Freemasonry in Asia - Korea

Korea

In late 1907 and early 1908 a number of Freemasons then residing in Korea undertook to establish the first Masonic Lodge on the Peninsula. A Charter was issued by the Grand Lodge of Scotland on November 5, 1908, and the name Han Yang, one of the ancient names for the capital city, was chosen to designate the new Lodge. The members were initially merchants, miners, and missionaries; occupations that represented most of the foreign population in what was then known as Chosun. In addition to Lodge Han Yang, there are three other lodges on the Korean Peninsula: Lodge Pusan and Lodge Harry S. Truman (on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland) and MacArthur Lodge (under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Philippines). MacArthur Lodge currently holds meetings on the United States military base located within Seoul.