Diese Geschichte wurde bereits im Dongari News August 1995 veröffentlicht. By Brenda Paik Sunoo

For Basilio Zanda and Fritz Iten, fate was their hunter. But neither of the Korean-born adoptees, 23, knew of each other's existence until two years ago, when Basilio began a personal search for the Korean family he didn't know. In 1989, he not only discovered he had a twin brother, but that he and Fritz had been living within 100 miles of each other in Switzerland since they were 6 years old.

Since that discovery, Basilio's odyssey has taken him across three continents. From Switzerland to the United States and back to Korea, where he was born. At each leg of his journey, he has been reunited with different members of his lost family: His brother, Fritz; his younger sister, Kimberly, 19; his mother and older brother in Korea. "To find your biological parents... I thinks that's the dream of everyone adopted," Basilio recently told The Korea Times. "Itís what drives you".

The familyís separation took place in 1973. Both boys and their younger sister, Kimberly, were given up for adoption by their widowed mother, Noh Bong-hee, now 53, he explains. "My father died at 35 due to high blood pressure in 1972," Basilio says. "He didnít leave any money. My mother was alone with four kids without a job and couldnít raise us." He and Fritz (then Hyun Wook and Won Wook Chung, respectively) were adopted by two separate Swiss parents; Kimberly by Americans.

Basilio still remembers the first day he met his Swiss family: "I remember when they picked me up at the orphanage," he says, "I had old clothes. My parents came and changed my clothes. In a way I was kind of happy and kind of embarrassed."

At home, among his new parents and four siblings, he attempted to communicate in the only way he knew how. "I talked with them in Korean, especially my father. He seemed to understand me. He always nodded."

Prior to learning about his Korean family, Basilio says he led a typical Swiss lifestyle. He speaks German, Italian and French and has traveled in Europe. And after public school, he became an international chef apprentice and later went to Great Britain to study English. But in spite of his happy childhood and young adult years, he was always aware that he was different. There were no other Asians around, he says.

Solothurn, his hometown, has a population of 16,000. "It is very small. I like the town and know the people on sight. It's safe, not noisy," says the new resident of Los Angeles. He has met few Koreans in Switzerland, but never developed close relationships. He seldom gave thought to his ethnic heritage. After all, why should he? His mother gave him up, he used to think. But that attitude took a sharp turn one day. His mother, he was told, had made recent inquiries about her son. After writing to his Korean mother, Basilio finally received two letters. The first one came from his uncle in the United States.

"I need to tell you some serious news. This might be overwhelming. You have a twin brother. He was adopted in Switzerland and still lives there." From the time he obtained that knowledge, Basilio began a six-month search for Fritz (Iten). "I tried intensely to find him." His brother, it turned out, had been living in a small village named Mollis - as far away as the distance between Los Angeles and San Diego.

The second letter came from his mother in Korea. Basilio then learned of Kimberly, his younger sister, who had also been given up for adoption in 1973. "Back then, it seemed the only fast way for all of us. She said she hoped we understand." The first reunion between brothers was a mixture of excitement and mild disappointment. Basilio had expected to meet an identical twin. Much to his dismay, they didnít look alike. Their personalities and interests were different. Sometimes they argued. When they looked at each other, they thought there had been some mistake. "I have very dark hair and it was long at the time. (Fritz) had very short hair. He had different ear lobes and eyebrows. His whole head shape was different."

But the second reunion, which brought the twins together with Kimberly was better. With the assistance of a Korean American friend and an adoption agency, Basilio and Fritz were able to locate Kimberly (Tessien) in Mankato, Minnesota. What took half a year in Switzerland took only two months in America. Kimberly became the center of attention between her two elder brothers and a mediator if they had a dispute. Last July - barely acquainted for one week - the three siblings flew to Korea to meet their mother and older brother for the first time. Upon their arrival at Kimpo Airport, they first passed through immigration. As the sliding glass doors opened, they spotted seven of their relatives, including their mother. An aunt urged them in Korean to give their mother a hug. Unlike Kimberly, who did so, the two boys just stood there. "We felt awkward."

Because they only spoke German and English, the three children were unable to communicate with their mother in Korean. Nevertheless, their mother seemed to convey her affection by hosting them in her yogwan (inn) and preparing typical Korean meals for her children. Such simple gestures rebonded the family. On the first night, "she made soup-noodles with green onions, salt and red hot sauce."

Since their return, all three adoptees say they want to revisit Korea, spend more time with their Korean family and learn Hangul. Most of all, they want to get acquainted with each other. Their adoptive parents have been supportive all the way, says Basilio. Fritz has since returned to Switzerland, Kimberly, who has a younger American brother, says two older Korean siblings offer her fresh comfort. "Sometimes it helps me get through hard times. I remember the happy times in Korea," she says. As for Basilio, he harbors no bitterness. He accepts both cultures and families, especially his two mothers. "Iím dependent on both. One gave me my life. The other gave me the rest of my life and education," he says.