Friends of Korea

What Friends of Korea does

Friends of Korea is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization (Tax ID 30-0087903) founded in 2013 and headquartered in Washington, DC, whose mission is to foster cultural awareness and friendship between Americans and Koreans. The organization primarily serves former Peace Corps Korea volunteers and staff (the Peace Corps Korea program ran from 1966 to 1981), former Fulbright Fellows who served in Korea, students of Korean language and culture, business visitors to Korea, and the broader public interested in Korean culture, history, food, and US-Korea relations. Day-to-day operations are supported by 8 employees, a volunteer Board of Directors, and a community of members connected through annual meetings, regional events, webinars, and revisit trips to Korea.

The organization's product and programming surface is built around cultural and archival content rather than technology. Core offerings include an annual ($25) and lifetime ($250) membership program, the semi-annual "Yobosayo" newsletter, the "Through Our Eyes: Peace Corps Korea, 1966-1981" photo publication, the "Korean Transformation" 15-minute DVD and study guide, an annual webinar series (2020-2025), annual meetings, and curated revisit trips to Korea. The O'Donnell Distinguished Friend of Korea Award is presented annually, with 2025 honoree Greg Caldwell following recent honorees Jon Keeton (2024) and Donald Mosley (2023). The technology stack is intentionally light: Donorbox for online donations, Constant Contact for email marketing, Zazzle for merchandise, and standard social media (Facebook, YouTube) for outreach, with no proprietary platform, app, or AI capabilities.

Friends of Korea's business model is a subscription-style nonprofit membership operation layered with charitable giving. Recurring annual membership dues at $25 and one-time lifetime memberships at $250 form the dues backbone, supplemented by tax-deductible general donations, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, Donor Advised Fund gifts, monthly recurring giving, and project-specific fundraising (e.g., for the museum project). Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization has no venture capital, private equity, or parent-company backing. Strategic partnerships with the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul, the Korean Cultural Center in Washington DC, the Korea Society, the Korea Foundation, and KOICA/World Friends Korea extend reach and provide institutional credibility but do not constitute material revenue dependencies.

Name

Friends of Korea

Legal name

Friends of Korea

Website

https://friendsofkorea.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of Korea is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that fosters cultural ties between Americans and Koreans, serving former Peace Corps Korea volunteers, Fulbright Fellows, students, and Korea enthusiasts through membership, publications, webinars, annual meetings, and museum partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Exchange Nonprofit Membership Organization

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Alumni Relations & Alumni Engagement Programs (EDALAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student & Alumni Communities (BPAMABAK), Alumni, Reunion & Affinity Group Educational Travel (THAKAGAJ), Community Engagement & Social Integration Programs (Clubs, Events, Volunteering) (EDAIAKAE)

Keywords

• Cultural exchange programs
• Nonprofit membership organization
• Korean cultural education
• Heritage preservation services
• Alumni community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Dues: Annual membership at $25 per year, tax-deductible. Open to anyone who has lived, worked, or volunteered in Korea, is planning business or visits, is a student of Korea or Korean language, or is simply interested in Korea.
2. Lifetime Membership: One-time lifetime membership purchase at $250. Once purchased, members never receive another dues request but may be asked for specific project donations in the future.
3. General Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted online through secure forms or by mail. Donors can dedicate gifts in memory of loved ones or in honor of friends, family members, or colleagues.
4. IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions: Accepts gifts from IRA accounts for donors over age 70 1/2. Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) count toward Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for those 73 and older.
5. Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Gifts: Accepts gifts from Donor Advised Funds, providing tax efficiency and flexibility for strategic philanthropy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Friends of Korea is a nonprofit membership organization that fosters cultural awareness and friendship between Americans and Koreans. It serves former Peace Corps Korea volunteers, staff, Fulbright Fellows, students of Korean language and culture, and general Korea enthusiasts through annual and lifetime memberships, educational publications, webinars, annual meetings, and organized revisit trips to Korea. The organization also partners with Korean cultural institutions on historical preservation and museum exhibits.

Product overview

Friends of Korea is a non-profit organization that fosters cultural awareness and friendship between Americans and Koreans. The organization primarily serves Peace Corps Korea volunteers, staff, and Fulbright Fellows, as well as others interested in Korean culture. Its offerings include a membership program ($25 annual, $250 lifetime), the semi-annual Yobosayo newsletter, educational publications including 'The Korean Transformation' DVD and 'Through Our Eyes' photo book, webinar programs, annual meetings, revisit trips to Korea, and collaborative museum projects. The organization also recognizes outstanding contributions through the O'Donnell Distinguished Friend of Korea Award.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• O'Donnell Distinguished Friend of Korea Award: An award program honoring individuals who have significantly contributed to fostering cultural awareness and friendship between Americans and Koreans.
• KOICA/World Friends Korea

Products and services

• Friends of Korea Membership Program
• Yobosayo Newsletter
• The Korean Transformation DVD and Study Guide
• Through Our Eyes: Peace Corps Korea, 1966-1981
• FoK Webinars
• Revisit Trips to Korea

Quantifiable outcome

• 330+ pounds of artifacts donated to National Museum of Korean Contemporary History
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• National Museum of Korean Contemporary History (대한민국역사박물관)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2016MOU signed for partnership to establish Peace Corps Korea collection at the museum. The museum held a major exhibit from September 12 - November 20, 2016 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps in Korea. More than 35 boxes (330+ pounds) of artifacts were shipped to the museum. Includes histories, photographs, objects, and personal stories from volunteers.
• Korean Cultural Center in Washington DCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 September 2014Korean Cultural Center hosted an exhibition of Neil Landreville's ink brush paintings depicting a Korea known to older generations and former Peace Corps volunteers. Exhibition opening reception on September 5th, 2014 featured photos of the event.
• The Korea SocietyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The Korea Society presented former Peace Corps Korea volunteers with the James A. Van Fleet award in 2008 in New York City, with President Lee Myung-bak attending. This was a significant recognition of the volunteer community's contributions to US-Korea relations.
• Korea FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Korea Foundation hosted the first in a series of revisit trips for former Peace Corps Korea volunteers. The first revisit was especially significant because Kathleen Stephens, a former Peace Corps Korea volunteer, had just arrived in Korea as the new US Ambassador.
• KOICA/World Friends KoreaminorOthersMentioned as a related organization/project area. KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) operates World Friends Korea programs related to international development and cultural exchange.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Korean American Coalition: The Korean American Coalition is a civic advocacy and community organization for Korean-Americans, focused on civic engagement and policy issues. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as a peer engaging the Korean-American community, with overlapping audience on cultural heritage and civic connection.
• US-Korea Institute at SAIS: The US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins SAIS focuses on policy research and public education on US-Korea relations. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as a peer promoting US-Korea understanding, though with a policy-research orientation versus FoK's alumni-cultural focus.

Broad incumbents

• Asia Society: Asia Society is a leading US-based educational organization promoting understanding of Asia through policy, arts, and education programs. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as a broader peer promoting US-Asia cultural awareness, though at a Pan-Asian rather than Korea-specific scope.
• Korea Foundation: Korea Foundation is a major Korean government-affiliated nonprofit promoting international awareness of Korea through grants, exchanges, and cultural programs. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as a peer promoting US-Korea cultural relations, and notably has partnered with FoK on revisit trips.
• The Korea Society: The Korea Society is a major US-based nonprofit fostering US-Korea relations through programming, policy events, and cultural exchange. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as a peer cultural-exchange organization but operates at significantly greater scale and serves a broader Korea-interested audience beyond the Peace Corps cohort.

Others

• KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency): KOICA is the Korean government's development and volunteer-sending agency operating World Friends Korea, which FoK references as a related partner. It is comparable as a programmatic partner in Korea-related international cooperation, rather than a direct competitor for membership.

Direct peers

• Fulbright Association: The Fulbright Association is the alumni organization for former Fulbright program participants, providing networking, events, and cultural-exchange programming. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as an alumni-network peer serving Fulbright Fellows alongside RPCVs, with similar membership-and-events operating model.
• National Peace Corps Association: The National Peace Corps Association is the alumni network for all former Peace Corps volunteers and staff globally. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as a country-agnostic peer serving the same RPCV community model, though at a broader geographic scale.
• Council of Korean Americans: The Council of Korean Americans is a Korean-American leadership and community organization. It is comparable to Friends of Korea as a peer serving US-Korean and Korean-American audiences through community programming and cultural engagement.
• Peace Corps Korea Legacy Foundation: (If separate from FoK) Legacy organizations tied to specific Peace Corps country programs share FoK's exact mission and operating model of preserving country-specific Peace Corps history and connecting former volunteers. Comparability is at the direct peer level for the same RPCV-alumni constituency.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJvx-0qiiQ4cC0n03sfIBzQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoKorea
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-korea

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friends of Korea