The KAB team members are all volunteers and work for free to make the KAB association live, they are all honest and do not benefit from any advantage, each pays his membership fee.
Frédérick Van Der Plassche – KAB President
Frédérick is born in Seoul and was adopted in 1973 by a Belgian (Dutch speaking) family. Has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Speaks Dutch, French & English. Has a daughter (13 years old)
Studied hotel management and now International Flight Attendant at Brussels Airlines
His hobbies are sport, cooking, reading and traveling.
Has been to South Korea several times and has discovered the best food in South Korea.
🎬 Interview of Frédérick (2 videos)
Valérie Dangotte – KAB Vice-President
Valérie is born in Daegu in 1971, aged 1 month old when she’s found and was adopted 5 months later by a Belgian family. Later her parents adopted 2 other Korean children.
Speaks French, English & Dutch, and is legal assistant.
Has 2 sons (30 years old and 27 years old).
Her hobbies are watching Kdrama, listening to BTS’s songs (proud being an ARMY), traveling and being also the Vice-President of another non-profit organization which collects food from the supermarket and gives it to homeless and people in need. Is also group leader of another non-profit organization which helps disabled people.
Takes Korean classes (twice a week) in King Sejong Institute.
Came to Korea in 1998 (first time) with a program for Adoptees : YWCA, in 2017 (with her younger son), in April/May 2023 with some friends. Has already visited many Korean cities such as Seoul, Daegu, Busan, Jeju, Gyeongju, Jeonju, Andong
Sarah Maréchal – KAB Public Relations
Sarah is born in Busan and was adopted in 1973 by a Belgian family.
Has Belgian-native older brother & sister.
Speaks French, English & Dutch.
Has 1 daughter (21 years old) & 1 son (18 years old)
Began studying fashion design then set her sights on studying library science at a college of higher education, and art history (contemporary art) at the University of Brussels.
Is an administrative assistant in a European institution in Brussels.
Her hobbies are painting, music, literature, cinema, sports and travelling.
Was in South Korea for the 1st time (Seoul and Busan) in April 2011 on the occasion of the annual International Conference of Korean Journalists, as a “special guest”.
Discovered Korean cinema and Kdramas (which she is a fan of!) on long-haul flights, and Korean food thanks to the Shilla and Korea Market stores and Hana & Itaewon restaurants that have opened in the European capital.
Playing the harp and learning the changgo (janggu), Korean drum, since a workshop was held at the Korean Cultural Center in March 2022.
Took Korean culture courses at IHECS and Korean in 2021 with the King Sejong Institute, and has been taking private lessons with Ran Choi since 2022.
Myriam Lefrancq – KAB Secretary
“I was born in Seoul in 1975 and arrived in Belgium when I was 15 months old.
I spent most of my childhood in the Dinant region and I now live in Brussels.
Trained as a jurist, I now work in the social security sector.
I was lucky enough to reunite with my biological family at the age of 30. I went to visit them in 2005 and 3 years later, my family came to Belgium for ten days. I thus found my two sisters, my two brothers and my dad (my mom having died when I was 2 months old).”
Ran Choi – KAB Public Relations (Korean)
Ran is KAB Public Relations (Korean), and is also Korean language teacher
Maryse Josse – KAB Event Manager
My Korean name is Hyun Ja Oh.
I arrived in Belgium on December 26, 1976, at the age of 5 and a half.
I was adopted into a Belgian-French family in Mons. It was only later, at the age of 51, that I started searching for my Korean roots. Perhaps it takes sufficient maturity to receive, accept, and forgive. At 52 years old (already!), I am in a relationship and have two daughters, aged 30 and 21. I work in the public service of Wallonia in project management.
I am happy to volunteer with the KAB group because I find a sense of belonging to a community there. It allows me to share my experiences as an adoptee and reconcile with Korea.
Helping other Koreans to go through the same journey has a deep meaning for me and helps me feel fulfilled.
Michael Cheung – KAB IT Manager
Michael is KAB IT Manager
Valérie Maquinay – Penningmeester KAB
Hallo, mijn Koreaanse naam is Han Hyun-Mee. Ik ben geboren in Zuid-Korea en op 2-jarige leeftijd gevonden in Masan. Op 2,5-jarige leeftijd ben ik geadopteerd door een Belgisch gezin in de regio Luik (Verviers).
Ik heb gestudeerd om lerares lager onderwijs te worden, maar omdat ik geen werk kon vinden in mijn vakgebied, heb ik een opleiding gevolgd in management-accountancy. Na gewerkt te hebben in Vilvoorde en Brussel, ben ik naar Henegouwen verhuisd, en werk ik al 14 jaar als assistent-accountant voor een vzw in de buurt van Bergen.
Ik heb al 10 jaar een relatie en heb twee prachtige dochters, Amélie (19 jaar) en Abigaël (15 jaar).
Ik hou van reizen, koken (vooral de Koreaanse keuken), breien, haken en het kijken van K-drama’s. Mijn favoriete acteurs zijn Lee Joon-Gi, Song Joong-Ki, Kim Soo-Hyun en Ji Chang-Wook.
Mijn eerste reis naar Korea was in oktober 2022, en het was de mooiste reis die ik ooit heb gemaakt. Voor het eerst in mijn leven voelde ik me thuis en werd ik vervuld van ongelooflijke voldoening toen ik door de verschillende straten van de steden liep die ik had bezocht. Ik had me nog nooit zo goed gevoeld in mijn hele leven.
Sinds augustus 2023 volg ik privélessen Koreaans bij Ran.
Ik ben lid geworden van K-A-B om meer te leren over adoptie, andere geadopteerden te ontmoeten, te delen, uit te wisselen en deel uit te maken van deze gemeenschap die uniek voor ons is.