Strengthening the ‘national responsibility’ for adoption… Reorganization of the Child Rights Protection Center, including the establishment of a dedicated organization

Establishment of the Adoption Business Headquarters with 1 Headquarters and 3 Departments…
Relocation of the organization to the vicinity of Seoul City Hall at the end of this month

[Seoul = Newsis] The Child Rights Protection Agency is organizing and inspecting adoption-related records at the Busan Metropolitan City Archives. (Photo = Provided by the Child Rights Protection Agency) 2024.09.27. photo @ newsis.com *Resale and DB prohibited

[Sejong=Newsis] Reporter Park Young-joo = The Child Rights Protection Center announced on the 20th that it will push forward with an organizational restructuring effective the 24th with the strengthening of the adoption work system as its top priority.

This is a strategic measure to prepare for the implementation of the 'Special Act on Domestic Adoption' and the 'Act on International Adoption' starting July 19th without a hitch.

The Child Rights Protection Center will support the ratification of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, operate the Adoption Policy Committee Secretariat, and directly perform all aspects of domestic and international adoption procedures as the competent authority for international adoption. Accordingly, the organization that was previously operated as a single department will be promoted and expanded into a 1-headquarters /3-

division system. With this restructuring, the Adoption Business Headquarters will be newly established to stabilize the public adoption system. The Adoption Business Headquarters consists of ▲ the 'Adoption Support Department', which operates the Adoption Policy Committee Secretariat and promotes the overall domestic and international adoption process, ▲ the 'Adoption Information Disclosure Support Department', which supports adoptees' search for their families and manages records, and ▲ the 'Family Protection Support Department', which integrates foster care and adoption policy planning.

In particular, the Adoption Information Disclosure Support Department provides one-stop services for adoption information disclosure requests. The Records Management Team, which is operated separately, plans to fully promote comprehensive investigations, preservation facility operation, and computerization in order to thoroughly manage private adoption records from existing adoption organizations and others as public records.

In addition, through this reorganization, the 'Child Protection Headquarters', which integrates the child protection system and child abuse prevention functions, was newly established and overlapping functions between departments were adjusted. In addition, along with this reorganization, the organization will be relocated to the vicinity of Seoul City Hall at the end of this month.

Jeong Ik-joong, the director of the Child Rights Protection Center, expected that "this reorganization will be an important opportunity to bring about fundamental changes in the public adoption system and establish a system that best protects the interests of children."

 

Reporter Park Young-joo (gogogirl@newsis.com)