[On-site Video] "I Found My Brother Who We Separated from 62 Years Ago"... The Miracle of Genetic Analysis

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, PD Yoon Jin-geun] "How did you live feeling so lonely...", "You must have gone through so much hardship?”

Jin Myeong-sook (66) was separated from her family at the age of four, in the summer of 1959. She got lost and went missing while heading with her younger brother Jeong to where their father was near Beda-ri Market in Jung-gu, Incheon.

Afterwards, Jin lived in an orphanage located in Yonghyeon-dong, Michuhol-gu, and was adopted by a nun residing in Chungnam. Although she remembered the name ‘Myeong-sook,’ she did not know her family name, so she took the nun’s surname ‘Jin’ at that time.

Jin had continuously tried to find her family. She even appeared on broadcasts but had no significant results because she did not know her family’s names. Someone who said she resembled her aunt asked for contact information, but it was later confirmed that they were not family.

Then a small hope began to emerge. It was 62 years since she was separated from her family at age four. In November 2019, Jin registered her DNA with the police. Subsequently, the National Police Agency’s Missing Family Support Center began tracking the details of Jin’s disappearance from March this year.

Later, during the process of selecting candidates with similar disappearance circumstances, the police found her younger brother Jeong and collected his DNA again to compare with hers.

The younger brother Jeong was living in Canada. Thanks to the ‘Overseas Korean Adoptee DNA Analysis System’ operated jointly by the National Police Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Health and Welfare since January last year, they were able to obtain Jeong’s DNA.

The police received Jeong’s DNA from the Consulate General in Vancouver through diplomatic pouch. They then finally confirmed through DNA comparison that Jin was Jeong’s sister.

While sharing stories about the time of disappearance with her family, Jin laughed and said, “I lost my younger brother’s hand and got lost, but if (my younger brother had) tied a string to my waist, I wouldn’t have lost myself.”

Jin and her family expressed their gratitude, saying, “It’s all thanks to everyone.”