Eight adoptees from South Korea seek compensation from Danish government for alleged human rights violations

In a historic move, eight individuals who were adopted from South Korea are seeking compensation from the Danish government, claiming violations of their human rights during the adoption process. The group, represented by attorney Lisa Dalgas Christensen, asserts that Danish authorities failed to fulfill their responsibility to protect their rights. They allege that adoption documents were falsified and that proper consent from biological parents was not obtained. If their claims are approved, they would each receive compensation of 250,000 Danish crowns (approximately $36,000), totaling 2 million crowns.

Christensen emphasized that the Danish state is culpable as they approved the adoptions despite being aware of troubling practices surrounding them. The adoptees, who arrived in Denmark between 1970 and 1982 through agencies such as AC Børnehjælp and DanAdopt, have shared experiences of trauma and betrayal linked to the adoption procedures. One of the adoptees, author Eva Tind, noted that her adoption documents were manipulated, and she feels a pressing need to discover the truth behind her past.

A report released earlier this year revealed that Danish adoption agencies were aware of the identity manipulation occurring with South Korean children before they were placed with adoptive families. This acknowledgment underpins the compensation claim.

The adopted individuals contend that they were wrongfully deprived of the opportunity to know their biological families and backgrounds. Gitte Mose, another adoptee, stated that the violations are irreparable and called for accountability from the state. If the Ministry of Justice rejects their claim, legal action will likely follow, with a potential for further cases to emerge from other adoptees facing similar issues.