The purposes of the Association are:

1. To cultivate and retain the Korean heritage and tradition through the Association’s cultural activities including exhibitions, bazaars, and other ceremonies.

2. To partake in Canada’s multicultural aims by actively participating in and contributing to various ethnocultural events.

3. To promote appreciation of Korean heritage and culture among Canadians by providing assess to information and a forum for opportunities to learn and observe the Korean culture.

4. To organize and assist in the provision of educational instructions, discussions and lectures connected with the Korean language and culture.

5. To provide the needed members with social services including interpretation, legal and counseling services.

Special assistance will be provided to the newly arriving immigrants for their cultural and social integration into Canadian society.

6. To assist victims of natural calamities and people suffering form physical malfunction by providing financial contribution and/or moral support.

7. To promote moral, social and spiritual welfare of the members of the Association by arranging annual recreational activities as an incidental to the advancement of social welfare of the members.

Article 3: Membership

Any Korean and his/her family residing in Ottawa and vicinity as well as any other person who is interested in furthering the objects of the Association are eligible for membership provided that they observe the rules established by the Association.

Members may resign by resignation in writing which shall be effective upon acceptance thereof by the Board of Directors.

Article 4: Rights and Duties of Members

Members have the right to vote and to be elected for office. Members shall pay dues and fully participate in the Association’s programmes.

Article 5: Board of Directors

1. The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Board of Directors.

2. The President and the Vice-President of the Association shall serve as the chairperson and the Vice-President of the Board of Directors, respectively.

3. The President and the Vice-President shall occupy office for one year. The new president shall be nominated among the eligible members by the Board of Directors and approved at the annual general meeting.

Eligible members include any member who has resided more than three years in Ottawa and vicinity. The Vice-president, the Secretary and the Treasurer shall be appointed by the new president.

4. The Board of Directors consist of

a. The President, the Vice-President and the Secretary;

b. The previous year’s President;

c. One representative from each of the following organizations;

- The Ottawa Korean Community Church

- The Korean Ottawa Methodist Church

- Ottawa Sarang Presbyterian Church

- The Korean Catholic Community of Ottawa

- The Ottawa Korean Community School

- The Association of Korean-Canadian Scientists and Engineers of Ottawa

- The Associations of Korean Students of Ottawa

- The Ottawa Korean Golfers' Association

- The Ottawa Korean-Canadian Sports Club (will consider)

- The Korean Evergreen Seniors' Association

- The Business Association of Ottawa

- The Korean Women's International Network (KOWIN)

The Board of Directors may add one or more organization(s) to the above list and/or delete one or more organization(s) from the above list.

Such changes shall be approved at the next general meeting by a majority of the votes cast at the meeting.

d. The following criteria shall be used for the consideration of the membership in the Board: i) the organization should have served the Ottawa Korean-Canadian community for at least three years; ii) it strives to improve the quality of life and well-being of Korean-Canadians residing in Ottawa; iii) it is not engaged in any political activity; iv) it is not affiliated with any political party nor any government, and v) it shall have at least ten active members.

e. No more than two persons appointed by the President.

5. The Board of Directors may set up sub-committees as deemed necessary.

6. The Board of Directors may prescribe such rules and regulations not inconsistent with by-laws relating to the management and operation of the Association

as they deem expedient provided that such rules and regulations shall be presented and confirmed at the next general meeting by a majority of the votes cast at the general meeting.

7. The Board of Directors shall provide their services on non-remunerative basis.

Article 6: Duties of the President and Officers

1. Duties of the President are to perform the entire matters associated with the Association such as: opening and presiding at meetings;

planning and calling special meetings; protecting the rights of the majority of the Association.

Duties of the Vice-President are to assist the President in all matters whenever required, and to perform the President’s duties in the absence of the President.

2. Duties of the Secretary are to assist the President and the Vice-President in all matters whenever required, and to delegate the President’s duties in the absence of the President.

He/she shall be the custodian of the seal of the Association and of documents issues by the Association.

3. Duties of the Treasurer are to administer financial matters including: keeping full and accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements of the funds of the Association under the direction of the Board of Directors;

preparing and reporting financial statement. He/she shall render to the Board of Directors an accounting of all transactions whenever they require it.

4. Duties of all other executive members shall be such as the terms of their enactment call for or the Board of Directors requires of them.

Article 7: Finance

Expense of the Association shall be financed by membership dues, private donations and public assistance.

Article 8: Procedure

The annual general meeting shall meet once a year in December.

Decisions of the general meeting on important questions shall be made by a majority of the votes cast by the members present.

Members present in person at a meeting shall contribute a quorum. Each member present at a meeting shall exercise on vote.

Article 9: Wind-up

On the winding-up or dissolution of the Association, all assets remaining after all debts have been paid shall be transferred to a charitable institution with aims similar to those of the Association.

Article 10: Non-Profit

The purposes of the Association shall be carried out without purpose of gain for its members, and any profits or other accretions to the Association shall be used for promoting its purposes.

Article 11: Amendment

The by-laws may be repealed or amended by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the members present in person at the meeting.

The amendment or the repeal of the by-law shall not be enforced or acted upon until the approval of the Ministers has been obtained. The wind-up clause and non-profit clauses in Articles nine and ten are unalterable.

Article 12: Financial Statements

A preliminary financial statement shall be presented at the annual meeting in December of each year. The final financial statement and all related financial transactions shall be completed and submitted to incoming executive officers within 30 days and the final financial statement shall be posted on the KCAO webpage. The new executive members shall have two weeks to review the statement and raise any issues. Any unresolved issue shall be directed to the Board within four weeks of the submission date. The Board shall then appoint an auditor(s) to resolve the remaining issue(s).