The government says the pre-adoption foster care system it plans to make into law is designed as an additional means of verifying adoptive parents’ ability to raise a child and preventing possible abuse.  

Ko Deuk-young, a senior official of the Health and Welfare Ministry, relayed the stance in a media briefing on Tuesday. 

During the briefing, the ministry announced a set of measures, including the institutionalization of the pre-care trial system, to prevent child abuse following the death of a 16-month-old girl who is suspected to have been abused.  

The implementation of the system, which has been in place in several advanced nations, has not been compulsory in South Korea although some local adoption agencies have practiced it. 

Addressing the concerns that the pre-adoption care system will allow parents to adopt a child they prefer, Ko ensured the system will be tried on the premise provisional parents’ qualifications have been sufficiently verified and to confirm them one last time. 

He added that while the system enables the change or annulment of adoptive parents for the sake of adopted children’s well-being, it will be pursued carefully and considered as a last resort. 

While addressing the government’s plan to improve the adoption system during his New Year media conference the previous day, President Moon Jae-in said adoption cancellation or child replacement could be considered, drawing criticism from some people. The presidential office explained later that the president intended to explain the system.