South Korea's Justice Minister Pledges Justice for Foreign Adoptees

South Korea's Justice Minister, Jung Sung-ho, has committed to expanding judicial relief for victims of past state-led abuses, focusing on foreign adoptees affected by fraudulent adoptions during previous military regimes. In a striking pledge, Jung termed these adoptions as 'forced child trafficking' and indicated the government's plans to abstain from appealing rulings favoring victims seeking damages for governmental misconduct.

Jung's bold statement came during a roundtable with journalists, where he highlighted the government’s responsibility for an adoption program that manipulated children's origins to cut welfare costs. He affirmed the intention to expedite legal redress and extend a cooperative approach toward lawsuits by adoptees, offering a three-year window to file damages claims under a new law.

Efforts against trafficking and labor abuses, including at South Korea's salt farms, were also emphasized. Jung vowed to intensify the crackdown on these issues, instructing prosecutors to demand stricter penalties. His remarks come amidst a backdrop of international investigations into forced labor practices, including US-imposed tariffs responding to these abuses.