Korean American Day2026 · Date · History
Current congressional materials support January 13 as Korean American Day and connect it with the first Korean immigrants’ arrival in 1903 and Korean American contributions
About Korean American Day
Korean American Day is observed on 13 January in the United States. Congressional resolutions connect the date with the arrival of 102 pioneer Korean immigrants in the United States on 13 January 1903 and recognize Korean American contributions to U.S. life.
In 2005, the U.S. Senate and House adopted resolutions supporting or recognizing the goals and ideals of Korean American Day. Those resolutions are commemorative congressional actions; they do not make January 13 a general federal public holiday or nationwide day off.
Why Korean American Day matters
The observance provides a date for learning about Korean immigration history and the experiences and contributions of Korean Americans across generations.
Because community histories are broad and varied, a useful guide avoids treating one migration story as the experience of every Korean American and relies on documented historical sources rather than stereotypes.
History of Korean American Day
Congressional material records the arrival of 102 pioneer Korean immigrants in the United States on 13 January 1903.
The 2005 Senate resolution notes that Centennial Committees of Korean Immigration and Korean Americans had designated January 13 each year as Korean American Day.
The Senate agreed to S. Res. 283 on 20 October 2005, and the House agreed to H. Res. 487 on 13 December 2005. Both actions supported recognition or celebration of Korean American Day rather than creating a general federal public holiday.
Later Congresses have continued to introduce or adopt commemorative resolutions for January 13, reinforcing the recurring civic identity without changing its legal character into a federal closure holiday.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Centennial Committees of Korean Immigration and Korean Americans
S. Res. 283 states that the Centennial Committees designated January 13 of each year as Korean American Day.
United States Senate and United States House of Representatives (2005 commemorative resolutions)
S. Res. 283 and H. Res. 487, 109th Congress
Supported recognition and celebration of Korean American Day and encouraged appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities.
United States Senate · S. Res. 283, 109th Congress
Supported the goals and ideals of Korean American Day.
United States House of Representatives · H. Res. 487, 109th Congress
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe Korean American Day
Read a museum, archive or oral-history collection about Korean immigration to the United States.
Learn about the 1903 migration milestone that congressional resolutions connect with January 13.
Visit a Korean American cultural institution, historical collection or community program in your area where appropriate.
Use primary sources such as congressional records to distinguish official recognition from claims about statutory holiday status.
When sharing family or community stories, obtain permission before publishing private names, photographs or personal details.
Korean American Day Facts
Korean American Day is observed on 13 January.
Congressional resolutions connect the date with the arrival of 102 pioneer Korean immigrants on 13 January 1903.
The U.S. Senate agreed to S. Res. 283 on 20 October 2005.
The U.S. House agreed to H. Res. 487 on 13 December 2005.
The resolutions support the goals, ideals or celebration of Korean American Day; they do not create a general federal public holiday.
Later congressional material continues to use January 13 for the observance.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
U.S. GovInfo — H. Res. 487 Congressional Record (opens in a new tab)
Federal Legislative Record
U.S. GovInfo — S. Res. 283 Congressional Record (opens in a new tab)
Federal Legislative Record
U.S. House — Korean American Day 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Congressional Resolution Series
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Korean American Day?
13 January The documented recurrence rule is: 13 January.
Does Korean American Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Korean American Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Korean American Day?
The reviewed sources identify United States Senate and United States House of Representatives (2005 commemorative resolutions) as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Centennial Committees of Korean Immigration and Korean Americans.
Is Korean American Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-02.
When is Korean American Day?
It is observed on January 13 in the United States.
Why is January 13 used?
Congressional resolutions connect the date with the arrival of 102 pioneer Korean immigrants in the United States on January 13, 1903.
Did Congress recognize Korean American Day?
Yes. In 2005 the Senate agreed to S. Res. 283 and the House agreed to H. Res. 487 supporting or recognizing the goals and ideals of the observance.
Is Korean American Day a federal public holiday with government closures?
No. The cited congressional resolutions are commemorative actions and do not establish January 13 as a general federal closure holiday.
Other observances on January 13
These observances are also listed on January 13, 2027.
National Sticker Day
StickerGiant identifies National Sticker Day on 13 January and states that it created the day in 2016.
National Take the Stairs Day
The American Lung Association describes National Take the Stairs Day as an annual observance on the second Wednesday of January.
Stephen Foster Memorial Day
36 U.S.C. §140 authorizes annual presidential designation of January 13 as Stephen Foster Memorial Day. President Truman’s Proclamation 2957, issued December 13, 1951, designated January 13…