Shumita Basu

Years later, she got a phone call that would change everything she thought she knew about her son's disappearance. I got a call.

Years later, she got a phone call that would change everything she thought she knew about her son's disappearance. I got a call.

She had submitted her son's DNA to an agency that works to reunite adoptees and birth parents. And she says there to Frontline that she got a call from someone saying they found her son. Her son, named at birth Sangyeol, was now named Frank. She was overwhelmed. She hung up and burst into tears. A few weeks later, she videoconferenced with her now-adult son for the first time.

She had submitted her son's DNA to an agency that works to reunite adoptees and birth parents. And she says there to Frontline that she got a call from someone saying they found her son. Her son, named at birth Sangyeol, was now named Frank. She was overwhelmed. She hung up and burst into tears. A few weeks later, she videoconferenced with her now-adult son for the first time.

She had submitted her son's DNA to an agency that works to reunite adoptees and birth parents. And she says there to Frontline that she got a call from someone saying they found her son. Her son, named at birth Sangyeol, was now named Frank. She was overwhelmed. She hung up and burst into tears. A few weeks later, she videoconferenced with her now-adult son for the first time.

She says there she was shocked. The boy she last remembered at the age of four had become an adult with gray hair. Her story is just one of many that's come to light in recent years about fraudulent Korean adoptions. Kids and infants who were stolen without the consent of their biological parents.

She says there she was shocked. The boy she last remembered at the age of four had become an adult with gray hair. Her story is just one of many that's come to light in recent years about fraudulent Korean adoptions. Kids and infants who were stolen without the consent of their biological parents.

She says there she was shocked. The boy she last remembered at the age of four had become an adult with gray hair. Her story is just one of many that's come to light in recent years about fraudulent Korean adoptions. Kids and infants who were stolen without the consent of their biological parents.

For the families who adopted them, they too were lied to, told that the children were abandoned or orphaned, and that their identities and information about their birth families was lost or fabricated. Kyawin Lee, a former health ministry official who oversaw adoption policy starting in 2010, told Frontline that she questioned whether so many children were in need of adoption.

For the families who adopted them, they too were lied to, told that the children were abandoned or orphaned, and that their identities and information about their birth families was lost or fabricated. Kyawin Lee, a former health ministry official who oversaw adoption policy starting in 2010, told Frontline that she questioned whether so many children were in need of adoption.

For the families who adopted them, they too were lied to, told that the children were abandoned or orphaned, and that their identities and information about their birth families was lost or fabricated. Kyawin Lee, a former health ministry official who oversaw adoption policy starting in 2010, told Frontline that she questioned whether so many children were in need of adoption.

For the South Korean government, foreign adoptions had become a way to reduce social welfare spending. Recently, Lee has played a significant role in passing adoption reform in South Korea. As these children have grown up, and with the help of DNA websites like 23andMe, some of these adoptees have come to find out their true identities. And they've pushed South Korea to reckon with this dark past.

For the South Korean government, foreign adoptions had become a way to reduce social welfare spending. Recently, Lee has played a significant role in passing adoption reform in South Korea. As these children have grown up, and with the help of DNA websites like 23andMe, some of these adoptees have come to find out their true identities. And they've pushed South Korea to reckon with this dark past.

For the South Korean government, foreign adoptions had become a way to reduce social welfare spending. Recently, Lee has played a significant role in passing adoption reform in South Korea. As these children have grown up, and with the help of DNA websites like 23andMe, some of these adoptees have come to find out their true identities. And they've pushed South Korea to reckon with this dark past.

Last week, they got a major victory when South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission released the preliminary results of an ongoing investigation into this matter. For the first time, they acknowledged that human rights abuses took place and that the government failed to protect the rights of adoptees. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following.

Last week, they got a major victory when South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission released the preliminary results of an ongoing investigation into this matter. For the first time, they acknowledged that human rights abuses took place and that the government failed to protect the rights of adoptees. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following.

Last week, they got a major victory when South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission released the preliminary results of an ongoing investigation into this matter. For the first time, they acknowledged that human rights abuses took place and that the government failed to protect the rights of adoptees. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following.

President Trump is threatening new sanctions on Russia if it doesn't agree to a deal to end the war in Ukraine. He told NBC News he was, quote, very angry at Russian President Vladimir Putin for his comments calling for an interim governance in Ukraine to push out Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy.

President Trump is threatening new sanctions on Russia if it doesn't agree to a deal to end the war in Ukraine. He told NBC News he was, quote, very angry at Russian President Vladimir Putin for his comments calling for an interim governance in Ukraine to push out Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy.

President Trump is threatening new sanctions on Russia if it doesn't agree to a deal to end the war in Ukraine. He told NBC News he was, quote, very angry at Russian President Vladimir Putin for his comments calling for an interim governance in Ukraine to push out Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy.