35년 만에 美입양 아들과 상봉 친엄마 "꿈만 같아요"

35년만에 친부모 만나는 미국 입양한인 권영진 씨 어린적 모습

[아동권리보장원 입양인지원센터 제공]

(서울=연합뉴스) 왕길환 기자 = 경남 진주시에서 살던 권 모 씨와 김 모(60) 씨는 생활고로 결혼 생활을 유지하기 힘들어지자 생후 5개월 된 아들(권영진)을 부산에 있는 입양기관 홀트아동복지회에 맡겼다.

이후 부부는 이혼했고 각자 가정을 꾸리고 살았지만, 미국에 입양 간 아들을 늘 그리워하며 살면서 언젠가는 만날 수 있기를 희망했다고 한다. 이혼했어도 부부는 연락을 하며 부산에서 살았다고 한다.

1985년 6월 25일 미국 펜실베이니아주 미국인 가정에 입양돼 '스티브 크노르'라는 이름의 미국인으로 산 아들은 비교적 잘 성장해 대형 체인 레스토랑의 주방 매니저로 일하며 결혼해 자식을 낳아 키우는 가장이 됐다.

오매불망 그리워하던 친어머니 김 씨는 더 늦기 전에 아들을 찾아야겠다고 결심하고 지난해 3월 아동권리보장원 입양인지원센터 문을 두들겼다.

그는 이 센터 사이트 내 가족 찾기 게시판에 아들의 신상과 함께 "보고 싶고, 애타게 찾고 있다"는 사연의 글을 올렸다.

1년 후 아들 권 씨는 해당 게시글을 발견한 한 입양인 지원단체로부터 친부모가 자신을 찾고 있다는 소식을 들었다.

"자녀들이 조금 더 크면 입양기관에 문의해 친부모를 찾아보려 했어요. 부모님께서 저를 그토록 찾고 계셨다니 감사하고 행복합니다."

아들은 곧바로 유전자(DNA) 검사를 했고, 그 결과 친자 관계임을 확인했다.

친부모는 "입양 간 아들이 생각날 때마다 입양인과 관련된 기사를 찾아보며 희망을 잃지 않으려 했었다"며 "마침내 아들을 찾아 얼굴을 볼수 있다니 꿈만 같다"고 입양인 지원센터에 소감을 전했다.

친부모는 35년 만에 아들을 찾았지만, 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19)으로 하늘길이 막혀 오도 가도 못하는 상황이지만 30일 입양인지원센터에서 화상으로나마 꿈에도 그리던 아들과 상봉할 예정이다.

ghwang@yna.co.kr

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