KAD Guide To DNA Testing
- USKRG
- Jan 10
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 11
Based on where you are in your birth family search and how likely it is you will be able to locate birth family based on your files or other means, DNA may act as a first step or a last hope. Or maybe you know who your birth family is and you wish to help other adoptees. Whatever your reasons, here is a handy guide to all things DNA testing.
Reasons to DNA test
Deciding to pursue birth family search through commercial DNA testing is a highly personal choice, the pros and cons of which, such as privacy concerns, should not be taken lightly. 23andMe, for instance, has suffered from data breaches, as well as bankruptcy.
However, for many adoptees, who have recently found that their files are fabricated or incomplete, DNA offers a last hope or a potential irrefutable source of truth. Many adoptees have decided that the benefits outweigh the risks. However, please don't test until you're ready.
Is there one "silver bullet" test I need to take?
General guidance for DNA testing is that adoptees should do all the DNA tests, as (1) you never know which tests any members of your birth family have taken or will take in the future and (2) the databases are owned by private companies and their databases are maintained separately. There is therefore, no single test, unfortunately (however, it's suggested that you begin with Ancestry or 23&Me since those are contain the largest userbases and can be uploaded for free into 2 other databases).
"One-to-Many" Commercial Testing
"One-to-Many" testing refers to a test that a (one) person takes and enters it into a database (of many) to compare your DNA test (one) to all other available DNA tests (many). Other types of DNA tests may only test your relationship to another person (as opposed to an entire database). 23andMe, Ancestry, MyHeritage, GEDMatch, and Family Tree DNA are all one-to-many DNA tests.
Three Ways to Get into a Database
There are three ways to get into a DNA database:
1. Purchase a commercial DNA kit (23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage)
The first is to purchase a DNA kit and mail its contents in. The kit you are looking for (usually the most basic kits) will say they include include "DNA matching," "relative finder" or "DNA relatives" as a feature which can be used to find close relatives, so it shouldn't be expensive.
2. The second way to get into a database is to download your raw DNA from a purchased kit (such as 23andMe or Ancestry) and re-upload it into a database for free.
Services such as Family Tree DNA and GEDMatch, while smaller databases, both accept DNA uploads without a kit.
3. Enter your DNA into the Korean Missing persons Database.
After you apply for "Adoption information Disclosure" and no family ties can be established, you will be given a Certificate of Adoption which will allow you to register your DNA for Birth Family Search, either in Korea at a Police Station or at your nearest Korean Embassy in the US. There are both reports of the police following up with adoptees and NOT following up with adoptees if there are no matches, so please be prepared for follow up only if you have an immediate family member in Korea match with you. If you are certain that you are eligible to enter into the Korean Missing Persons Database, you can request a certificate by sending an email to familysearch@ncrc.or.kr. You will need to attach 4 items to that email:
Application Form – Download from NCRC’s site.
Consent Form – Download from NCRC’s site.
Adoption Record that shows birth parents unknown.
At the time of writing, some pages on NCRC’s site say that you need to provide this. We suggest including it to prevent unnecessarily slowing down the process.
If you have birth family information, but NCRC was unsuccessful in making contact, we recommend you provide information regarding this failed attempt.
Copy of your valid government issued photo ID, such as your U.S. Passport. Note: The Certificate of Adoption only lasts for 3 months.
Worldwide User Database | Basic Kit Cost (with DNA Relative or Matching feature) | Accepts DNA upload? | Relatives Shown | |
28 million+ | Starting at $99 Recommended Kit: AncestryDNA | No - must buy kit | Closest to distant | |
15 million+ | Starting at $99 RecommendedKit: Ancestry Service | No - must buy kit | Closest to distant | |
5-7 million+ | Starting at $30 | No - Must buy kit | Closest to distant | |
2 million+ | Starting at $39 | Yes (AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage) | Closest to distant | |
2 million+ | No Kit | Yes (23andMe) | Closest to distant | |
Unknown | Free | No - must give DNA sample at Korean police station or nearest consulate. | You will be contacted if there are 1st degree (parents) or 2nd degree relatives (siblings) matched |
What are the benefits of 23andMe's and Ancestry's Additional Features?
NOTE: Feel free to skip this section if you are only focused on DNA-matches and birth family search.
While we don't generally recommend the higher priced kits for Birth Family Search, they can be useful for adoptees who would like further information about their health.
For higher-cost kits, 23andMe and Ancestry offers some additional features, mostly pertaining to health reports, access to scanned records, and subscriptions for access to said reports or records. If this interests you, you can purchase these kits, as they will still include DNA relatives.
23andMe
Comparison tool courtesy of 23andMe's website
Ancestry Reports:
Historical Matches: This feature allows you to trace your DNA way back with Historical Matches, connecting you to fascinating figures and cultures from history. (To be honest, this feature is not very exciting or comprehensive for people of Asian Descent, as the results were figures likely used as markers for geneticists and not "famous" people)
Advanced DNA Relative Finder: Allows deeper filter and sort functionality for DNA relatives
Deeper Heritage Insights: Contains subfeatures like Ancestry Timelines, Haplogroup line tracing, Neanderthal Ancestry reports
Health Reports:
Premium Health Reports: over 45+ innovative health reports letting you know of your likelihood of having a particular disease or your carrier status for gene variants of a gene-related disease including BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants), Prostate Cancer and Colorectal Cancer. The tests are approved by the FDA, whereas Ancestry's health reports are not. (This may be of interest to people who don't have access to their family history. The basic test kit will still give you some results)
Total Health Reports: over 90+ innovative health reports letting you know of your likelihood of having a particular disease or your carrier status for gene variants of a gene-related disease. Also includes a clinical action plan.
Total Health Kit: 23andMe's most advanced health membership including next-generation sequencing. Detects 200x more disease-causing variants. Given the price tag, we recommend consulting your doctor first.
Ancestry
Traits: Shows how genes may influence your nutrition, performance, and appearance by unlocking access to 75+ traits. Included with membership. Traits included are likelihood of traits like hair color, eye color, freckles, cilantro aversion, bitter sensitivity, alcohol flush, athletic ability, pain tolerance, heart rate recovery, vitamin deficiencies, morning person or risk-taker
"US Discovery" Subscription: Permits Access to any US records stored on Ancestry (any archived yearbooks, newspaper articles, decedent records, etc)*
"World Explorer" Subscription: Permits Access to any records stored on Ancestry (primarily useful for those of white ancestry)*
"All Access" Subscription: Permits Access to any records stored on Ancestry, Newspapers.com, etc (primarily useful for those of white ancestry)*
We do NOT recommend Ancestry's subscription features, as they tend to be underwhelming for those of Asian descent performing birth family search. Unfortunately, these features seem to work better if you're researching records pertaining to those of Western descent or A-family.
How to Download raw DNA from 23andMe or Ancestry
Please see Ancestry's guide here and 23andMe's guide here.
I just got my test results back. What do I do?
For many companies, seeing and sharing with your DNA matches is an "opt-in" service. Most services are intuitive to use and understand. What you're looking for is a column in "DNA Matches" that predicts a match's relationship to you and/or a sort function in which you can view match ordering as closest relationship to farthest relationship. Other databases, such as GEDMatch, can be more difficult to decipher, so it's helpful to be able to understand how shared centimorgans (or "cMs," for short) correlate to closeness of a match. For a chart and explanation about analyzing your matches, please view this GEDMatch Guide.
I don't have many close matches. What do I do?
It's not uncommon for adoptees to have no close matches. Our best advice is to have patience. It may take some time for closer relatives to show up. As the word gets out and more people of Korean descent and Korean adoptees test, the more the databases will grow and close matches will potentially be made. It's very possible that even if there are no close matches today, there will be in the future.
Second, even if your matches are distant relatives, it can still be quite pleasant and important for your sense of community and identity to reach out to them. Many adoptees have found deep friendships and understanding in their 3rd, 4th, or even 9th cousins!
Third, if you haven't already, please apply for Adoption Information Disclosure through the NCRC website. If no family ties can be established, you will receive a Certificate of Adoption which will allow you to enter your DNA into Korea's Missing Persons Database through your local Korean Consulate in the US or at a Police Station in Korea. The Korean government will only inform you if you have an immediate family match, although there have been some (inconsistent) reports of the Korean Police reaching out to let Adoptees know there are no matches).
Two handy guides which can help you are "Applying for Adoption information Disclosure" and "How to Register your DNA for Birth Family Search".
I have a close match. What do I do?
Many adoptees have had success in their reunions in reaching out to close matches and disclosing their status as an adoptee, however, many adoptees also report being ghosted upon disclosing their status as an adoptee -- very likely due to their current family arrangement or secretive or "shameful" (in Korean society) circumstances around the birth and relinquishment. It is essential that you tread carefully in this area. If you have any questions, please consult a trusted group specializing in DNA matching in Korea or Birth Family Search such as 325Kamra or GOA'L.
Resources for Further Questions & Discussion
325Kamra
A 501(c)3 non-profit, founded in September 2015 in the United States to help Korean Adoptees understand their DNA and find DNA matches. They offer testing for native Koreans in Korea, as well as dispense free kits to Korean Adoptees and Koreans looking for lost family. GOA'L https://goal.or.kr/
Global Overseas Adoptees' Link was founded in 1998 by overseas Korean adoptees who returned to Korea. It soon became and remains the only adoptee-led non-profit and NGO in Korea.
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