In November 1951, the Observer Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations was established. The Mission became a full-fledged Permanent Mission to the United Nations in September 1991, with the Republic of Korea's accession to the UN.
In November 1999, the Korean Mission moved to its present address, 335 East 45th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, in New York City. The Mission's 11-story building is one of the recent works by the world-renowned architect, Mr. I. M. Pei. The building contains exhibition rooms, an outdoor garden and a conference room, all of which carry a traditional Korean touch. The Korean Mission is currently headed by Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea.