Norway halts adoptions from 4 Asian nations

Copenhagen, January 16

Norway is halting adoptions of children from the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan and South Korea pending an investigation into several allegedly illegal cases, a Norwegian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs told the VG newspaper that families already assigned a child from the Philippines, Thailand or Taiwan would be allowed to complete the adoption process, but only after an assessment by the agency.

Couples who received approval to adopt from South Korea also will be permitted to proceed even if they were not yet matched with a child, the reported said. A majority of the children adopted in Norway come from South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines and Colombia, according to national statistics.

The head of the directorate, Hege Nilssen, said earlier this month that an examination of the adoption system was needed following media reports of allegedly illegal adoptions. VG reported that some children in the Philippines were sold and given false birth certificates. — AP