Our Story:

My name is John Sichi, and I am a left-behind parent. My son and daughter were taken by their mother to South Korea from our home in San Francisco, and they have been held there illegally for years. Before the abduction, I was deeply involved with their daily lives and care, and I miss them so much with every day that goes by of their stolen childhoods. I have been protesting in the streets of Seoul for more than a year trying to be reunited with them. The significance of my daily treadmill protests demonstrates my current situation: taking steps towards my children, yet remaining in the same place. Since October 2022, I have walked over 400 miles on my treadmill - getting close to the distance across the entire Korean peninsula, from North to South. People often say they would walk to the ends of the earth for their children - I mean it!

I am joined by Jay Sung, a fellow left-behind parent, from Seattle; Mike Fallon, from Boston; and many others in the same situation. We all want to bring attention to this systemic flaw in the South Korean government, where there is no enforcement of rulings and where both parents and children suffer.

Courts in both the U.S. and South Korea, including the South Korean Supreme Court, ruled long ago with finality that my children should be returned home to me and California immediately.  However, the South Korean authorities have failed to enforce those court orders, resulting in me being cut off from my children, and them being robbed of their father, their full heritage, their extended family, their language, and even their true identities.  Other left-behind parents from multiple countries (both mothers and fathers) have faced and are facing this exact same heartbreaking situation - every parent's worst nightmare!

In 2013, the Republic of Korea (South Korea) joined the Hague Abduction Convention, a treaty governing international parental child abduction cases such as this one.  In 2022, the US State Department cited South Korea as being non-compliant with its treaty obligations specifically because of my children's case, Jay’s, and others.  We call on South Korea to fulfill its potential as a global leader on the world stage by acting responsibly to resolve this human rights and children's rights horror story, reuniting us with our children immediately.

Also note that all Korean American parents and children involved in US custody cases may be negatively affected by the South Korean government's non-compliance.

You can learn more from the extensive South Korean and international media coverage about our cases below. Major outlets AsianBoss (3.4+ million subscribers) and NextShark (510k subscribers) have covered this issue. Comprehensive information is also available at the protest website, https://www.november13.org, including all court decisions from both California and South Korea.  And you can show your support on social media by using hashtags #letjohnmeetkids #bringbackbryan #bringbabymikehome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video Interviews:

• Asian Boss
• TV Chosun
• SBS Curious Stories Y (English Storyboards)
• MBC True Story Expedition (English Storyboards)
• Fox 13 Seattle
• Ilyo Sisa

Print Articles:

South Korean news

• Joongang Ilbo (US State Department Opinion)
• Korea Herald
• Korea Times
• Korea Pro
• Chosun Biz
• Law Times
• Kookmin Ilbo
• Ilyo Sisa

American news

• NextShark (San Francisco case)
• NextShark (Seattle case)
• San Francisco Standard
• Korea Daily
• Fox News

Thank you for your support!  If you would like to directly assist with the overwhelming costs of trying to resolve these cases, you can contribute via crowdfunding here:

• BringBackBryan gofundme
• BringBabyMikeHome gofundme