Overseas Koreans Agency welcomes adoptees seeking connection to motherland

The Overseas Korean Agency hosted the "2024 Overseas Korean Adoptees Gathering" by cordially inviting overseas Korean adoptees to South Korea for a four-day event that kicked off Tuesday.

Inviting 96 adoptees from 15 countries, the gathering aims to allow the participants to have a chance to feel more attached to their motherland while having them fully engaged in hands-on programs, such as "Talk-show" and "Info-session."

Under the tagline of "Power of Connection: Together for a Brighter Future," the gathering is expected to help Korean adoptees with international backgrounds build a strong connection.

In particular, during the four-day program, "Info-session" aims to guide Korean adoptees and their families in obtaining Overseas Korean F-4 visas, while assisting them with finding their biological families.

Moreover, participants will also visit Korean folk villages to experience Korean traditional games and culture as well as tours of major industries of the country.

"The program hopes to enable the invited participants to have a window of opportunity to experience an array of Korean culture along with a better understanding of Korea," Lee Key-cheol, commissioner of the Overseas Koreans Agency said during Tuesday's opening remarks.

"We wish to offer the participants the chance to establish a productive network while fully having an active association with other participants from all around the world," Lee added.

Established in 2023, the Overseas Koreans Agency aims to protect and support some 7 million overseas Koreans while reviewing and coordinating key policy matters to comprehensively and systematically implement policies for overseas Koreans.