Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Honolulu

Established as one of the initial five foreign missions, the Consulate General was founded soon after the South Korean Government's inception in 1949. The Consulate General has jurisdiction over the four entities of Hawai’i, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The history of Korean immigration to U.S.A. took its roots in Honolulu, Hawai'i since their arrival in 1903. Despite the hardships endured as sugarcane laborers, Korean Americans in Hawai'i supported their country's independence movement. Currently, roughly 50,000 Korean Americans are involved in various areas within the Hawai’i community by sharing their Aloha spirits.

Hawai’i plays a strategically essential role in maintaining security in the Korean peninsula. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command(INDOPACOM) located in Hawaii, is the largest unified combatant command that oversees 360,000 troops, including the US Forces Korea. INDOPACOM is obligated to provide troops to the Korean peninsula quickly if a war were to occur, reaffirming its key role in the ROK’s security according to the Mutual Defense Treaty. In particular, today, various countries including the ROK have unveiled their versions’ of Indo-Pacific strategy. Thus, it is possible to say that the geopolitical importance of Hawai’i is on the rise.

Furthermore, people and culture are actively exchanged between Hawai’i and Korea. Hawai’i welcomes a significant number of Korean tourists annually, and the local government actively collaborates with ROK at the municipal and provincial levels including fostering sister city relationships. The local community has shown a keen interest in K-drama, K-pop, K-food, and the Korean language.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Honolulu will persist in reinforcing the ROK-US alliance, guaranteeing the safety of Korean nationals in Hawai’i, and moreover, advancing the interests and empowerment of Korean Americans. Mahalo.