The Korea Foundation (

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

: 한국국제교류재단,

Hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, ...

: 韓國國際交流財團) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

public diplomacy organization established in 1991 to promote a better understanding of Korea and strengthen friendships in the international community. The foundation carries out various projects for exchange between the

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

and foreign countries to cultivate mutual understanding.

History

Amid the Republic of Korea's rapid economic growth from the late 1970s to the 1980s as well as the country's concomitant democratization and the upheaval in the international community after the Cold War, an overhaul of Korea's foreign policy strategy became inevitable. Having demonstrated its enhanced capabilities by successfully hosting the 10th Asian Games in 1986 and the 24th Summer Olympics in 1988 in Seoul had a lasting impact on how the world viewed Korea. Subsequently, the idea for an international exchange organization was born that would serve as a single point of contact and support exchange projects in various fields. In September 1989, the Korean parliament began an official debate about the establishment of the Korea Foundation, which eventually led to the adoption of the Korea Foundation Act on December 14, 1991.

Organization

The Korea Foundation is affiliated with Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which oversees three affiliate organizations – the Korea Foundation, the Overseas Korean Foundation (OKF), and the

Korea International Cooperation Agency The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA, Korean: 한국국제협력단, Hanja: 韓國國際協力團) was established in 1991 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea as a governmental organization for Official Development ...

(KOICA). All three are dedicated to advancing Korea's diplomatic relations with the rest of the world. The Korea Foundation currently has 4 bureaus, under which 130 staff work in 13 departments. Its headquarters and the KF Global Center are located in Seoul. In addition, the foundation maintains 8 overseas offices on 3 continents, including in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Hanoi, and Jakarta.

Establishment of the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat

In 2017, the Korea Foundation launched two new initiatives. In July 2017, the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat commenced its work. It serves as a platform for the nations of

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

, Korea,

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...

, and

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...

from which to develop practical and future-oriented mutual cooperation. In doing so, it aims to aid the implementation and diversification of initiatives handled by the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, the multilateral consultative group launched in 2007. The Secretariat is coordinated by the Korea Foundation, which oversees projects in a variety of fields, including medicine, tourism, arts and culture,

youth leadership Youth leadership is the practice of teens exercising authority over themselves or others. Youth leadership has been elaborated upon as a theory of youth development in which young people gain skills and knowledge necessary to lead civic engageme ...

forums, and

water management Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slight ...

Establishment of the ASEAN Culture House (ACH)

Since September 2017, the Korea Foundation is in charge of operating the newly established

ASEAN ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

Culture House (ACH) in Busan. The vision of this venue is to provide a lively platform to enhance Koreans’ understanding of the cultures and societies of ASEAN countries. The ACH is a venue for cultural exchanges and networking between Koreans and ASEAN residents in Korea, and facilitates collaboration between Korea's local and

regional governments In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and ...

in introducing ASEAN culture. The plan to establish the ACH was one of the outcomes of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit held in Busan in 2014 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations.

Relocation of Korea Foundation headquarters

In July 2018, the Korea Foundation relocated its main office to

Seogwipo Seogwipo () is the second-largest city on Jeju Island, settled on a rocky volcanic coastline in the southern part of Jeju Province, South Korea. In July 2006, Seogwipo's boundaries were expanded to include the entire southern half of Jeju island. ...

Jeju Province Jeju Province, officially Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, is one of the nine provinces of South Korea. The province comprises Jeju Island (; ), formerly transliterated as Cheju or Cheju Do, the country's largest island. It was previously k ...

, pursuant to the Special Act on the Construction of and Support of Innovation Cities Following Relocation of Public Agencies.

Activities

Support for Korean studies

The Korea Foundation extends support to international universities for the establishment of Korean studies professorships, employment of contract faculty members, and appointment of visiting professors to advance Korea-related education and scholarship. Under an array of programs, including fellowships for graduate and postdoctoral studies, as well as fellowships for field research and Korean language training, the foundation assists graduate students and scholars in their research endeavors. The foundation also organizes Korean studies workshops for non-Korean educators to aid their Korea-related classroom instruction and develop cooperative networks. In addition, the foundation implements various special projects to promote Korean studies and foster the next generation of Koreanists. The foundation has supported the Korea Institute at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the Center for Korean Studies at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California S ...

in the US; the

School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London SOAS University of London (; the School of Oriental and African Studies) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury ar ...

in the UK; the

Free University of Berlin The Free University of Berlin (, often abbreviated as FU Berlin or simply FU) is a public research university in Berlin, Germany. It is consistently ranked among Germany's best universities, with particular strengths in political science and t ...

in Germany; among others. In addition, it has supported the establishment of Korean studies professorships at around 120 international universities and over 6,000 scholars and students who conducted research on Korea under the foundation's fellowship programs.

Global networking

The Korea Foundation invites distinguished individuals to enable them to obtain firsthand knowledge and experiences about Korea. It also implements exchange programs for next-generation leaders and youths to facilitate future-oriented people-to-people relationships. In addition, the foundation organizes and supports international forums, which serve as a regular channel of dialogue at the non-governmental level. It also provides grants to important think tanks and research institutes conducting Korea-related policy research, including the

Brookings Institution The Brookings Institution, often stylized as simply Brookings, is an American research group founded in 1916. Located on Think Tank Row in Washington, D.C., the organization conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in e ...

, the

Center for Strategic and International Studies The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. CSIS was founded as the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University in 1962. The center conducts polic ...

(CSIS), and the

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (or Wilson Center) is a quasi-government entity and think tank which conducts research to inform public policy. Located in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Wash ...

, all in Washington, D.C., as well as the

International Institute for Strategic Studies The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England. The 2017 Global Go To Think ...

(IISS) in London, among others.

Culture and arts exchange

The Korea Foundation organizes and supports a wide variety of performances and exhibitions presenting Korean culture and arts. It also offers support for cultural programs held at the Korean sections of prestigious international museums in order to make Korean culture more accessible to global audiences. To help foreign residents in Korea acquire a better understanding of Korea and provide the Korean public with an opportunity to learn more about foreign cultures, the foundation hosts a variety of arts and cultural events through its KF Global Center and the KF Gallery. Since its inception, the foundation organized over 1,000 exhibitions, performances and festivals, and helped establish 28 Korean galleries at prominent overseas museums, including the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

in London; the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

in New York and the

Guimet Museum The Guimet Museum (full name in french: Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet; MNAAG; ) is an art museum located at 6, place d'Iéna in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. Literally translated into English, its full name is the Nationa ...

in Paris; among others.

Publishing and multimedia resources

The Korea Foundation supports the publication of Korea-related books in foreign languages, and the acquisition of Korea-related materials and multimedia content by universities, libraries, and research institutes around the world. The foundation also supports the airing of Korean TV dramas and films to global viewers to deepen their understanding of Korea and boost the popularity of contemporary Korean culture. Its efforts to introduce Korean culture, history and society to the global community include the publication of a quarterly magazine, titled Koreana. Initially launched as an English-language magazine, ''Koreana''’s print issue is now available in a total of nine languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish and is distributed in some 160 countries.

''Koreana''

The Korea Foundation's quarterly, ''Koreana'', has dealt with a broad spectrum of Korean arts and culture, ranging from Paleolithic relics to contemporary media and installation art; from the splendid royal court culture of the Joseon Dynasty to today’s street art and fashion, from literature to film and various other cultural genres. In doing so, the magazine has helped people around the world to appreciate the universality and distinctiveness of Korean culture and also contributed to the mission of the Korea Foundation: “Connecting People, Bridging the World.” In 2017, Koreana marked its 30th anniversary by publishing a first-ever Korean language print issue. The quarterly's past and current issues are freely accessible online as webzines. Alternatively, readers from around the world can subscribe for one to three years and have the magazine mailed to them.

Korea Foundation Award

Established in 2008, the Korea Foundation Award acknowledges the achievements of those who have dedicated themselves to raise awareness of Korea and enhance international friendship. In 2017, the award was presented to Kyong-hee Lee, chief editor of quarterly magazine Koreana. Past awardees include

Martina Deuchler Martina Deuchler (born 1935 in Zurich) is a Swiss academic and author. She was a professor of Korean studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) from 1991 to 2001. Profile Martina Deuchler developed her interest in Korea by ...

, Emerita Professor of Korean Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London; John Duncan, Director of the Center for Korean Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); Ho-Min Sohn, Professor of Korean Language and Linguistics at the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the

University of Hawaii at Manoa A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

; the

Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC, or in short) is one of the major foreign affairs organizations of the People's Republic of China. The organization manages China's sister city relationships. Its ...

; and Hartmut Koschyk, Co-Chairman of Korea-Germany Forum and Head of Germany-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Association.

President

Geun Lee (September 2019present) * Professor of International Relations, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University * Former President, Korea Institute for Future Strategies * Former Professor, Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS)

Former Presidents

* Hyeok-in Yu (Jan. 3 – Oct. 9, 1992) * Chu-whan Son (Oct. 26, 1992 – Dec. 29, 1994) * Chang-yoon Choi (Dec. 31, 1994 – Mar. 30, 1996) * Jung-won Kim (Apr. 29, 1996 – Feb. 24, 1998) * Joung-binn Lee (Apr. 10, 1998 – Jan. 14, 2000) * In-ho Lee (Feb. 21, 2000 – Dec. 29, 2003) * In-hyuk Kwon (Jan. 6, 2004 – Jan. 5, 2007) * Sung-joon Yim (Feb. 27, 2007 – Feb. 26, 2010) * Byung-Kook Kim (Jun. 14, 2010 – Mar. 1, 2012) * Woosang Kim (Mar. 1, 2012 – May. 10, 2013) * Hyun-seok Yu (May 13, 2013 - May 11, 2016) *Sihyung Lee (May 12, 2016 - Sep. 15, 2019)