The Korea branch of the RAS was born in June 1900, when seventeen men from three countries
(Germany, Great Britain, and America) met to form a branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of London.
These founding fathers came from all walks of life: some had been members of the Society in
London, and others were scholars and businessmen who were interested in forming a group to expand
their knowledge of Korea and the Far East.
Turbulent periods in the peninsula's history, such as the Korean War, resulted in the curtailment of
many of the society's activities and the halting of the publication of the annual journal. The group
began to flourish again in the 1960s, when it began its semi-monthly meetings, publications on
various Korean subjects and tours throughout Korea and other parts of Asia.
RAS Tours
One way the RAS strives to develop understanding of Korean culture is through tours, which are
conducted from January to July and August to September. The RAS attempts to create a family-type,
non-commercial atmosphere. The tour guides are RAS members (not professional guides), which
helps to personalize the tours. The trips are a great way to learn about Korea, as most are to places
of cultural and historical interest. Since tours are conducted in English, it makes learning much easier
for the newcomer. Mountain climbing, boat trips, picnics and full weekend tours are just a few
examples of what the RAS sponsors. Anyone can attend these tours, but the price is 20% lower for
RAS members, who also have priority.
RAS Publications
Korean culture and the Orient have fascinated the people of Western civilization for centuries. To feed
that fascination, many have turned to countless books that have been published on Korea and other
Oriental cultures. Many of these books, which document the arts, history, literature, and customs of
these countries, have been written under the auspices of the RAS and line the shelves of the society's
Korea branch office located near the historic East Gate in downtown Seoul. From October 1900, the
year the Society was founded, the RAS began publishing its first issues of Transactions,
the Society's annual journal. Along with Transactions the RAS sponsors the publication
of numerous books on Korean topics every year and releases an annual publication list of informative
books on Korea that have been published elsewhere.
RAS Lectures
The RAS currently conducts lecture meetings every second and fourth Wednesday evening, at the
Daewoo Foundation Building Auditorium (11 floor) at 7:30 p.m. Experts in various fields speak on
a wide range of topics. Some examples are a recent slide show on Korean embroidery, and a lecture
on the impact of Confucian cultural attitudes on business performance. The meetings are free of
charge and open to the public, with the average attendance running close to 100 people.
Announcements can be found in local English language newspapers.
RAS Membership
The RAS has over 1,500 members in over twenty countries, 1,000 being local members and 500
members not residing in Korea. Members are from a variety of professions, all of whom want to
learn something about Korea. In addition to discounts on RAS tours and books, members receive a
copy of Transactions. The membership fee is US$20 per year for overseas members,
which gives a copy of Transaction, a quarterly newsletter of Korean News, and 10% off
the price of books.
For further information:
Royal Asiatic Society
CPO Box 255
Seoul
Korea
Tel: +82-2-763 9483
Fax: +82-2-766 3796
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