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History

Tracing the friendship between San Francisco & Seoul

Since 1976, mayors, students, artists and neighbors have built a friendship across 9,000 km. Here are some of the moments that shaped it.

Our Timeline

  1. 1976
    May 18

    San Francisco and Seoul become sister cities

    The two cities sign a joint communiqué establishing their sister city relationship, pledging exchanges in administration, culture, the economy and more.

    Signing the sister city agreement, May 18, 1976.
    Signing the sister city agreement, May 18, 1976.
  2. 1984
    November 11

    Mayor Dianne Feinstein visits Seoul

    Mayor Feinstein leads a San Francisco delegation to Seoul and is welcomed by Seoul Mayor Yeom Bo-hyun.

    The San Francisco delegation in Seoul, 1984.
    The San Francisco delegation in Seoul, 1984.
  3. 1985
    March

    Harry Kim and Helen Han named co-chairs

    Harry Kim and Helen Han become co-chairs of the committee. Over the following years the committee hosts friendship events, welcomes Seoul delegations and helps bring Seoul's runners to the San Francisco Marathon.

    Newspaper announcement of the new co-chairs, March 1985.
    Newspaper announcement of the new co-chairs, March 1985.
  4. 1996
    April 26

    20th anniversary: Mayor Willie Brown visits Seoul

    Mayor Brown travels to Seoul to mark 20 years of the sister city relationship and meets Seoul Mayor Cho Soon. That June, Chong Moon Lee is appointed chairman of the committee.

    Mayor Willie Brown meeting with Seoul officials, April 1996.
    Mayor Willie Brown meeting with Seoul officials, April 1996.
  5. 1997
    October 23–24

    Honorary doctorates from the University of Seoul

    During Mayor Brown's second visit to Seoul, he and committee chairman Chong Moon Lee receive honorary doctorates from the University of Seoul.

    The honorary doctorate ceremony at the University of Seoul, October 23, 1997.
    The honorary doctorate ceremony at the University of Seoul, October 23, 1997.
  6. 2007
    October 20

    Mayor Oh Se-hoon visits San Francisco

    Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visits San Francisco and meets Mayor Gavin Newsom.

    Mayor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Oh Se-hoon at San Francisco City Hall.
    Mayor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Oh Se-hoon at San Francisco City Hall.
  7. 2012
    July–August

    The committee relaunches under Chairman Hagen Choi

    Mayor Edwin M. Lee appoints Hagen Choi chairman, and the re-formed committee holds its first meeting on August 16. A new logo inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge follows in January 2013.

    Members of the relaunched committee, 2012.
    Members of the relaunched committee, 2012.
  8. 2013
    October 21

    Mayor Ed Lee visits Seoul and signs an MOU

    Mayor Lee and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon sign an agreement to strengthen cooperation and exchanges between the two cities, including an exchange of city officials. Mayor Lee also gives a lecture on innovation in San Francisco.

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    Mayor Ed Lee and Mayor Park Won-soon at the MOU signing ceremony in Seoul.
    Mayor Ed Lee and Mayor Park Won-soon at the MOU signing ceremony in Seoul.
  9. 2014
    September 26

    Mayor Park Won-soon visits San Francisco

    Mayor Park visits City Hall, and the two mayors sign an agreement offering discounts on cultural and tourist sites to visitors from each other's city. That summer, the first Seoul city official in the new exchange program began work at San Francisco City Hall.

    Mayor Ed Lee welcomes Mayor Park Won-soon to City Hall.
    Mayor Ed Lee welcomes Mayor Park Won-soon to City Hall.
  10. 2015
    August

    A stone from Seoul for the Korean War Memorial

    The committee delivers a memorial stone from the City of Seoul to the Korean War Memorial Foundation for the memorial in the Presidio.

  11. 2016

    40th anniversary

    Mayor Ed Lee leads an economic and cultural mission to Seoul to celebrate 40 years of the sister city relationship.

  12. 2019

    Student exchange honored by the Board of Supervisors

    The committee's Student Exchange Program receives a Certificate of Honor from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

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    Student exchange honored by the Board of Supervisors
  13. 2025
    September 26

    First SCOPE grants

    At our Chuseok Gala at The Olympic Club, the committee awards its first SCOPE grants of $10,000 each to Take Root and SFKIEA.

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    First SCOPE grants
  14. 2026
    April 21–23

    50th anniversary: Mayor Daniel Lurie visits Seoul

    On his first official trip abroad, Mayor Lurie leads a delegation including Chairman Hagen Choi to Seoul. The cities mark 50 years of friendship, and San Francisco donates a historic City Hall stone to Seoul's Garden of Gratitude.

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    50th anniversary: Mayor Daniel Lurie visits Seoul
  15. October 3–5

    Celebrating 50 years in San Francisco

    At the committee's invitation, the Seoul Metropolitan Government sends the Biseul dance troupe to San Francisco. The troupe performs at the Korean Consulate General's National Foundation Day reception at the War Memorial Opera House, where Mayor Lurie and Chairman Choi join about 200 guests in celebrating 50 years of friendship.

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    Celebrating 50 years in San Francisco

Help write the next fifty years.

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