The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. The British Council is designated as a charity under the laws of England, Wales and Scotland and operates as a 'non-departmental public body' sponsored by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (the UK counterpart of MOFAT). We are registered in Korea as a branch of a foreign charity. As the UK’s main organisation concerned with international cultural relations, we undertake a broad mission to increase appreciation of the UK's creative ideas and achievements, and to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries including Korea.
Since 1981, the British Council has operated in Korea at the invitation of the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) in accordance with a cultural-exchange agreement between the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. This agreement was updated in 2005 to clearly set out the scope and activities of the British Council in Korea. All the activities we undertake are in accordance with the provisions of this agreement.
We are continually searching for ways to develop our activities in the Republic of Korea. We strive to build understanding and trust, and to provide more and better opportunities for cultural relations between the people of our two countries.