Truth & Reconciliation FAQ

Last Updated March 2026. Please check back as USKRG will update our FAQ regularly.

I am a Korean adoptee. How can I submit my case to TRC3?

TRC3 opened on February 26, 2026, examining unfinished cases and expanding the scope of investigation to new cases. Through our sister organization DKRG, USKRG submitted a historic amount of cases on February 26, along with other KRGs from around the world, with the TRC remaining open for submissions for any adoptees who wish to submit individually. For more information on upcoming group submission, please join the USKRG's private Facebook group or refer to our TRC3 Information Hub.

What steps can I take to start my submission?

Please collect your adoption documents from the following places and check them for new and/or conflicting information.

• Your Adoptive Parents

• Your American Adoption Agency

• Alien File through Freedom of Information Act

• Adoption Information Disclosure through the National Center for the Rights of the Child (This step is not necessary, as TRC investigators will gain access to your records held by the Korean Government)

If you wish to push further in gaining information about your origins, DNA tests are recommended such as:

• Commercial DNA tests (such as 23andMe, Ancestry, and MyHeritage)

• Korean Missing Persons Database

Finally, please consider taking one of our workshops or watching one of our tutorials to learn how to identify important documents, comb them for information, create a timeline and mark red flags which can be submitted with your TRC3 application. We also have guides about how to create a timeline and write a personal statement.

What is the history of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in Korea?

From the Truth & Reconciliation website: "The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established as an independent body to investigate and uncover the truth about the anti-Japanese independence movement, overseas Koreans, mass atrocities during the Korean War, various human rights violations that occurred during Korea’s authoritarian rule and killings by hostile forces."

What is TRC and what is happening now?

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Korea investigates historical human rights abuses, including forced and irregular international adoptions from the 1960s through the 1990s. It works to uncover the truth, publish findings, and recommend reconciliation measures to the government. That work now continues, as TRC3 opened for cases on February 26, 2026.

Why is the TRC historically and politically significant?

According to a 2025 article from NewsTapa: "South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has confirmed some of the overseas adoption cases from the 1970s and 1980s as human rights violations and recommended the Korean government to officially apologize to its victims.

It is the first time for a government agency to recognize human rights violations in past overseas adoptions and acknowledge the state’s responsibility. 

...The commission’s decision is significant as it officially acknowledges the human rights violations experienced by Korean-born overseas adoptees."

What happened with TRC1 & TRC2?

56 adoptee cases representing all 4 adoption agencies were finalized by TRC1 and TRC2 in 2025. The remaining 311 cases were suspended and therefore did not receive a ruling. It is thought they will be investigated during TCR3, which was approved to move forward in early 2026. The findings and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission can be found in the report here.

The TRC1 & 2, while considered validating for individuals whose cases were ruled upon and historically groundbreaking, has met significant criticism as being limited in scope. Anders Riel Müller, one of the 56 adoptees whose case was confirmed as a human rights violation in TRC2, stated, "[The TRC's] recommendations, while symbolically important, fall short of delivering meaningful justice. As we anticipate another round of TRC investigations, it is important to address some of the shortcomings of the first investigation." He went on to cite an overreliance on paperwork, exclusion of thousands of overseas adoptees, and lack of pathways to justice (among other things).

What do adoptees who submitted their cases say about the significance of TRC1 & TRC 2?

Adoptees, researchers, and TRC-submitters Jennifer Kwon Dobbs and Ryan Gustaffson have both noted that TRC is important because its investigations are nationally recognized, with its truths serving as a pathway for investigation and accountability. On a social level, the TRC represents Korea examining itself, viewing adoptees not just as outsiders, but a part of their history; Adoption is not just compartmentalized violence towards the adoptee, but also violence within families and Korean society on the whole.

As the initial cases were gathered and submitted, it was uncertain if the TRC would accept cases of this type. Submissions to the TRC investigation was a collective act of hope and teamwork from the KAD community, however it remains nebulous what form reconciliation may take.

Please listen to the full podcast from Adoptees United.

What has been revealed about adoption abuses so far?

Earlier TRC investigations documented serious irregularities, such as coerced relinquishment, falsified orphan status, inadequate consent from birth families, and poor oversight of adoption agencies — findings that forced official acknowledgment of human rights failures. Advocacy groups previously held rallies demanding fuller disclosure of the commission’s work and stronger government action, pointing out that many submitted cases still lack determinations. You can read the full Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report here.

Why was TRC3 created?

The previous TRC (TRC2) acknowledged adoption abuses in a 2025 report but had limited time and scope, formally recognizing only a subset of submitted cases. Many adoptee cases — over 300 — remained unresolved when that commission’s mandate ended in late 2025. TRC3 was created to continue investigations and address that backlog as well as allow for new cases to be submitted.

How will TRC3 be different from past TRCs?

At the end of January 2026, the National Assembly passed the Framework Act on Settling the Past for Truth and Reconciliation. Changes to the law are as follows:

What’s next for TRC3 and adoptees?

TRC3 launched on Feb. 26, 2026, and will take over unfinished cases and expand the scope of investigation. Formal individual reviews and wider systemic inquiries are expected to unfold over the coming months. Many adoptees hope TRC3 will not only validate more individual cases but also push for measures such as access to records, identity restoration, official apologies, and further legal recognition.

News coverage from earlier reports and related policy shifts has shown growing pressure on the Korean government to address structural abuses in its historical foreign adoption system. These have included calls for improved oversight, official apologies, and systemic reforms to prevent future violations, though the implementation of recommendations remains in progress.