Caring for the places where history lives.

The history of Korean immigration is shaped by courage and commitment: building lives in unfamiliar places, joining together for Korea’s independence, and creating communities for future generations. HOKF seeks to identify, study, and preserve this legacy—in buildings and places, records and memories—and connect it with life today through preservation and education.

The places that hold Korean memories also tell stories of belonging, exchange, and life within local communities. The halls and churches where immigrants gathered, and the workplaces and neighborhoods where they built their lives, are both Korean American heritage and part of the history of the places they called home. We approach them as shared heritage, working with local communities to understand their significance and find ways to preserve and use them that respect the many memories they hold.

Our work begins in the Americas, but our vision reaches across the world. Even under colonial rule, Koreans far from their homeland refused to surrender hope. They contributed their hard-earned livelihoods to the cause of independence and taught their children the language and history that connected them to their roots. Over time, we aim to extend our work to places around the world that hold the memories of early Korean migration and the independence movement. From recognized landmarks to overlooked sites of everyday life, we seek to uncover and share the hope that earlier generations kept alive.

This work grows more urgent as historic places change, records become scattered, and those who can speak firsthand about their meaning grow fewer. We will document buildings, study historical materials, and bring together the memories of individuals and organizations to develop appropriate approaches to preservation and use. Our goal is to turn research into preservation, and preservation into exhibitions, education, and opportunities for people to gather and learn.

People and collaboration are at the heart of this effort. Across Korea and the global Korean diaspora, there are people with remarkable talent, dedication, and expertise in historic preservation. The Foundation aspires to be an open platform where they can exchange ideas, develop projects, and put their knowledge into practice together. By connecting heritage institutions, practitioners, researchers, educators, and local communities, we seek to build lasting partnerships that care for heritage across borders.

Your records and memories, expertise and enthusiasm give this work its strength. Earlier generations relied on one another to build a future far from home. Today, we can honor that commitment by caring together for the places that hold their stories. We invite you to join us in ensuring that the hope preserved in these places becomes a source of courage and possibility for generations to come.