Family Searching for Toddler in Red Dress

If this description matches you, or if you have any information about this person, please contact 325KAMRA Korea or 325KAMRA USA (familysearch@325Kamra.org)

YOUR FAMILY IS SEARCHING FOR YOU

Searching for My Younger Sister, Byun Young-mi, Adopted to Philadelphia, USA in 1985

We are searching for my younger sister, Byun Young-mi, who was adopted to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1985.

My younger sister was born on March 12, 1985, at Hwangsan Obstetrics & Gynecology Clinic in Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. Shortly after her birth, at the request of our maternal grandfather, she was placed for adoption through Holt Children's Services. She left Korea on July 26, 1985, and was adopted by a family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

We were told that her adoptive parents were born in 1953 and had a common American surname.

Her biological father is Byun Hee-do (born in 1949), and her biological mother is Seol Won-ok (born in 1964). She was the second of three children, with an older sister and a younger brother.

Because of the difficult circumstances our family was facing at the time, we felt that we had no choice but to let her go. There has not been a single day in the past 40 years when we have not thought about how painful that decision was.

After her adoption, we received only one photograph from her adoptive parents. It is a picture of a baby girl wearing a red dress and smiling brightly.

For 40 years, we have carried that face in our hearts.

We have contacted Holt Children's Services several times, but due to privacy laws, they have not been able to provide us with any additional information.

We desperately hope to find her, and our family has also registered our DNA in hopes that it may help us find her.

We have also confirmed that, as was reportedly standard practice for children processed through Holt at that time, her family registration was recorded in Mapo-gu, Seoul, where Holt's headquarters was located.

“To Our Beloved Young-mi”

If you are reading this, please know that you were never abandoned.

You were loved, and you were missed every single day.

If you feel anger toward us, that is okay. We understand.

All we want is to know that you are alive, well, and living a good life.

If you were adopted through Holt Children's Services to the Philadelphia area in 1985, or if you know someone with a similar adoption story, please contact us.

We have never stopped looking for you.