Q: Why are there so many Korean-born adoptees around the world? And why is Korea known as the "Cadillac" of Overseas Adoptions?

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A: Fundamentalist Christians Harry and Bertha Holt, major players in setting up the child welfare system in Korea, recruited world-famous evangelist Rev. Billy Graham to dedicate the Holt's reception center in February of 1956. According to the victims, the Holts used their religious affiliation as justification to gather the world's children and thus received a "Cadillac" stamp of approval despite taking children from living and loving mothers and stigmatizing the children falsely as "orphans" in the West. Thus, "ethical" adoption laws prevent "orphans" from inheriting our innate, natural, and God-given rights to --not just our "unwed" mothers, but our biological family, culture, and country of birth --not just during our childhoods, but 70 years after the Korean war ended. The permanency involved with overseas adoption has been a blatant human rights violation. But we seriously doubt anyone cares to help victims attain justice. They [the multi-billion dollar industry, customers, adoptive parents, and the demand side of the global child market] are too blinded by willful ignorance and religious, political, and financial power. We [victims] need to stay "positive" and drink the Kool-Aid or risk being labeled "anti-adoption." In other words, they want our souls.

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Rev. Dr. Janine Vance,

Curator at AdoptionHistory.org

Author of the textbook Adoption History: An Adoptee's Research.

*Also available in audio as Adoption: What You Should Know

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Bertha and Harry Holt's Impact in South Korea: A Legacy of Authoritative Saviorism?

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Harry Holt, recognizing Billy Graham’s fame in the United States, Korea, and worldwide, invited the renowned minister to dedicate his Reception Center. 1956 around 50,000 Koreans traveled to Seoul to hear the reverend speak. South Korea’s first President, Syngman Rhee—a Methodist minister trained at Harvard University—welcomed Graham, marking a significant occasion.

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South Korea, with a population of approximately 30 million, was primed for evangelism. Church leaders and Christian educators rallied around the vision: “Let’s Win 30 Million Koreans for Christ.” Billy Kim, an interpreter at Billy Graham’s 1973 Crusade, echoed this sentiment.

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Billy Graham held two impactful crusades in South Korea—one in the 1950s and another in 1973. The latter was the largest in his ministry’s history, and it unfolded in Seoul at Yoi-do Plaza from May 30 to June 3. Over five days, approximately 3.2 million people attended, with 1.1 million present on the final day alone. Around 75,000 people indicated their decision for Christ during this transformative event.

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Graham’s crusades aimed to convert Koreans to Christianity, inviting them to accept Jesus as their Savior and pray together. Over 58 years, he reached over 210 million people face-to-face and through satellite feeds across 85 countries. His ministry left an indelible global impact, and the South Korean crusades exemplify this legacy. The 50th anniversary of Billy Graham’s 1973 crusade marked a turning point—the number of Christians in South Korea tripled since that historic event.

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Beyond crusades, Billy Graham’s influence extended to U.S. presidents, from Harry Truman to George W. Bush. His counsel, prayers, and personal connections played a role in almost every presidential election between 1952 and 2000. His legacy as “The Preacher and the President” endures, reminding us of the lack of justice for millions of adoptees due to the use of religion to control populations worldwide.