Life in Korea
Suwon City, South Korea
Sarah has never taken a DNA test, and because of her circumstances of being left on a train, it is unknown which part of Korea she is from. Nonetheless, the first few years of her life were spent in Suwon City. Suwon is 30 km south of Seoul, the national capital. It has grown from a small settlement to a bustling industrial center throughout history. During the Korean war, the city played a vital role and changed hands four times before becoming a part of South Korea.
Following the war, the country was poverty-ridden and underdeveloped. When Sarah was born in 1969, the economy was at the beginning of a rapid economic boom. However, at the time, many were still reaping the repercussions of the war, and it was not rare for children to be abandoned if their families could not support them. Children would often be left in public places or sold to make a profit. It was also prevalent for single mothers or those sexually assaulted to leave behind their children.
The Orphanage
The orphanage was located in Suwon city, South Korea. The caregivers at the orphanage Sarah a birthday, age, and her first name Mee Jin Jung. Sarah does not remember the name of the orphanage, yet she has vivid memories of her younger years. The building was very small and plain with not enough beds, so many children slept on the floor. Although Suwon is a city, the building was located in the rural countryside with not much activity surrounding it. Every care worker was a woman, and Sarah states, “I didn't know male adults existed until I reached America.” There were some little boys in the orphanage but the vast majority were girls because people viewed male children as more valuable. The orphanage was severely underfunded, and many children, including Sarah, were malnourished.
