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The Oligopoly Structure: How the "Big Four" Operated
A deep dive into South Korea’s Big Four adoption agencies—Holt, SWS, KSS, and ESWS. Learn how they operated, their current status, and cited research.
Jul 219 min read
History of Adoption in Korea
To understand the South Korean adoption system is to view the evolution of a country trying to heal from the trauma of war, navigating intense Cold War politics, and eventually transforming itself from a completely privatized "exporter" of children into a state-regulated system that prioritizes child welfare. The history can be broken down into five distinct eras, mapping out how the country got from pre-Harry Holt to today. 1. Pre-Harry Holt (Joseon Dynasty to 1953): Clan Pr
Jul 194 min read
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