Histories of Clubs Hosting RI Conventions

Rotary Club of Seoul, The First Club of South Korea

Rotary International District 3650

Host of the RI Convention of 1989

History of the Seoul Club

The original charter of Seoul Rotary Club from 1927. The name of Seoul Rotary Club during the Japanese colonial period was the Keijo Rotary Club. Keijo is pronounced Kyungsung in Korean, and was the Japanese name for Seoul during the colonial period. The Rotary Club number 2703 under Rotary International is still valid today, making Seoul Rotary Club the first and oldest Rotary Club in Korea. You will note that the charter was canceled in 1941 by Rotary International due to the World War II, until it was reinstated in 1949 under the new name of Seoul Rotary Club.

This is a Seoul newspaper article written during the Korean War detailing the continuing meetings held by the Seoul Rotary Club in Busan. When North Korean invaded Seoul, many of Seoul’s citizens fled to Busan, including most members of the Seoul Rotary Club. It was also during this time that the Seoul Rotary Club members helped to launch the Busan Rotary Club. Note the picture of Dr. M.M. Lee, who is the father of Rotarian Kyung.

Keijo, 1928 charter Dinner

This is the picture of Rotary Club members at the 6th Annual Rotary District 375 Conference held in Seoul on October 1966. Many members of the Seoul Rotary Club were in attendance at the meeting.

This was the Rotary International Asia Regional Conference held in 1979. This was the very first official international conference of any type to be held in Korea. While this picture illustrates another history making event on the part of Rotary Clubs, it also illustrates how truly recent and rapid Korea’s emergence was onto the world stage. The International Olympics were to be held in Korea only 9 years later

The International Convention of Rotary International was held in Korea in 1989, just one year after the 1988 Olympics. The Rotary Clubs in Korea are very active, and the holding of the International Convention in Korea is recognition of the importance of Korea for Rotary International.