Approved by Rotary International for Charter No.2703 as the Kyungsung, or Keijo, Rotary, the Seoul Rotary Club (Rotary International, Zone 9, District 3650) was first inaugurated on November 10, 1927. The club started its initial activities with 21 founding members at and a mere FOUR of them were ethnic Koreans.

Inaugurated at the time of Japanese colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula, however, the club suffered constant oppression to dissolve its activities. There were times, therefore, when the Rotary members had to disguise its club name as ‘The Wednesday Club’ in order to avert the surveillances of the Japanese police and continue its Rotarian activities.

In 1945, the initial Kyungsung Roatry was dissolved, together with the end of the World War II.

On March 27, 1948, the club was re-organized as the Seoul Rotary Club by 16 ethnic Koreans and six foreigners in town. A year later on March 29, 1949, owing to the efforts of YMCA Secretary General Mr. George A. Pitch and Mr. LEE, Tae-Hwan, the Rotary International finally restored and approved the valid status of the Seoul Rotary Club.

The three-year long Korean War (1950-53) did not halt the dedicated Seoul Rotarians- the club continued to meet in Pusan and served the war-wrecked communities throughout the conflict.

Today, as of April 2006, the Seoul Rotary Club boasts 120 members in total from various countries like Korea, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand and The United States as well as The United Kingdom. Consequently, the club’s official language is English, by which the club operates and manages all its meetings and gatherings, making it easily accessible for any visiting Rotarians from overseas!

The Seoul Rotary Club today is also a home to a great number of foreign ambassadors registered as Honorary Members and they include:

Algeria, Australia, The United Kingdom, Canada, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland.

The organization of the Seoul Rotary Club is consisted of President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer and five Co-Chairpersons as well as various Sub-Committees like Membership, Community Service Projects, The Rotary Fund Raising & Management, the Public Relations, the Club Administration, Sergeant-at-Arms and Programmes.

Among many activities and services rendered to the community by The Seoul Rotary Club, the club’s focus has always been providing many youngsters with opportunities for education. Such schools as Ewha Women’s University, Korea University of Foreign Studies and Hwikyung Girls’ High School receive scholarships from the club on a regular basis. The club also provides scholarships to foreign students whose studies are focused on Korea, and Korean students studying overseas.

Many Korean local orphanages, nursing homes, homes for the disabled, homes for single mothers and various types of rehabilitation centres are also major beneficiaries of the Seoul Rotary club’s community service and charity projects. Some of the notable ones are the Salvation Army Nursing Home, Salvation Army Orphanage, Sundeok Orphanage, Home of Kyonam, Aeran-won and the School of Freedom Site.

While the Seoul Rotary Club pursues all the worthy causes in the local and global communities, we would like to invite both Korean local and foreign individuals to visit our club, and to encourage each one of you to get actively involved in the activities organized and pursed by our dedicated Rotarians.

SERVICE above SELF!