Hundreds of Korean adoptees from all over the world will gather in Seoul this week.

The International Korean Adoptee Associations will hold their third annual adoptee gathering here, with the aim of promoting dialogue and a greater understanding between Korean adoptees abroad and Korean society.

IKAA Gathering 2010 will kick off with an opening ceremony Tuesday and end Sunday with a closing concert.

The IKAA’s latest gathering held in Seoul in 2007 attracted over 650 people, but this year they are expecting more than 800 participants, making it the largest Korean adoptee conference in the world.

The gathering will host a number of activities for adoptees and their family, such as a film festival, poker tournament and an adoptee world cup.

There will be workshops and sessions to discuss a broad range of topics from Korean history to self-identity and even dating for Korean adoptees. There will also be a research symposium in which scholars worldwide will present their findings on Korean adoption. During a business seminar the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency will serve as a bridge for Korean adoptees and Korean nationals by helping them develop professional relationships.

After the gathering, adoptees can choose to participate in a tour of Korea led by Tim Holm, president of the IKAA. They will visit Jeju Island, Busan and Gyeongju, which was the capital of the Shilla Dynasty and contains many historical sites.

The IKAA, in 2004, was established to provide the Korean adoptee community with a means to share information. They also aim to “strengthen cross-cultural relations and innovate post adoption services,” says the IKAA website.

The IKAA is a network that includes multiple organizations from all over Europe and the U.S.

Tim, also a Korean adoptee himself, has been a part of Korean adoptee organizations for over 20 years.

By Robert Lee (rjmlee@heraldcorp.com)