The Korea Foundation (KF; ) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

public diplomacy In international relations, public diplomacy broadly speaking, is any of the various government-sponsored efforts aimed at communicating directly with foreign publics to establish a dialogue designed to inform and influence with the aim of bui ...

organization established in 1991 to promote a better understanding of Korea and strengthen friendships in the

international community The international community is a term used in geopolitics and international relations to refer to a broad group of people and governments of the world. Usage Aside from its use as a general descriptor, the term is typically used to imply the ...

. 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. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

and foreign countries to cultivate mutual understanding.

History

Amid the

Republic of Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

'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 The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

, 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, ) was established in 1991 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea as a governmental organization for Official Development Assistance (ODA). KOICA's goal is to enhance the effectivene ...

(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 landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

, Korea,

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...

, and

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

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 engagement ...

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. These resources can be either freshwater from natural sources, or water produced artificia ...

Establishment of the ASEAN Culture House (ACH)

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

ASEAN The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...

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 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 Administrative divisions of South Korea, 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 inclu ...

Jeju Province Jeju Province (; ), officially Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (Jeju language, Jeju: ; ), is the southernmost Provinces of South Korea, province of South Korea, consisting of eight inhabited and 55 uninhabited islands, including Marado, Udo ...

, 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 Korean studies is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of Korea, which includes South Korea, North Korea, and Korean diaspora, diasporic Korean populations. Areas commonly included under this rubric include History of Korea, Korean hi ...

. The foundation has supported the Korea Institute at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

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 university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

in the US; the

School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS University of London; ) 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 area ...

in the UK; the

Free University of Berlin The Free University of Berlin (, often abbreviated as FU Berlin or simply FU) is a public university, public research university in Berlin, Germany. It was founded in West Berlin in 1948 with American support during the early Cold War period a ...

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 Brookings, is an American think tank that conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics (and tax policy), metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, global econo ...

, 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. From its founding in 1962 until 1987, it was an affiliate of Georgetown University, initially named the Center for Strategic and Inte ...

(CSIS), and the

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWICS) or Wilson Center is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topi ...

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

International Institute for Strategic Studies The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is an international research institute or think tank focusing on defence and security issues. Since 1997, its headquarters have been at Arundel House in London. It has offices on four co ...

(IISS) in London, among others.

Arts and cultural 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 Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...

in London; the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

in New York and the

Guimet Museum The Guimet Museum (full name in ; ''MNAAG''; ) is a Parisian art museum with one of the largest collections of Asian art outside of Asia that includes items from Cambodia, Thailand, Viet Nam, Tibet, India, and Nepal, among other countries. Found ...

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 SOAS University of London from 1991 to 2001. Profile Martina Deuchler developed her interest in Korea by way of Chinese and Ja ...

, 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 tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Univ ...

; the

Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) is one of the major Foreign policy of China, foreign affairs organizations of the People's Republic of China. The organization is officially termed a "people's organ ...

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

President

Gheewhan Kim (September 2022present) * 1981 LL.B., Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea * 1990 LL.M., University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, Diploma for International Law, University of Cambridge * 1983–2018 Foreign service of the Republic of Korea

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) *Geun Lee (2019 – 2022)