Kim Jong-min, who was adopted to Denmark as a baby, is now trying to find his birth family. On June 3, 1985, he was found at about 9 p.m. wrapped in a yellow blanket at a house doorstep in Yangdeok-dong, Masan, according to adoption agencies. He was about six months old.

Who was Kim Jong-min when he was found?

The Yangdeok police station referred him to the Masan Aeriwon shelter, and on June 28, 1985 he was transferred to Holt Children's Services. After foster care in Gyeongnam and Seoul, he was adopted into a Danish family on November 19, 1985. He was small and weak at the time, measuring 51.5 cm and weighing 3.5 kg, with a cold and heat rash.

Why is the name 'Kim Jong-min' not from his parents?

The Korean name on his records was reportedly given temporarily by the childcare facility or welfare agency. Official documents contain almost no information about his birth or birth parents.

What clue is he relying on?

He points to a large, dark blue birthmark that covers his back from the middle to below the buttocks, with spots on both ankles and upper arms. He says the official records mention only a small mark on the ankle, so he believes anyone who held him as a baby would remember the mark.

Where does the search stand now?

He visited Korea in March 2025 and took a DNA test at a Seoul police station, and his record is registered in an overseas DNA database. So far he has not received a match. He plans to return to Korea with his wife and two children on May 11, 2027.

For international fans

Kim Jong-min's story reflects the experience of many overseas Korean adoptees who search for their roots later in life. Searches like his often depend on DNA databases and any surviving personal details, such as birthmarks.