On January 13, 1903, the first Korean immigrants set foot in America by way of Hawaii. As there are now over 2.5 million Korean Americans in the US with a broad range of contributions to society, the President and Congress formally recognized January 13 as Korean American Day in honor of this event and their contributions.
Many states and cities now host their own celebrations each year, including Georgia. This year’s theme in Atlanta was “Globalizing Korean Culture and Cuisine.” A kick-off celebration was hosted by the Korean American Foundation at the Georgia State Capitol on January 23, followed by a celebration featuring various traditional foods (bibimbap, kimchi, rice cakes) and musical performances at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on January 24. KAC members were present at both events to lead the festivities in promoting the Korean culture to state leaders and guests at the International Terminal.
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