South Korea Embassy Washington

Before your visit

• Location: The embassy is in the Kalorama Heights area of Washington, D.C., about 2.5 km in a straight line from the White House; the nearest large airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), about 7.1 km away. The nearest Metro station is Dupont Circle (about 1.1 km). (distances: OpenStreetMap, airports: FAA passenger boarding data CY 2025)

About the Embassy of South Korea in the United States

The ambassador is Kyung-wha Kang, who presented the credentials on 17 October 2025, according to the State Department’s Order of Precedence. According to the Korean foreign ministry (accessed 22 October 2026), South Korea has 10 consulates general and 2 consulates in the United States: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington. In South Korea, the United States is represented by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul (kr.usembassy.gov), according to the Congressional Directory.

Do Korean citizens need a visa for the United States?

South Korea takes part in the US Visa Waiver Program: its citizens can visit the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa, but they need an approved ESTA travel authorisation before travelling (Department of Homeland Security; 8 CFR 217.2).

Other embassies in Washington, D.C.

179 other countries are represented in Washington, D.C., among them: Kosovo (embassy), Kuwait (embassy), Kyrgyzstan (embassy), Laos (embassy), Latvia (embassy), Lebanon (embassy), Lesotho (embassy), Liberia (embassy), Libya (embassy), Liechtenstein (embassy), Lithuania (embassy), Luxembourg (embassy), Madagascar (embassy), Malawi (embassy), Malaysia (embassy), Mali (embassy), Malta (embassy), Marshall Islands (embassy), Mauritania (embassy), Mauritius (embassy). The full list of all 180 missions is on the overview page for the United States.

Closing days

The eleven US federal holidays are New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth (19 June), Independence Day (4 July), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans Day (11 November), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) and Christmas Day. A holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on the Friday before, one that falls on a Sunday on the Monday after – in 2027, for example, on 18 June, 5 July and 24 December. The embassy may also close on public holidays of South Korea.

Emergency assistance

In an emergency, Korean citizens should call the embassy on +1 202-939-5600. In the United States, dial 911 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police (GOV.UK travel advice). US citizens who need consular help in South Korea can contact the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.

Diplomatic missions of South Korea in the United States

South Korea in the United States

The nearest other Korean office is the Consulate General (District in Washington, in the same city. Distances in brackets are straight-line distances from Washington, D.C..

• Washington, D.C. – Embassy of South Korea in the United States (this page)
• Anchorage – Consulate (Alaska)
• Atlanta (870 km) – Consulate General (Georgia)
• Boston (630 km) – Consulate General (Massachusetts)
• Chicago (960 km) – Consulate General (Illinois)
• Dallas (1,900 km) – Consulate (Texas)
• Honolulu – Consulate General (Hawaii)
• Houston (1,960 km) – Consulate General (Texas)
• Los Angeles – Consulate General (California)
• New York (330 km) – Consulate General (New York)
• San Francisco – Consulate General (California)
• Seattle – Consulate General (Washington)
• Washington (same city) – Consulate General (District of Columbia)