Adoptees demand compensation from the Danish state – it has been "systematic human trafficking"

Thousands of children came to Denmark from South Korea in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in the belief that they were foundlings.

Eight adoptees have on Friday sent a claim to the Danish state for violation of Article 8 of the Human Rights Convention and are demanding compensation of 250,000 kroner per person - a total of 2 million kroner.

This is what lawyer at Pramming advokater Lisa Dalgas Christensen tells TV 2. She will lead the cases together with lawyer Mads Pramming.

"We demand compensation for violations of their human rights. This is a public recognition that the state has violated their rights," Lisa Dalgas Christensen explains to TV 2.

Two of the eight are Sofie Randel and her brother Nikolaj Dausell, who was illegally adopted from South Korea in 1977.

In 2023, the two found their family in South Korea in collaboration with TV 2's documentary team in the documentary 'The Secret in the Shadow Archive'.

- For so many decades, the state has failed to see that you can't just steal children and place them somewhere in the world. The Danish state, which I have so much respect for, still seems as if it doesn't want to take responsibility, she says.

The Danish state cannot afford to keep stalling for time.

Sophie Randel

- We believe that our clients have a very strong case. That is precisely why we are going ahead and filing this claim, says attorney Lisa Dalgas Christensen and continues:

- We certainly hope that the Ministry will close the case so that we can avoid a lengthy trial. That would be hard on our clients, who have already been traumatized by what they have experienced. Many of them are still deeply affected by it.

Mads Pramming was behind the lawsuit against the state on behalf of the Godhavnsdrengene, who in a settlement in 2021 received 300,000 kroner in compensation per person.

Instant family feeling

Sofie Randel and her brother Nikolaj Dausell were both adopted from South Korea in 1977.

They thought they were foundlings, but found out in connection with TV 2's documentary that they had a family in South Korea. A big one at that.

And it is both loving and caring, says Sofie Randel.

"It's been an instant sense of family. For me, it's been overwhelming to discover how much of my heritage I have. It's been life-changing," she says.

The story is far from unique. Thousands of children came to Denmark from South Korea in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and it is estimated that hundreds of adoptions took place illegally.

In addition, there are stories of people from India, South Africa, Taiwan and Thailand who have experienced something similar.

- Everyone deserves to have the opportunity, if they want, to know their origins, says Sofie Randel.

She emphasizes that it has meant just as much to the family in South Korea who lost their two young children. For 45 years, they have lived with all sorts of ideas about what happened to the children and have sought out various adoption agencies.

This meant, for example, that Sofie Randel and Nikolaj Dausell's biological mother left the family, and that their brother has today chosen not to have children because he was worried about what might happen to them.

This is a major driving force for Sofie Randel in the case, which has now resulted in a claim against the Danish state.

- This entire case has given us insight into the role the Danish state has played and how they have contributed to systematic human trafficking over five decades, she says.

Denmark's only adoption agency closed

It has been almost a year since the Danish Social Appeals Board completed its investigation into the area, and although Sofie Randel and others with similar stories have been invited to political hearings, they have had enough.

Focus on the area and the many cases that have come to light have meant that in January the Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing and the Elderly suspended Denmark's only adoption agency DIA's license to provide intermediary services from all partner countries.

The agency finally closed in October, when the Danish Social Appeals Board took over its tasks.

This has had the consequence that many adoptees are now unable to access their files held by DIA. According to D DR R, there are approximately 500 in Denmark who are waiting for access to their own adoption case.

In January, then-Minister of Social Affairs and Housing Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil (S) wanted to start forming a "very concrete overview" of how the state can help adopted children in Denmark.

- I can understand if there is a desire to know if there is a biological family walking around on the other side of the Earth and has been missing their children for 40 years now, it was said at the time by Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil to TV 2 .

But Sofie Randel believes it takes too long.

- We are all getting older, and the likelihood of finding one's biological origins is getting smaller and smaller. My brother and I did not get to see our parents again. The Danish state cannot afford to keep dragging out time – it is incredibly disrespectful, says Sofie Randel.

She is proud that they have now reached the point where they are suing the state and putting pressure on politicians so that the many families who have also contacted her can receive recognition for what has happened to them.

TV 2 is trying to get a comment from Minister of Social Affairs Sophie Hæstorp Andersen.