Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation

The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (국외소재문화유산재단, OKCHF) is a South Korean public foundation established in 2012 under the Korea Heritage Service (formerly the Cultural Heritage Administration). Headquartered at Nuritkum Square in Mapo-gu, Seoul, it operates as the government's dedicated body for surveying, recovering, and managing Korean cultural heritage located outside the Korean peninsula.

As of 2026, the OKCHF has documented 256,190 pieces of Korean cultural heritage across 801 institutions in 29 countries, with survey data covering 113,937 pieces in 157 locations across 13 countries. The foundation has facilitated the return of 12,637 pieces through both public and private sector channels. Its monitoring system tracks 5,860 cases across 675 locations in 29 countries annually.

Key programmes include the Survey and Research division (documenting overseas collections), the Return of Cultural Heritage unit (coordinating international negotiations and private purchases), and the Conservation and Utilization Support programme (funding conservation work at overseas institutions). The foundation also manages the historic Old Korean Legation building in Washington D.C., the oldest Korean diplomatic property in the United States. In 2024, it opened a new Paris office to strengthen engagement with European institutions.