-19 situation improves.

Ms. Lee, the biological mother, said, "I think a miracle happened because we never gave up looking for my daughter until the end," and added, "I hope this news gives hope to other families of missing persons." Mr. Yoon also said, "I am really happy to have found my mother and sister, and I will meet and keep in touch with them often."

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official stated, "We will do our best to help more overseas Korean adoptees find their biological parents and families more easily and conveniently through local overseas diplomatic missions."