Post Adoption International Inquiries

Contacting Korea Social Service (KSS)

The following is information regarding searching or obtaining information through Korea Social Service. (KSS)

Korea Social Service has informed us that they would prefer their clients to make initial contact with them through Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. This letter will outline the options that you have in requesting service through KSS.

First, it is important to know that KSS is less likely to search for a birthmother who was single at the time of the birth. Due to societal norms in Korea, KSS remains very concerned that a contact to a formerly single, now married woman may devastate the marriage. Therefore they are less apt to conduct a search if this was the original circumstance. They are more likely to search if there had been an intact family at the time of the birth.

It is possible to state your wishes to KSS, and to inquire whether a search would be possible. Let them know your specific desires. It is also wise to ask them to check the file for any additional information that your adoptive parents may not have received at the time of the adoption. Occasionally, there may be some additional information in the file at KSS. If your original paper work says “abandoned” or “parents unknown,” it is still worthwhile to check at KSS to see if any other information is in the KSS file.

If you are seeking contact with birth family, you may decide to write a letter to your birth family. You may enclose pictures, and you may enclose your contact information if you would like to. You may want to direct KSS that if they cannot search for your birth family, the letter and pictures should be left in your file in case any birth family member comes forward in the future.

You may also give KSS your contact information for their files, if you would like to. If you are not releasing your contact information directly to your birth family, then please specify this to KSS, so that they will know that the contact information you are giving them is only for their files.

Please enclose a cover letter to KSS with any letter that you are sending to your birth family. The cover letter, written to Mrs. Choon Hee Kim, Social Worker, should include your name, adoptive parents names, your date of birth and placement date (the date you arrived in U.S.), your KSS case # if you have it (this is a number preceded by a “K” or a “KL”, and of course your request, as described above.

You may want to include a donation to KSS (they accept American checks). A suggested amount is $25 or more.

Please send all of your material and fees to Lutheran Social Service and we will then send it on to Korea Social Service. We charge a $45 fee for this service. If you would like your material shipped by Fed Ex (typically how it is done) please send an additional $50. You may make the check out to Lutheran Social Service Post Adoption. Please send it to:

        Post Adoption
        Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
        2400 Park Avenue
        Minneapolis, MN 55404

It is also important to know that KSS receives many requests and it may be quite some time before you, or LSS, hears back from them.

For future reference, the KSS address is:

        Korea Social Service
        533-3 Ssangmoon Dong, Dobong-Ku
        Dobong P.O. Box 88
        Seoul, Korea 132-031
        Telephone: 011-82-2-908-9191    Fax: 011-82-2-908-3344

Please call us at 612-879-5248 if you have any questions about this process. We realize that it is a big step and would like to assist you in any way that we can.

Contacting Holt Korea
Please contact our office for more information at 612-879-5248