FKAUSA Operating Rules

The Federation of Korean Associations, USA (FKAUSA)

Emergency Response Committee Operating Rules

Bylaws Article 41 (Emergency Response Committee)

When special circumstances arise that are not part of the regular operations of the Federation, this committee is formed to resolve the situation smoothly and operates according to the following clauses.

In cases requiring the Federation’s intervention, such as natural disasters, wars, epidemics, etc.
- The President-General shall serve as the chairperson, and the chairperson may appoint members or officers from all necessary human resources, regardless of their membership status in the Federation.
- Incumbent presidents of all Korean associations active in the United States shall be ex-officio members.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President-General, it shall be formed and operate until the next leadership is established.
- The Executive Vice President shall become the chairperson.
- If the Executive Vice President is also vacant, the Chairman of the Board shall become the chairperson.
- Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Chairpersons, and Vice Chairpersons shall become members.
If the election for the President-General is disrupted and the next President-General cannot be elected within the term.
- The President-General shall be the chairperson.
- The Executive Vice President, Chairman of the Board, and chairpersons of standing committees shall be members, but the chairperson of the Election Management Committee shall be excluded.

[Emergency Response Committee Operating Rules]

Article 1 (Name) This committee shall be a special body of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Federation’) and shall be called the ‘Emergency Response Committee.’ Hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’.

Article 2 (Purpose) This regulation is titled ‘Emergency Response Committee Operating Rules’ and aims to stipulate more detailed contents regarding the role of the Committee as defined in Article 44 of the Bylaws, and shall have the same effect as the Bylaws within the scope defined by the Bylaws.

Article 3 (Composition) The Committee shall be composed as follows:

In the event of an emergency situation as described in Article 41, Paragraph 1 of the Bylaws, the President-General of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA shall be the chairperson, and it shall be composed of the heads of all Korean organizations and representatives of Korean media outlets active in areas under the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal government who agree to the formation of the committee.
In the event of an emergency situation as described in Article 41, Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Bylaws, the Committee shall be composed as specified in the Bylaws.

Article 4 (Convening of the Committee) The chairperson shall convene the Committee in the event of an emergency within the Federation, or when there is a need to respond at the level of the entire Korean diaspora in the Americas to urgent situations such as natural disasters, wars, or epidemics occurring in the Republic of Korea and the United States, and in the event of a vacancy in the office of the President-General or a disruption in the election of the next President-General.

Article 5 (Committee Activity Period) The activity period of the Committee shall commence from the date the chairperson announces the convocation due to the occurrence of a reason and shall continue until the date the Committee resolves that the reason has ceased to exist. However, to finalize follow-up measures, the administrative department shall perform administrative duties in the name of the Committee for 60 days after the end of the activity period.

Article 6 (Officers) The Committee shall have the following officers, and their term shall be until the end of the Committee’s activity period.

1 Chairperson – The President-General of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA
2 Vice-Chairpersons – Appointed by the chairperson.
Subcommittee Chairpersons – The chairperson shall appoint chairpersons for planning, general affairs, finance, political affairs, and public relations, who may hold concurrent positions.

Article 7 (Convening) The Committee shall be convened by direct notification to the members via telephone, email, various SNS, etc., at least 24 hours before the meeting time.

Article 8 (Resolution) The Committee shall make resolutions by a majority vote of the members present.

Article 9 (Customary Practice) Matters not stipulated in these operating rules shall be determined by the Committee in accordance with customary practice.

Office Operating Rules

[Office Operating Rules]

Article 1 (Name) These operating rules shall be called the ‘Office Operating Rules.’ Hereinafter referred to as ‘the Rules’.

Article 2 (Purpose) The purpose of these Rules is to ensure the lawful administration and efficient operation of the Federation by stipulating the details of the operation of the Secretariat, bureaus, and Korea office of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Federation’) as defined in Article 6, Paragraph 4 of the Bylaws.

Article 3 (Location) The locations of the Federation’s offices are as follows:

Secretariat: Washington, D.C. and adjacent areas.
Bureau: A region designated by the current President-General.
Korea Office: The metropolitan area of the Republic of Korea.

Article 4 (Functions of the Office) The Federation’s offices shall be responsible for the following roles:

Secretariat: As the highest administrative body of the Federation, it encompasses the activities of all executive officers under the Secretary-General.
Bureau: Established to cope with situations where the functions of the Secretariat cannot be fully realized due to physical limitations, and it acts on behalf of the Secretariat.
Korea Office: Manages all Federation-related projects occurring within the Republic of Korea.

Article 5 (Office Officers) The Federation’s bureaus and the Korea office may have the following officers:

Bureau
- Bureau Chief: Under the control of the Secretary-General, carries out the instructions of the President-General and oversees all affairs of the bureau.
- Head of Administration: Under the direction of the Bureau Chief, is responsible for the creation, storage, reception, and dispatch of bureau documents.
Korea Office
- Korea Office Director: Appointed by the President-General from among the regular members of the Federation, with a term of 3 years, renewable. The Director acts on behalf of the President-General for all Federation projects in the Republic of Korea and bears legal and financial responsibility for all matters arising from the operation of the Korea office.
- Head of FKAUSA Korea Business Division: Appointed by the President-General from among Korean compatriots residing in Korea, with a term of 5 years, renewable. With the consent of the Korea Office Director, oversees all Federation-related business in Korea.
- Working-level Directors: To operate the Korea office and promote Korean business, multiple paid working-level directors for general affairs, finance, public relations, etc., may be appointed under the Head of the Korea Business Division, and paid staff may be placed under the directors as needed.

Article 6 (Office Closure) If it becomes necessary to close a Federation office, the following procedures shall be followed:

Secretariat: Possible only through an amendment to the Bylaws.
Bureau: Closed by the decision of the President-General.
Korea Office: The President-General decides on the closure with the consent of the Board of Directors.

Article 7 (Special Provisions for the Korea Office) As an organization established in the Republic of Korea to oversee Korean affairs, the Korea Office has a different character from other bodies of the Federation, and therefore, its duties and roles are specially defined as follows:

It exists as the executive body representing the Federation within the Republic of Korea.
It is under the direction of the President-General of the Federation for business decisions and has autonomy in the execution of decided business.
Specific activities are as follows:
- All preparations for the Federation’s participation in events for overseas compatriots worldwide.
- Promotion of Federation-related work with the central and local governments of the Republic of Korea.
- Promotion of Federation-related work with the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea.
- Strengthening exchange and cooperation in economy, culture, education, welfare, etc., between Korean Americans and the people of the Republic of Korea.
- Discovery and promotion of fundraising plans for the Federation.
- Promotion of exchanges between local governments in the Republic of Korea and cities where Korean associations are active in the United States.
- Promotion of regular membership registration for Federation members settling in the Republic of Korea.
- Providing convenience within possible limits for Federation members visiting Korea.

Addendum

Article 8 (Effective Date) These operating rules shall take effect immediately upon their passage by the Board of Directors on MM/DD/2025.

Article 9 (Customary Practice) Matters not stipulated in these operating rules shall be determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with customary practice.

Election Management Committee Operating Rules

[Election Management Committee Operating Rules]

Article 1 (Basis) These Election Management Committee Operating Rules (hereinafter ‘the Rules’) are established in accordance with Article 35 of Chapter 4 of the Bylaws.

Article 2 (Purpose) The purpose of these Rules is to clearly define the activities and authority of the Election Management Committee (hereinafter ‘the Committee’), a standing body of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA (hereinafter ‘the Federation’), by stipulating the details of its operation.

Article 3 (Composition of the Committee) The Committee shall be composed of a total of 9 members.

Article 4 (Term of Members) The term of office for Committee members is 6 years, with details as follows:

Three members in their first year with a remaining term of 6 years, three members in their third year with a remaining term of 4 years, and three members in their fifth year with a remaining term of 2 years shall serve together for 2 years.
After the 2-year period specified in paragraph 1, the three members who were in their fifth year at the start will have completed their 6-year term, and the current President-General will recommend three new members for a 6-year term.
The recommended members shall be appointed after approval by the Board of Directors, and their term year shall be calculated based on the term of the recommending President-General, regardless of the date of appointment.

Article 5 (Officers of the Committee) The Committee shall have one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson, and one Secretary from among its members, who shall perform the following functions:

Chairperson – The Chairperson is nominated by the President-General and appointed after approval by the Board of Directors. The Chairperson represents the Committee, presides over Committee meetings, and has the authority to appoint and dismiss the Vice-Chairperson and Secretary.
Vice-Chairperson – The Vice-Chairperson assists the Chairperson and acts on their behalf in their absence.
Secretary – The Secretary manages the Committee’s affairs as directed by the Chairperson.

Article 6 (Term of Officers) The term of the Chairperson is 3 years. The terms of the Vice-Chairperson and Secretary are until the end of the appointing Chairperson’s term, but may change with their appointment or dismissal by the Chairperson.

Article 7 (Replacement of Members) If a vacancy occurs in the Committee, the current President-General must immediately fill it. The replacement member shall serve the remainder of the predecessor’s term.

Article 8 (Restriction on Concurrent Positions) As stipulated in Article 39 of the Bylaws, Committee members are restricted from holding concurrent positions as follows:

No member may serve as an executive officer of the Federation.
No member may serve on another standing committee.

Article 9 (Duties of Members) Members of the Committee must adhere to the following duties:

They may not participate in election campaigns for or against any particular candidate.
They must not disclose information obtained during their duties outside the Committee, except in the name of the Committee.
They must not meet with any candidate for purposes other than official Committee business.
They must strive to minimize election operating expenses.

Article 10 (Convening of the Committee) The Chairperson shall convene the Committee as follows:

When the Chairperson deems it necessary.
Upon the request of at least one-third of the members.
Meetings may be held in person or via video conference.

Article 11 (Quorum of the Committee) The quorum for the Committee’s meetings and decisions is as follows:

A meeting is constituted by the attendance of at least two-thirds of the registered members.
Decisions are made by a majority vote of the attending members.
The Chairperson and other officers of the Committee also participate in voting as members.
The Committee’s decisions are limited to the functions specified in Article 12.

Article 12 (Functions of the Committee) The functions and roles of the Committee are as follows:

Establish and execute the Committee’s schedule.
Finalize and manage the voter list for the President-General election.
Determine and announce the schedule and polling/counting locations for the President-General election.
Announce and execute the candidate registration process.
Execute and manage the candidate registration fee.
Operate and manage polling and counting stations.
Confirm and declare the winner.
Prepare and submit the election expense report.
Research improvements to the election system.

Article 13 (Attendance at Board Meetings) The Chairperson must attend meetings of the Federation’s Board of Directors when requested for matters related to the Committee’s work.

Article 14 (Finances of the Committee) The finances of the Committee shall be as follows:

The Committee’s finances are funded by the candidate registration fees.
The finances must be managed through a separate bank account opened by the Federation’s executive office. The signatories for the account shall be the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.
The finances are managed by the Secretary and disbursed with the Chairperson’s signature. However, in the Chairperson’s absence, the Vice-Chairperson may sign.
All financial expenditures must be accompanied by receipts.
The Committee’s finances must be recorded in a cash ledger. “Cash” refers to the remaining balance in the Committee’s account and any funds withdrawn but not yet spent.
Within 15 days of announcing the winner, the Committee must complete the election expense report, including the cash ledger, and submit it to the Federation’s Secretary-General.
The bank account used for the Committee’s finances, with the remaining balance as stated in the expense report, must be transferred to the next executive board.

Article 15 (Addendum)

These Rules shall take effect from the date of their approval by the Board of Directors.
Matters not stipulated in these Rules shall be decided by the Board of Directors.
Passed at the 6th Board of Directors meeting of the 30th term on April 26, 2025.

Election Operating Rules

[Election Operating Rules]

Article 1 (Basis) These Election Operating Rules (hereinafter ‘the Rules’) are established in accordance with Article 65 of Chapter 7 of the Bylaws.

Article 2 (Purpose) The purpose of these Rules is to ensure that the election of the President-General of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA (hereinafter ‘the Federation’) is conducted fairly and justly by ensuring that the administration of the Election Management Committee (hereinafter ‘the EMC’) is executed without violating the Bylaws and various operating rules.

Article 3 (Voting Method) The election system for the Federation’s President-General election must comply with the following provisions:

The election shall be based on the four principles of democratic elections: universal, equal, direct, and secret ballot.
A voting system shall be implemented where voters either attend the polling station in person or vote through video participation that allows for identity verification.

Article 4 (Election Management) The management of the Federation’s President-General election shall proceed through the following stages:

Election Announcement
Receipt of Candidate Registration Documents
Candidate Qualification Review
Ballot Number Drawing
Candidate Announcement
Candidate Speeches and Debates
Voting and Counting
Confirmation of Winner

Article 5 (Election Announcement) The announcement for the Federation’s President-General election must be made at least 60 days before the election day and must include the following:

The election schedule from Article 4, paragraphs 2 to 8.
Information on candidate qualifications.
Announcement of the voting date and polling place.
Information on candidate registration documents and methods.
Information on the voting method.
The announcement must be published as an advertisement of at least 5 columns in size in two or more daily newspapers in six cities: New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, and Los Angeles, and must be posted on the Federation’s website and in its publications such as newsletters.

Article 6 (Candidate Registration) Those wishing to run for the Federation’s President-General election must complete the required forms from the Federation’s EMC and submit them within the designated period. The registration documents are as follows:

1 copy of the registration application form (EMC form)
1 copy of the resume (EMC form)
Election pledge booklet (EMC form)
Digital photo file for posters
1 letter of recommendation from a regular member stating the reasons for the recommendation (EMC form)
A list of one campaign manager, one campaign officer, and five observers for each candidate, who must be regular members of the Federation (EMC form)
The candidate registration fee determined by the Board of Directors (Certified Check, Bank Check, or Money Order)
A guarantee letter assuming responsibility for any shortfall in general operating expenses during the term of the President-General (EMC form)
Guarantee letters from two guarantors who will jointly assume responsibility if the obligation in paragraph 8 is not fulfilled (EMC form) and supporting documents showing that the guarantors have filed tax returns of over $50,000 for more than 3 years.

Article 7 (Voting Rights) Voters in the Federation’s President-General election are as follows:

Regular members who have paid their dues by December 31 of the year preceding the election.
For new members whose term as a Korean association president began after May 31 of the year preceding the election, the deadline for paying dues to be eligible to vote is March 31 of the election year.
For new members whose term began in the same year as the election, the deadline for paying dues to be eligible to vote is June 30 of the election year.
The list of eligible voters must be posted on the Federation’s website at the same time as the election announcement.

Article 8 (Eligibility to be Elected) Those wishing to run for the Federation’s President-General election must satisfy the following conditions:

A regular member aged 40 or over.
A member who has maintained regular membership for 5 consecutive years.
A U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
No record of being sentenced to imprisonment or a heavier penalty by a court.
No record of having been disciplined with a suspension of membership or a more severe penalty by the Federation’s Ethics Committee.
One who has submitted the registration documents of Article 6 and is judged to have no false information in the documents.

Article 9 (Ballot Number Drawing) If there are multiple candidates who have passed the qualification review, a ballot number drawing must be held as follows:

At least two EMC members must be present.
The candidate must participate in person.
In the case of paragraph 2, if there are circumstances recognized as a natural disaster or force majeure, a representative designated by the candidate may attend.
If a candidate is absent from the ballot number drawing, the absent candidate will be assigned the number corresponding to the total number of candidates.

Article 10 (Candidate Announcement) The EMC must announce the candidates who have completed the ballot number drawing. The announcement must include the information from their submitted resumes and follow these guidelines:

Ballot number, name, gender, and age
Personal history and career of each candidate
History of participation in the Federation for each candidate
Election pledges
Recommender’s reasons for recommendation
The announcement must be sent to regular members via email and simultaneously posted on the Federation’s website.

Article 11 (Speeches and Debates) On the day of the Federation’s President-General election, speeches and debates shall be held as follows:

In the morning, candidate speeches will be held, followed by a debate between the candidates and a panel of three representatives from the executive board.
In the afternoon, a debate between the candidates and a panel of three representatives from the board of directors will be held, followed by supporting speeches from one person designated by each candidate from among the regular members.
Candidate speeches shall be within 15 minutes each, and supporting speeches shall be within 7 minutes each. The microphone will be turned off after the allotted time.
The debates in the morning and afternoon will each be one hour long, moderated by an EMC member.
The speeches and debates must be broadcast live to all participating regular members via Zoom meeting.

Article 12 (Voting) Voting for the Federation’s President-General election proceeds as follows:

Voter eligibility is confirmed.
A ballot is issued.
The voter casts their vote and places the ballot in the ballot box.
Online voting will be conducted in a manner determined by the current year’s EMC and approved by the Standing Committee.
Access to the polling station shall be restricted to EMC members, each candidate and their campaign manager, campaign officer, observers, and the voter casting their vote.
Once voting is over, the EMC chairperson must declare the closing of the polls. No one can vote after the polls are declared closed.

Article 13 (Counting) The counting of votes for the Federation’s President-General election must begin immediately after the polls are declared closed and shall proceed as follows:

Access to the counting station is restricted to EMC members, each candidate, their campaign manager, campaign officer, and observers.
Counting staff shall be limited to EMC members.
Candidates, campaign managers, campaign officers, and observers may not touch the ballots or exert any physical force other than observing the counting process. In case of violation, the EMC chairperson may order their removal.
Participation in the counting of online votes is restricted to one EMC member and one person from each candidate’s team (either the campaign officer or an observer) to maintain confidentiality.
If doubts are raised about the counting results, a recount must be conducted. The recount is limited to one time only.

Article 14 (Invalid Ballots) If the intended vote is unclear after counting, the ballot is treated as invalid. Examples of invalid ballots are as follows:

A ballot without the seal of the EMC chairperson.
A ballot marked outside the designated space is invalid, but if the mark touches the outer line of the space, it is considered valid.
A ballot with no mark or multiple marks.
A ballot that is not the official EMC form or is marked with a different marking tool.
A ballot that the EMC deems unrecognizable.

Article 15 (Confirmation of Winner) When the winner of the Federation’s President-General election is confirmed, the EMC chairperson must immediately declare the winner and report to the General Assembly as follows:

Immediately after the counting is finished and the tally is complete, declare the end of the election and the winner.
Attend the General Assembly to report on the progress and results of the election process.
Issue a certificate of election at the General Assembly venue.
The declaration of the winner in paragraph 1 must be announced as an advertisement of at least 5 columns in size in two or more daily newspapers in six cities: New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, and Los Angeles, and must be posted on the Federation’s website and in its publications such as newsletters.

Article 16 (Election Invalidation) If the election is deemed fraudulent due to a serious violation of the Bylaws, the Election Operating Rules, and the Election Management Committee Operating Rules, the election may be declared invalid by a resolution of the Board of Directors through the following process:

A regular member who has an objection to the election process or results files an objection with the secretariat.
Upon receiving the objection, the Secretary-General immediately assesses the situation and reports to the President-General.
The President-General, upon receiving the report, makes a judgment on the objection and submits it to the Board of Directors with an attached opinion.
The Board of Directors votes on whether to invalidate the election.

Article 17 (Finance) The finances of the EMC are covered by the registration fees paid by the candidates and must adhere to the following regulations:

The EMC shall be provided with a Federation bank account that can be used independently. The signatories for this account shall be the EMC chairperson and vice-chairperson.
Excessive expenditure of EMC funds can be prosecuted as a breach of trust, so it must be executed with extreme restraint and frugality.
The expenditure of EMC funds shall be as follows:
- Transportation expenses for EMC members related to election duties.
- Accommodation and meal expenses for EMC members related to election duties.
- Meeting expenses related to the election.
- Communication costs, advertising fees, vehicle operating costs, and snack expenses related to the election.
- Other expenses necessary for EMC duties.
The EMC must send the accounting documents, including receipts, for all election-related expenditures to the secretariat within 15 days of the winner’s announcement, and simultaneously report the same information to the Board of Directors.
After the Federation’s President-General election is over and the final EMC meeting has concluded, the remaining balance in the account is transferred to the next executive board through the following process:
- The EMC chairperson issues a check for the remaining amount payable to the Federation and delivers it to the winner.
- The winner deposits the check into the Federation’s secretariat account on the first day of their term.

Article 18 (Re-election) If no one registers to run within the prescribed period as stipulated in Article 6, or if the election is declared invalid by the Board of Directors as stipulated in Article 16, a re-election must be announced as follows:

The re-election announcement must be made within one week from the date the reason is confirmed and shall follow the provisions of Article 5, paragraph 6.
The re-election shall be conducted in the same manner as the original election, but the schedule may be shortened at the discretion of the EMC if necessary.
If no one registers to run even after the re-election announcement, the next President-General shall be elected by the Board of Directors.

Article 19 (By-election) If the President-General becomes vacant during their term, a replacement shall be selected as follows:

If the President-General becomes vacant with less than one year remaining in the term, the Executive Vice President shall succeed to the position for the remainder of the term.
If the President-General becomes vacant with one year or more remaining in the term, a by-election must be held to elect a President-General to serve the remainder of the term. The by-election shall be conducted by a vote of the Board of Directors.

Article 20 (Single Candidate) If there is only one candidate registered for the Federation’s President-General election, their election shall be confirmed as follows:

The candidate’s eligibility is reviewed.
If there are no disqualifying factors in the eligibility review, the single candidacy is announced to the regular members.
The announcement in paragraph 2 must include all the items specified in Article 10 for candidate announcements.
The candidate’s speech is heard at the General Assembly.
The General Assembly confirms the election of the single candidate as President-General.
In the case of paragraph 5, the quorum for meetings in Article 18, paragraph 1(b) and the quorum for decisions in Article 18, paragraph 2(b) of the Bylaws shall apply.

Article 21 (Effective Date) These Rules shall take effect immediately upon their passage by the Board of Directors.

Article 22 (Customary Practice) Matters not stipulated in these Rules shall be determined by the Standing Committee in accordance with customary practice. However, matters arising within 5 days of the election date shall be decided by the Election Management Committee.

Passed at the 6th Board of Directors meeting of the 30th term on April 26, 2025

Ethics Committee Operating Rules

[Ethics Committee Operating Rules]

Article 1 (Basis) These Ethics Committee Operating Rules (hereinafter ‘the Rules’) are established in accordance with Article 35 of the Bylaws.

Article 2 (Purpose) The purpose of these Rules is to clearly define the activities and authority of the Ethics Committee (hereinafter ‘the Committee’), a standing body of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA (hereinafter ‘the Federation’), by stipulating the details of its operation.

Article 3 (Composition of the Committee) The Committee shall be composed of a total of 9 members.

Article 4 (Term of Members) The term of office for Committee members is 6 years, with details as follows:

Three members in their first year with a remaining term of 6 years, three members in their third year with a remaining term of 4 years, and three members in their fifth year with a remaining term of 2 years shall serve together for 2 years.
After the 2-year period specified in paragraph 1, the three members who were in their fifth year at the start will have completed their 6-year term, and the current President-General will recommend three new members for a 6-year term.
The recommended members shall be appointed after approval by the Board of Directors, and their term year shall be calculated based on the term of the recommending President-General, regardless of the date of appointment.

Article 5 (Officers of the Committee) The Committee shall have one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson, and one Secretary from among its members, who shall perform the following functions:

Chairperson – The Chairperson is nominated by the President-General and appointed after approval by the Board of Directors. The Chairperson represents the Committee, presides over Committee meetings, and appoints and dismisses the Vice-Chairperson and Secretary.
Vice-Chairperson – The Vice-Chairperson assists the Chairperson and acts on their behalf in their absence.
Secretary – The Secretary manages the Committee’s affairs as directed by the Chairperson.

Article 7 (Replacement of Members) If a vacancy occurs in the Committee, the President-General must immediately fill it. The replacement member shall serve the remainder of the predecessor’s term.

Article 8 (Restriction on Concurrent Positions) As stipulated in Article 39 of the Bylaws, Committee officers and members are restricted from holding concurrent positions as follows:

The Chairperson may not serve as an executive officer of the Federation.
No member may serve on another standing committee.

Article 9 (Functions of the Committee) The Committee serves to lay the foundation for all members to comply with the Bylaws and contribute to the development of the Federation by performing the following functions:

To detect and review disciplinary action for intentional violations of the Bylaws by members or officers of the Federation.
To detect and review disciplinary action for violations of the Bylaws due to excessive negligence by members or officers of the Federation.
To detect and review disciplinary action when members or officers of the Federation negatively impact the Federation’s reputation or operations.
To detect and review disciplinary action for any other inappropriate conduct by members or officers of the Federation.

Article 10 (Confirmation of Disciplinary Action) Disciplinary action by the Federation is confirmed through the following sequence:

Investigate the facts regarding a violation of the Bylaws upon the request for deliberation from the head of any organ of the Federation or the Secretary-General, or when detected by the Committee itself.
The Committee deliberates based on the investigated facts and determines the level of disciplinary action.
The determined level of disciplinary action is called a disciplinary proposal, and the Chairperson submits the disciplinary proposal to the Board of Directors.
The disciplinary proposal submitted by the Committee may be adjusted by the Board of Directors and is confirmed by the Board of Directors, regardless of any adjustments.

Article 11 (Violation of Bylaws) Examples of violations of the Bylaws subject to disciplinary action are as follows:

Incorrect application of a provision of the Bylaws.
Misuse, abuse, or overstepping of the authority of an officer as defined by the Bylaws.
Failure to fulfill the obligations of a regular member.

Article 12 (Types of Disciplinary Action) Disciplinary action for members, as stipulated in Article 56 of the Bylaws, includes warnings and suspension of membership. Suspension of membership is divided into terms of 1, 3, 5, or 10 years, with details as follows:

Warning – In case of a clear mistake violating the Bylaws.
- A disciplinary action taken to encourage compliance with the Bylaws when the degree of violation is minor.
- Mistakes are not recognized if the violation of the Bylaws is excessively severe.
- The period of a warning is one year. The warning discipline ends one year after the date the disciplinary action is decided by the Board of Directors.
- If another violation warranting a warning occurs before the warning period expires, the member shall be subject to the next higher level of discipline, which is a one-year suspension of membership.
1-Year Suspension of Membership – In case of an intentional violation of the Bylaws with a minor negative impact on the Federation.
- When a person with insufficient understanding of the Bylaws causes conflict without making an effort to understand the provisions correctly, but the issue is resolved internally.
- When a member tarnishes the reputation of the Federation by failing to make efforts to fulfill their obligations as a member.
3-Year Suspension of Membership – In case of an intentional violation of the Bylaws with a significant negative impact on the Federation.
- When a person with insufficient understanding of the Bylaws causes conflict without making an effort to understand the provisions correctly, and the resulting dispute spreads externally, tarnishing the reputation of the Federation.
- When an act of misuse, abuse, or overstepping of the authority of an officer as defined by the Bylaws is committed.
5-Year Suspension of Membership – In case a member sues another member in a judicial institution in relation to Federation activities.
- No member may sue another member in a judicial institution over matters arising from Federation activities.
- Personal lawsuits based on false accusations are not grounds for disciplinary action.
- When the secretariat sues a member in a judicial institution in relation to Federation activities, it is considered a normal business procedure and is not grounds for disciplinary action.
10-Year Suspension of Membership – Applicable when a member of the Federation clearly abuses or misuses their authority, or violates the Bylaws, causing serious internal and external problems, as in the following cases:
- When an executive officer, without maintaining impartiality, implements a measure that could be reasonably expected to disadvantage a large number of members, without careful consideration.
- When a board member intentionally obstructs or misleads the proceedings of the board.
- When the chairperson of a standing committee forgets their primary role and acts against the development of the Federation by violating the Bylaws.
- When a member seriously damages the reputation of the Federation or its members by spreading false information externally.

Article 13 (Resolutions of the Committee) Resolutions made by the Committee are as follows:

Determining the appropriateness of deliberating on a submitted disciplinary case.
Concluding the deliberation on a disciplinary subject.
Confirming the disciplinary proposal for a disciplinary subject.

Article 14 (Quorum) The quorum for the Committee is as follows:

The quorum for a meeting is the attendance of two-thirds or more of the total number of members. The total number of members is as defined in the Bylaws and the Rules.
The quorum for a resolution is the affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of the attending members. The chairperson and other officers also participate in the vote.

Article 15 (Submission of Disciplinary Proposal) A disciplinary proposal resolved by the Committee must be immediately submitted to the Board of Directors. Even considering administrative procedures, the submission to the Board of Directors should not be later than 5 working days from the date of the resolution by the Committee.

Article 16 (Investigation Activities) Upon receiving a request for disciplinary deliberation, the Committee must conduct the following investigation activities:

Investigation activities targeting all parties related to the violation of the Bylaws specified in the request for disciplinary deliberation.
Statement from the subject of deliberation.
Verification of the facts in the statement of the subject of deliberation.
All investigation activities must be conducted with an effort to verify the facts objectively and neutrally.

Article 17 (Prohibition of Investigation Activities) The Committee must suspend investigation activities for individuals in the following cases:

If the subject of deliberation is a candidate for the Federation’s President-General election or the President-General-elect.
If the subject of deliberation is a suspect in a judicial institution.

Article 18 (Duty of Confidentiality) The Committee must not disclose to the outside any information learned during the investigation of a subject of disciplinary deliberation before submitting the disciplinary proposal to the Board of Directors.

Article 19 (Rejection of Disciplinary Proposal) A disciplinary proposal rejected by the Board of Directors may be reconsidered by the Committee once.

A rejected disciplinary proposal may be discarded or resubmitted.
To resubmit a rejected disciplinary proposal, it must include new violations of the Bylaws in addition to the content specified in the original proposal.
If a resubmitted disciplinary proposal is rejected, the Committee must discard the proposal and cannot resolve on a disciplinary proposal with the same content.

Article 20 (Addendum) These Rules shall be operated according to the following clauses:

These Rules may be amended by the Board of Directors, and the amended provisions shall take effect immediately upon their amendment according to the prescribed resolution procedure of the Board of Directors.
Matters not stipulated in these Rules shall be determined by the Bylaws Committee in accordance with customary practice.

Amended at the 4th Board of Directors meeting of the 30th term on January 11, 2025.

Bylaws Committee
Chairperson – Kyung-ro Lee, Vice-Chairperson – Young-sook Seo, Secretary – Hyun-mi Baek
Members – Dae-ho Kang, Jung-yeon Kwak, Chun-hee Kim, Ki-ro Yoon, Sang-ryeol Lee, Sang-ho Lee

Finance Committee Operating Rules

[Finance Committee Operating Rules]

Article 1 (Basis) These Finance Committee Operating Rules (hereinafter ‘the Rules’) are established in accordance with Article 35 of Chapter 4 of the Bylaws.

Article 2 (Purpose) The purpose of these Rules is to clearly define the activities and authority of the Finance Committee (hereinafter ‘the Committee’), a standing body of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA (hereinafter ‘the Federation’), by stipulating the details of its operation.

Article 3 (Composition of the Committee) The Committee shall be composed of a total of 9 members.

Article 4 (Term of Members) The term of office for Committee members is 6 years, with details as follows:

Three members in their first year with a remaining term of 6 years, three members in their third year with a remaining term of 4 years, and three members in their fifth year with a remaining term of 2 years shall serve together for 2 years.
After the 2-year period specified in paragraph 1, the three members who were in their fifth year at the start will have completed their 6-year term, and the current President-General will recommend three new members for a 6-year term.
The recommended members shall be appointed after approval by the Board of Directors, and their term year shall be calculated based on the term of the recommending President-General, regardless of the date of appointment.

Article 5 (Officers of the Committee) The Committee shall have one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson, and one Secretary from among its members, who shall perform the following functions:

Chairperson – The Chairperson is nominated by the President-General and appointed after approval by the Board of Directors. The Chairperson represents the Committee, presides over Committee meetings, and has the authority to appoint and dismiss the Vice-Chairperson and Secretary.
Vice-Chairperson – The Vice-Chairperson assists the Chairperson and acts on their behalf in their absence.
Secretary – The Secretary manages the Committee’s affairs as directed by the Chairperson.

Article 8 (Restriction on Concurrent Positions) As stipulated in Article 39 of the Bylaws, Committee members may not serve on another standing committee.

Article 9 (Convening of the Committee) The Chairperson shall convene the Committee as follows:

When the Chairperson deems it necessary.
Upon the request of at least one-third of the members.
Meetings may be held in person or via video conference.

Article 10 (Resolutions of the Committee) Resolutions of the Committee are as follows:

The Chairperson and other officers of the Committee also participate in voting as members.
The Committee’s resolutions are limited to the functions specified in Article 12.

Article 11 (Quorum of the Committee) The quorum for the Committee’s meetings and decisions is as follows:

A meeting is constituted by the attendance of at least two-thirds of the registered members.
Decisions are made by a majority vote of the attending members.

Article 12 (Functions of the Committee) The functions and roles of the Committee are as follows:

To represent the Federation in matters concerning external sources of income.
To have decision-making authority over advertising-related content on the Federation’s website.
To research and implement measures to expand financial resources.
To assess the appropriateness of income sources.
To continuously manage major income sources.
To oversee the proper execution of conditional donations.
To make recommendations to the executive board and the Board of Directors on internal financial expansion plans.

Article 13 (Attendance at Board Meetings) The Chairperson must attend meetings of the Federation’s Board of Directors when requested for matters related to the Committee’s work.

Article 14 (Financial Management) The finances raised by the Committee shall be managed as follows:

The finances raised by the Committee must be deposited into a separate account.
The account mentioned in paragraph 1 shall be managed by the Federation’s secretariat.
The signatories for the account mentioned in paragraph 1 shall be the Federation’s President-General and one executive officer designated by the President-General.
The Committee must maintain a ledger of the deposit details mentioned in paragraph 1, and copies of the ledger must be sent to the Board of Directors and the secretariat quarterly.

Article 15 (Restrictions on Activities) The following acts are restricted in the Committee’s activities:

Prohibition of excessive promises to income sources.
Prohibition of granting excessive benefits to income sources.
Prohibition of coercion towards income sources.

Article 16 (Addendum)

These Rules shall take effect from the date of their approval by the Board of Directors.
Matters not stipulated in these Rules shall be decided by the Board of Directors.

Enacted at the 5th Board of Directors meeting of the 30th term on March 8, 2025.

Membership Management Committee Operating Rules

[Membership Management Committee Operating Rules]

Article 1 (Basis) These Membership Management Committee Operating Rules (hereinafter ‘the Rules’) are established in accordance with Article 35 of Chapter 4 of the Bylaws.

Article 2 (Purpose) The purpose of these Rules is to clearly define the activities and authority of the Membership Management Committee (hereinafter ‘the Committee’), a standing body of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA (hereinafter ‘the Federation’), by stipulating the details of its operation.

Article 3 (Composition of the Committee) The Committee shall be composed of a total of 9 members, and as a principle, at least one member from each of the Northeast, East Central, Southeast, Florida, Midwest, South Central, Northwest, and Southwest regions shall participate, considering regional distribution.

Article 4 (Term of Members) The term of office for Committee members is 6 years, with details as follows:

Three members in their first year with a remaining term of 6 years, three members in their third year with a remaining term of 4 years, and three members in their fifth year with a remaining term of 2 years shall serve together for 2 years.
After the 2-year period specified in paragraph 1, the three members who were in their fifth year at the start will have completed their 6-year term, and the current President-General will recommend three new members for a 6-year term.
The recommended members shall be appointed after approval by the Board of Directors, and their term year shall be calculated based on the term of the recommending President-General, regardless of the date of appointment.

Article 5 (Officers of the Committee) The Committee shall have one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson, and one Secretary from among its members, who shall perform the following functions:

Chairperson – The Chairperson is nominated by the President-General and appointed after approval by the Board of Directors. The Chairperson represents the Committee, presides over Committee meetings, and has the authority to appoint and dismiss the Vice-Chairperson and Secretary.
Vice-Chairperson – The Vice-Chairperson assists the Chairperson and acts on their behalf in their absence.
Secretary – The Secretary manages the Committee’s affairs as directed by the Chairperson.

Article 8 (Restriction on Concurrent Positions) As stipulated in Article 39 of the Bylaws, Committee members may not serve on another standing committee.

Article 9 (Convening of the Committee) The Chairperson shall convene the Committee as follows:

When the Chairperson deems it necessary.
Upon the request of at least one-third of the members.
Meetings may be held in person or via video conference.

Article 10 (Resolutions of the Committee) Resolutions of the Committee are as follows:

The Chairperson and other officers of the Committee also participate in voting as members.
The Committee’s resolutions are limited to the functions specified in Article 12.

Article 11 (Quorum of the Committee) The quorum for the Committee’s meetings and decisions is as follows:

A meeting is constituted by the attendance of at least two-thirds of the registered members.
Decisions are made by a majority vote of the attending members.

Article 12 (Functions of the Committee) The functions and roles of the Committee are as follows:

To ascertain the status of members’ affiliated Korean associations.
- Start date and term of the affiliated Korean association’s president.
- History of the affiliated Korean association, such as its founding year and past presidents.
To ascertain the status of the affiliated Korean association’s activities.
To encourage and guide the participation of new members.
To encourage the participation of unregistered members.
To record and preserve the history of the Federation members’ activities.
- Record of participation in past executive boards, boards of directors, and various committees.
- Record of disciplinary actions, if any, and their severity.
- Create a personnel evaluation sheet based on items a) and b) above.
To investigate the actual conditions of disputed regional Korean associations and regional federations.
To identify the emergence and status of similar organizations.
To organize data on changes in members’ personal information, such as death or emigration.
To review the qualifications of the Korean associations in the 10 major metropolitan cities.

Article 13 (Attendance at Board Meetings) The Chairperson must attend meetings of the Federation’s Board of Directors when requested for matters related to the Committee’s work.

Article 14 (Reporting Duty) The Committee’s activities must be reported as follows:

Activities must be summarized in a quarterly report.
The report mentioned in paragraph 1 must be submitted to the Board of Directors and the secretariat.

Article 15 (Personnel Evaluation Sheet) The criteria for the personnel evaluation mentioned in Article 12, paragraph 4, item c) are as follows:

Points for evaluation are accrued every two years of a President-General’s term.
- 1 point – Regular member.
- 2 points – Board of Directors member.
- 3 points – Executive Vice President, Board Vice Chairperson and Secretary, Standing Committee member, Special Committee member, Subcommittee Chairperson, Secretariat officer.
- 4 points – Executive Vice President, Board Vice Chairperson and Secretary-General, Regional Federation President.
- 5 points – Executive Senior Vice President, Board Senior Vice Chairperson, Standing Committee Chairperson, Special Committee Chairperson, Secretary-General.
- 6 points – Executive Vice President-General.
- 7 points – President-General and Chairman of the Board.
The above points system will be implemented starting from the 30th term of the Federation’s officers, and points will be awarded only to those who have served until the end of each President-General’s term.
If a person holds two or more positions, only the points for the highest-ranking position will be awarded.

Article 16 (Addendum)

These Rules shall take effect from the date of their approval by the Board of Directors.
Matters not stipulated in these Rules shall be decided by the Board of Directors.

Enacted at the 6th Board of Directors meeting of the 30th term on April 26, 2025.

Bylaws Committee Operating Rules

Article 1 (Name) This committee shall be a standing body of the Federation of Korean Associations, USA and shall be called the ‘Bylaws Committee.’ Hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’.

Article 2 (Purpose) This regulation is titled ‘Bylaws Committee Operating Rules’ and aims to stipulate more detailed contents regarding the role of the Committee as defined in Article 35 of the Bylaws, and shall have the same effect as the Bylaws within the scope defined by the Bylaws.

Article 3 (Composition) The Committee shall be composed of a total of 9 members, including 1 Chairperson, 1 Vice-Chairperson, and 1 Secretary, and all members must maintain their status as regular members.

Article 4 (Appointment of Members) At the beginning of a new President-General’s term, the new President-General shall appoint 3 new members from among the regular members.

Article 5 (Term of Members) The term of office for Committee members is 6 years. Every 2 years, upon the inauguration of a new President-General, one-third of the members who have completed their full 6-year term shall be replaced. Members may be reappointed.

Article 6 (Appointment, Commission, and Term of Committee Officers)

The Chairperson shall be appointed by the President-General at the end of the previous Chairperson’s term and confirmed by the Board of Directors, with a term of 3 years.
If the end of the Chairperson’s term coincides with the end of the President-General’s term, the new President-General shall appoint a new Chairperson.
The Vice-Chairperson and Secretary may be appointed and dismissed by the Chairperson within the Chairperson’s term.
If a vacancy occurs among the members, the President-General shall immediately recommend a successor, who shall be appointed after approval by the Board of Directors. The appointed member’s term shall be the remainder of the predecessor’s term.

Article 7 (Role of Committee Officers)

The Chairperson represents the Committee, presides over Committee meetings as the chair, and oversees the Committee’s work.
The Vice-Chairperson assists the Chairperson and acts on their behalf in their absence.
The Secretary, under the direction of the Chairperson, handles the administrative, clerical, and accounting tasks necessary for the Committee’s operation.

Article 8 (Functions of the Committee) The Committee shall perform the following roles:

Management of the Bylaws and the operating rules of each body.
Drafting of amendments to the Bylaws and amendments and enactments of the operating rules of each body.
Authoritative interpretation of the provisions of the Bylaws and the operating rules of each body.

Article 9 (Convening of the Committee) The Committee shall be convened in the following cases:

When it is deemed necessary to enact or amend the Bylaws or operating rules.
When a request for an authoritative interpretation of the Bylaws or operating rules is received.
When there is a significant misinterpretation of the Bylaws.
In the cases of paragraphs 2) and 3) above, the Committee must be convened within 5 days from the date the issue arises.

Article 10 (Resolutions of the Committee) The Committee shall make resolutions on the following matters:

Resolution on amendments to the Bylaws.
Resolution on the enactment and amendment of operating rules.
Resolution on the authoritative interpretation of the Bylaws and operating rules.
Resolutions are passed with the attendance of at least two-thirds of the registered members and the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the attending members.

Article 11 (Duties of Members) Members of the Committee have the following duties:

Members must maintain a fair and impartial attitude when dealing with the Bylaws or operating rules.
Members must not be biased in their authoritative interpretation of the Bylaws or operating rules.
If a member violates their duties as a member, the Chairperson must immediately submit a motion for dismissal to the Board of Directors.
If the Chairperson violates their duties as a member, a majority of the members may submit a request for impeachment to the Board of Directors.

Addendum

Article 12 (Effective Date) These operating rules shall take effect immediately upon their passage by the Board of Directors on MM/DD/2024.

Article 13 (Customary Practice) Matters not stipulated in these operating rules shall be determined by the Bylaws Committee in accordance with customary practice.

Article 14 (Appointment of First Members after Confirmation of New Term System) The members currently active at the time these operating rules are passed shall be appointed with priority, with details as follows:

Appoint three members for a 2-year term, which ends with the term of the 30th President-General.
Appoint three members for a 4-year term, which ends with the term of the 31st President-General.
Appoint three members for a 6-year term, which ends with the term of the 32nd President-General.

Article 15 (Automatic Deletion) The above Article 14 and this Article 15 shall be automatically deleted upon the completion of the member appointments.

Amended at the 2nd General Board of Directors meeting of the 30th term on May 28, 2024.

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