South Korea

South Korea is a peninsular country located in Northeastern Asia, and North Korea is the only country to share a border with South Korea. Since 1982, Bethany has partnered with Holt Children’s Services of Korea (HCSK), which was started by Harry and Bertha Holt in 1955. Holt first matched American parents with children left behind after the Korean War. Holt has placed more than 70,000 children in the U.S. and four European countries since its beginning, in addition to providing a continuum of social services on the
Korean peninsula.

Bethany Christian Services’ first intercountry adoption program was in partnership with HCSK. Bethany can place infants with no identified needs in five states: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia. Other Bethany offices are able to place children with special needs from South Korea. In accordance with Bethany’s mission, we partner with HCSK to provide the following:

• International Sponsorship
• Intercountry and Domestic Adoption
• Post-Adoption Services
• Motherland Tours
• Pregnancy and Post-Natal Counseling
• Foster Care through more than 500 foster families
• Il San Welfare Town and Nursing Home for people of all ages with disabilities
• Additional Social Welfare programs include maternity homes, child care centers, and community welfare centers and projects

South Korea is one of the top ten industrialized nations in the world and is striving to create systems to care for its children. Toward this goal, there has been a reduction in the number of visas issued for children adopted internationally, and special efforts have been taken to increase the number of in-country (domestic) Korean adoptions, including the expansion of age limits, tax credits, and allowing single Korean applicants to adopt.

Click on the program title to learn how you can help.
Temporary Care
Il San Sponsorship Program

Adoption
Intercountry Adoption