UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

Oct. 26: AK Connection Halloween Social 

Join us for a night of fun, friends, and fall vibes. We'll have trivia, noraebang (aka karaoke), a costume contest, and prizes, including a special award for the best costume! Korean adoptees and their loved ones ages 21+ welcomed. RSVP now - space is limited! 

Date: Saturday, Oct. 26
Time: 6-10 p.m. 
Place: The Sewing Room at Eat Street Crossing (2819 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN)



 

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Sept. 28: K-Pop Fall Vendor Market
Sept. 29: Adoptee Hub’s Kimchi Festival
Oct. 2-16: Theater Mu Training Institute - The Foundations of Asian American Theater Course (register by Sept. 25)
Oct. 6-28: Seoul Inheritance: Kids in K-Horror (showings of Korean horror films)
Oct. 15: Apply to the Chun Kyung-ja Award for Korean-American contemporary artists

WHAT'S NEW

Associated Press Investigation Finds Evidence of South Korean Adoption Fraud

(Note: the news below can be difficult for many in our community to read. It’s normal that this may bring up strong and conflicting thoughts and feelings. If you’re struggling, remember you don’t have to process this alone, and we encourage you to seek support from fellow adoptees, trusted friends and family, or a therapist who specializes in working with adoptees.)

An investigation led by The Associated Press in partnership with PBS Frontline has uncovered extensive evidence of fraud in South Korea’s international adoption system. The report found that thousands of adoptees sent abroad between the 1960s and 1980s may have had their records falsified, with some children wrongly labeled as orphans or their family situations misrepresented to expedite adoptions. 

The report is based on interviews with more than 80 adoptees in the U.S., Australia and six European countries, along with parents, agency employees, humanitarian workers and government officials. It also drew on more than 100 information requests and thousands of pages of documents — including many never publicly seen before and some The Associated Press got declassified.

• Part 1: Rampant adoption fraud separated generations of South Korean children from their families, AP finds
• Part 2: Who Am I, Then? (PBS Frontline Interactive Feature) 
• Part 3: Western nations were desperate for babies. Now many adoptees believe they were stolen 
• Part 4: Takeaways from AP’s story on the role of the West in widespread adoption fraud with South Korean adoptions (summary article of all findings) 
• PBS Frontline documentary: South Korea’s adoption reckoning 
• Related: South Korean truth commission says it found more evidence of forced adoptions in the 1980s

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOTE

추석 잘 보내세요! (Happy Belated Chuseok!)

안녕하세요! (Hello!) Thank you to everyone who made it to our Chuseok event two weeks ago, especially those who donated to support AK Connection! Shoutout to the whole team at Arbeiter Brewing Company for providing their amazing space for us to gather. And a huge round of applause to our friend and past AKC board member, Janessa, for putting together that impressive bibimbap spread!



During Chuseok, families gather to celebrate through traditions and offerings honoring their ancestors during the harvest moon. While we may not always celebrate holidays here in a traditional way, it's important to have these opportunities to come together as adoptees. Janessa suggested bibimbap for our event because it reminds her of the Korean adoptee community. Each ingredient shines on its own, but together they create a beautiful harmony. We are stronger together, and we couldn’t do any of this without you. We're grateful your involvement and support. 감사합니다! (Thank you!)

PRESIDENT'S NOTE

End of Summer Reflections 

As summer draws to a close, I'm reflecting on the wonderful memories we’ve created together this year so far. Our recent picnic was a delightful celebration of the season, filled with laughter, delicious Korean food, and the joy of community.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the board for their unwavering dedication and hard work, which has made our many events possible. Their efforts have truly enriched our lives and we look forward to the exciting things that lie ahead. Please thank them the next time you meet.

I hope to see you at our Chuseok event in September at Arbeiter Brewing. As usual, the board has some new and fun ways to celebrate and we can’t wait to be in community with you again. Here’s to cherishing the last warm days and welcoming the new season with gratitude and enthusiasm!

-David Moschkau, AKC President

WHAT'S NEW

Photo: Summer Picnic

Our annual picnic is one of our favorite AK Connection traditions and last weekend’s event was no exception. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this a special day! 

Order Your AK Connection Swag

Our AK Connection t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and mugs are ready to order! All proceeds will go to support AK Connection events and programming. Special thanks to Jeff Kim for creating our design!

Breaking Down Korean Adoptee Jargon

Like any group, the Korean adoptee community has our own slang. It helps us communicate efficiently but it can sometimes be tough for newcomers to decipher (or even folks who have been in the community for a while!). So each month, we'll break down some of the most common terms and acronyms you might hear from other Korean adoptees. Feel free to suggest other jargon we can demystify!

Acronym: KAD - Korean adoptee 
Pronunciation: Cad (like 'cat' with a 'd' at the end)
Example: I met a bunch of awesome KADs at the summer picnic. 

UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

September 15: AK Connection Chuseok Celebration

Celebrate Chuseok, the Korean harvest festival, with us! Korean adoptees of all ages and their loved ones are welcome. We'll have build-your-own bibimbap bowls (vegetarian options available), crafts and traditional Korean games. We look forward to seeing you there!

Date: Sunday, September 15
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Place: Arbeiter Brewing Company (3038 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406)
Cost: Free

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Sept. 21: Korean Culture Festival
Sept. 22: Dojang Workshop Craft Your Own Korean Stamp
Sept. 29: Adoptee Hub’s Kimchi Festival

PRESIDENT'S NOTE

Happy Summer! 

Now that we’re fully into summer, we’ve been holding more AK Connection events outdoors. While the rain made our June pickleball event last weekend a little harder, we enjoyed the camaraderie and had a good time playing. Even the newbies looked like they were having fun and I think we converted some of them into pickleball enthusiasts.

Another big Korean adoptee summer event is the KAAN conference this coming weekend in Chicago. I will be attending so if you’re there, please say “Hi!”

Finally, we are looking for volunteers to be on a Welcome Committee that can organize social meetups for KADs visiting from out of town. Personally, I know that traveling to a new city by yourself can be lonely and intimidating. If you’re excited about meeting new adoptees from out of state and welcoming them to Minnesota, this would be perfect for you. If interested, send an email to [email protected].

Please check out the rest of our upcoming events this summer - we hope to see you soon!

-David Moschkau, AKC President

WHAT'S NEW

Photos: June Pickleball Event

Despite a little rain, we had so much fun playing pickleball last weekend. Thanks again to those who braved the weather and made it such an enjoyable day!

Korean Adoptee Maker & Artist Showcase

Calling all Korean adoptee artists, makers, performers and other creatives! AK Connection is considering hosting a winter artist showcase and market to highlight your talents, skills and products. If you’re interested in being part of the showcase, email [email protected].

UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

July 27: Bowling Night

Save the date for our AK Connection Bowling Night! Stay tuned - we’ll share more details via Instagram and our Facebook group soon.

August 18: Summer Picnic

We’re excited to bring back our annual AK Connection Summer Picnic! We’ll have Korean food, games, and much more. We'll share more details as we get closer to the event.

Date: Sunday, August 18 
Time: 3-7 p.m. 
Place: Highland Park Picnic Pavilion (1200 Montreal Ave, St. Paul, MN 55116) 

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

June 22 - July 27: Re-Rooting With Jogakbo Sewing Classes
Through June 23: MIA “The Shape of Time: Korean Art Exhibit
June 28-29: Challenging and Changing the Dominant Narrative of Adoption Mini Conference
July 12: Lifelong Issues in Adoption: Reframing the Discourse Through Lived Experience
Sept 29: Adoptee Hub’s Kimchi Festival