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Couples who adopt a child will get W100,000
(US$1=3DW959) a month until the child turns 18 from next year, the Mini=
stry
of Health and Welfare said Tuesday. Under a package to encourage adopti=
on
in the country, they will also get W2 million from the government in
subsidies of adoption fees for orphanages. Currently, those who adopt a
handicapped child are given W525,000 a month=
until
the child turns 18.
Under the new measures, single households will also be allowed to adopt=
a
child.
The package, which is a bid to reduce adoption of Korean children by
couples from overseas, would allow eligible children to be sent abroad =
only
after they fail to find foster parents here for five months. Disabled
children will be exempt.
The ministry decided to leave out a stipulation that applicants have le=
ss
than five children including adopted ones.
According to the ministry, a total of 3,562 children were adopted last
year, but only 1,461 or 41 percent by Koreans. Ninety-six percent of the
disabled children that were adopted found a new home abroad.
(englishnews@chosun.com)
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