"Sotdae 2026: Belonging & Healing" Application

Sotdae 2026: Belonging & Healing

In 2020, G.O.A.'L. introduced Sotdae during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue offering adoptees a chance to return to Korea in search of their origins. Sotdae (솟대) were sacred wooden posts adorned with birds at the top. They were set up in front of villages to commemorate significant life events and were believed to connect the Earth and sky. As adoptees return to Korea, we hope that sotdae also represents connecting adoptees back to Korea.

What sets Sotdae apart from other motherland tours is that G.O.A.'L. focuses on connecting adoptees with Korea through assisting them with the search for their origins through a personalized birth family search. That being said, this program is specifically for adoptees who are interested in performing a search or continuing with their personal search efforts. 

This year, we hope to deepen our commitment to centering the adoptee experience by introducing Sotdae 2026: Belonging & Healing. This year our programming will consist of two total motherland tours adoptees for a week-long, one with 16 adoptees and one with 14 adoptees.
These two motherland tours will, to the best of our ability and depending on applicant demographics, be grouped by age of the participants, acknowledging the diverse histories, experiences, and needs regarding birth search and culture for each generation of adoptee. 

PROGRAM DATES
Group 1	Sunday, June 28 ~ Saturday, July 4
Group 2	Sunday, September 13 ~ Saturday, September 19
EXPENSES
	Covered	Not covered
Programming Fee		Exact programming fee will be confirmed soon and will be due upon acceptance into the program.
Lodging	Twin rooms (two persons share one room)	Additional fee will be incurred for those requesting a single room. Please contact us to discuss single room occupancy surcharges.
Meals	Covered: 6 Breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners (all meals for the duration of the program) Certain drinks, beverages, snacks	Additional drinks, beverages, snacks
Transportation	Transportation from and to the airport on the program start and end date, as well some as public/group transportation to programmed events and meals	Personal transportation (taxis, public transportation) for private matters
Birth Search	Meals, lodging and transportation for you and your volunteer	Cultural or recreational activity expenses furing birth search, beverages, personal transportation (taxis), gifts and additonal cost which exceed the budget
Flight to/from Korea		Airplane ticket to and from Korea
FUNDING SOURCES
National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC)	Staffing and benefits, cultural programming, associated birth search costs, and basic food and lodging costs* *In accordance with federal funding guidelines
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Tuesday, March 31th, 2026 23:59 Korean Standard Time (KST)

 Things to consider before applying

• If you do not have your adoption file, please request it from the NCRC before applying. You will need to provide the date you submitted your Adoption Information Disclosure request. 
  Link NCRC
  

• Airfare is not included. Sotdae is a 7-day group trip for adoptees with a structured, mandatory itinerary and limited free time. Applicants should consider if this format fits their needs and stage in their adoption journey.

• Arriving early or staying longer is recommended, but not covered. The experience can be emotionally intense, so a strong support system is important.

• The schedule is fast-paced, so adjusting to jet lag is essential. Priority may be given to adoptees who have not previously returned or stayed long in Korea, though all may apply.

• The program is for adoptees only; guests are not allowed. Family search services require G.O.A.'L. membership, and the fee covers only program-related costs.

Application Contents

1. 2026 Post Adoption Services: Consent to Collection and Use of Personal Information
2. Registration Details
3. Reason for Application Essay Prompts
• We suggest writing and saving your responses to the essay questions in a separate Word document, etc. in case something goes wrong with the submission process and your application does not go through.

Application Timeline

• Deadline: Tuesday 31th, 2026, 23:59 KST
• Applications will be reviewed, and applicants will be contacted about whether or not they will move to an interview round. If selected for an interview, a time will be scheduled, and interviews will take place online.
• Final selections will be made, and applicants will be notified by April 20 ~ April 24.   

For questions, please email gcr@goal.or.kr

2026 Post Adoption Services

Consent to Collection and Use of Personal information
「2026 입양인 사후서비스」 참가자 개인정보 수집‧이용 동의서

 

In connection with the operation of the "2026 Post Adoption Services", National Center for the Rights of the Child is requesting consent to the collection and use of participants’ personal information. Please read the content carefully and decide whether you agree or not.
아동권리보장원은「2026 입양인 사후서비스」운영과 관련하여 아래와 같이 개인정보를 수집‧이용하고자 합니다. 내용을 자세히 읽으신 후 동의 여부를 결정하여 주십시오.

Details on collection and use of personal information are as below:
개인정보 수집‧이용 내역

Personal information being collected 항목	Purpose of collection and use of personal information 수집목적	Retention period 보유기간
Name, the year of birth, nationality, current address, etc. 성명, 생년, 국적, 거주지역 등	Improving post-adoption services through data-analysis 입양인 사후서비스 사업 참여자 분석, 사업 실적 통계자료 활용	5 years 5년

 

  ※ You may refuse to give consent to the collection and use of your personal information. However, refusing to accept may limit your participation in the services.
위의 개인정보 수집‧이용에 대한 동의를 거부할 권리가 있습니다. 그러나 동의를 거부할 경우 사업 참여에 제한을 받을 수 있습니다.