Korean Association of Greater Cleveland

Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Korean Association of Greater Cleveland is an important Korean social and cultural institution.

Koreans were among the last immigrant groups to come to Ohio. A sizable number of Koreans did not arrive in Ohio until the 1950s, following the Korean War. Many of these people were refugees from North Korea or were South Koreans hoping to find more opportunity in the United States. Still, Korean immigration remained relatively small until the late 1960s and 1970s, when the United States government eased immigration requirements. With this relaxation of requirements, another surge in Korean immigration occurred, with several thousand Koreans settling in Ohio. The largest number of Korean immigrants settled in Cleveland, which boasted a Korean population of nearly 1,100 people by 1980.

Although they now resided in the United States of America, many Korean migrants still sought to maintain ties to their native homeland. For example, Cleveland Koreans established the Korean Association of Greater Cleveland in 1966. At the time of this writing, this organization continues to serve as a social and cultural organization. It sponsors various festivals that celebrate and educate others about Korean customs. In 1976, the Korean Association of Greater Cleveland claimed two thousand members. Ten years later, the organization's membership had soared to more than five thousand people.