During a National Assembly audit on October 22, the National Child Rights Agency (NCRA) faced intense scrutiny over its poor data management and lax adoption policies. Despite a massive breach involving 1.17 million records of adopted and missing children, it was revealed that the agency did not even request a police investigation.
The NCRA was recently fined a record 885.2 million won by the Personal Information Protection Commission due to this incident.
Lawmakers criticized the agency's inadequate response following the breach. Representative Lee Dal-hee of the People Power Party stated, "The agency violated legal requirements to notify affected individuals and the Personal Information Protection Commission within 72 hours, and did not even request a police investigation to clarify the circumstances of the breach."
Representative Seo Young-seok of the Democratic Party also pointed out that basic safety measures and encryption were lacking, and the agency was unable to determine the timing or method of the data leak. He noted that past offenders related to poor digitization practices received only a "non-punitive warning," which contributed to the current situation.
NCRA Director Kim Yoo-im apologized for causing public anxiety and stated that the agency would cover the fine by reducing executive salaries and operational costs without cutting services. Regarding the police investigation, she said, "We will consider our options and take appropriate action."
In addition to the data breach, the government's handling of adoption records drew criticism. Representatives Lee Soo-jin and Jeon Jin-sook of the Democratic Party highlighted that only 2,100 out of 240,000 original adoption records held by private agencies have been digitized and transferred, amounting to just 0.87%.
Lee Soo-jin remarked, "Last year, we promised to scan all 240,000 records and transfer them to the National Archives, yet this year only 71 records from six facilities have been transferred. With next year's budget set at only 1.35 billion won, it could take over 10 years to complete digitization. How angry must the adoptees be?"
Jeon Jin-sook added that even when adoptees apply for their records, they often receive a waiting number of 1,500, with a minimum wait time of one year. Furthermore, some records provided are missing pages or have been anonymized, causing additional distress for adoptees.
Meanwhile, the Disability Development Institute faced criticism regarding its upcoming pilot program for community-based support for disabled individuals, set to launch in March 2027. Representative Seo Mi-hwa of the Democratic Party pointed out that the program is designed with a staffing ratio of one caregiver for every four disabled individuals, which she argued is unfeasible.
Seo stated, "This structure would increase the workload of caregivers by 267 hours annually compared to regular workers, making it impossible to recruit sufficient staff. Many disabled individuals transitioning from facilities have severe developmental disabilities, and support services typically require a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. Without proper funding, the program must be revised to a 1:1 structure before it begins."
In response, Kim Jeong-yeol, director of the Disability Development Institute, pledged to work actively with relevant departments to address these concerns.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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