Moments We Shared in 2026

49th Leadership Inauguration & 26th Korean Night

📅 February 7, 2026 | 📍 New Life Church Gymnasium, Tacoma

WATKAA celebrated the inauguration of 49th President Kyung Vincent and Board Chair Chong Dameron, together with a Lunar New Year celebration honoring our seniors. With record attendance, Korean community leaders from across Washington State and federal, state, and city officials joined us to offer their congratulations. Traditional and multicultural performances and student scholarships made it a meaningful start to the new year for our community and our neighbors.

Photos: Seattle Korean Daily

Model Korean Association Award at the 2026 Korean American Association Leaders Convention

📅 March 29 – April 1, 2026 | 📍 Paris Hotel, Las Vegas

WATKAA was honored as a “Model Korean Association” at the 2026 Korean American Association Leaders Convention, hosted by the Federation of Korean Associations, USA. President Kyung Vincent and Vice President Heejin Noh accepted the award on behalf of WATKAA. Held under the theme “Today's Vision, Tomorrow's Leaders,” the convention brought together more than 250 current and former Korean association leaders and next-generation leaders from across the United States, including a record 20-plus participants from the Seattle area. Thank you to every member of our community for your continued support.

Photos: SeattleN

Book Talk for Poet SungKyo Kim’s Second Poetry Collection & Korean Writers’ Association U.S. Chapter Founding

📅 Sunday, April 19, 2026, 4:30 PM | 📍 Tacoma Korean Community Center

About 60 community members gathered for a book talk celebrating 『Nemo Semo Won (Square, Triangle, Circle)』, the second poetry collection by poet SungKyo Kim, WATKAA’s Secretary General, held as a fundraiser for the Korean Writers’ Association U.S. Chapter. Opened by a performance from Manseong Pungmul, the event was hosted by Rev. Soon-kwon Lee and former WATKAA President Sonnia Bradley and featured a talk show, poetry readings, congratulatory remarks, and a fun quiz. Under the theme “Poetry came to me and became my daily bread,” Kim shared how he went from construction engineer to poet and how he finds poems in everyday objects, and his reading of his favorite poem, “My Mother,” moved many in the audience to tears. In his congratulatory remarks, President Kyung Vincent praised Kim as someone who has quietly and faithfully served WATKAA as Secretary General. $5,000 from book sales was donated to the Korean Writers’ Association U.S. Chapter.

Kim began his literary career with the 12th Seattle Literature New Writer Award, has received honors including the Yun Dong-ju 105th Anniversary Literary Award, and published his first poetry collection, 『There Are No Mackerel in a Sea Without Islands』 (Sisanmaek), in 2023.

Photos: Seattle Korean Daily, KBS World Washington

46th Anniversary Commemoration of the May 18 Democratic Uprising

📅 Sunday, May 17, 2026, 4:00 PM | 📍 Tacoma Korean Community Center

Under the theme “The Flowers of May, the Light of Today,” about 60 community members gathered at the newly renovated Tacoma Korean Community Center to solemnly commemorate the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. Organized by the May 18 Gwangju Global Solidarity – Seattle, the ceremony was co-hosted by WATKAA together with the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle, the Korean American Association of the Pacific Northwest, the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (Seattle), the Korean Association of Greater Seattle, and the Federal Way Korean Association. Following the national ceremony, a flower tribute, and a memorial address, Yong-kyu Kim — a high school senior in Gwangju in 1980 — shared his firsthand testimony, and community leaders including President Kyung Vincent pledged to pass the spirit of May on to the local community and the next generation.

Photos: Seattle Korean Daily

2026 FIFA World Cup Community Watch Party

📅 June 11, 2026 (Thu), 7:00 PM | 📍 Tacoma Korean Community Center

WATKAA and the Korean-American Senior Citizens Association co-hosted a community watch party for Korea's opening match against Czechia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at our newly renovated Tacoma Korean Community Center. More than 100 community members gathered an hour before kickoff to cheer together in front of two big-screen TVs over fried chicken and drinks. When Korea came from behind to win 2–1, the center erupted with joy, as every generation, from our seniors to our youth, shouted “Dae-han-min-guk!” together.

Photos: Seattle Korean Daily

76th Anniversary Commemoration of the Korean War

📅 June 20, 2026 (Sat), 11:00 AM | 📍 Korean War Memorial, Washington State Capitol Campus, Olympia

The 76th Anniversary Commemoration of the Korean War was solemnly held in Olympia, co-hosted by WATKAA, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle, the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council Seattle Chapter, and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of the Republic of Korea. More than 200 guests — Korean War veterans and their families, Korean community leaders, and U.S. military officials — gathered to honor the veterans who sacrificed for freedom and democracy. In her commemorative address, WATKAA President Kyung Vincent expressed gratitude that the freedom and prosperity of today's Republic of Korea were built upon the sacrifices of these veterans, and WATKAA presented commemorative watches to the veterans in attendance. Families of fallen veterans received the Ambassador for Peace Medal from the Korean government, and attendees laid flowers at the memorial to honor the heroes of the war.

Photos: Video captures from KBS WATV

81st Liberation Day Celebration & Community Center Renovation Ceremony

📅 Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11:00 AM | 📍 Tacoma Korean Community Center

Ahead of the 81st anniversary of Korea’s liberation, WATKAA held a Liberation Day celebration together with a ceremony marking the completion of the community center’s renovation and a welcome reception for Sung-gil Jang, the newly appointed Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle. The day opened with a lively performance by the Mansung Pungmul Troupe and a ribbon cutting to unveil the renovated center. President Kyung Vincent thanked the community, saying, “Today’s proud moment is the result of our Korean community coming together as one.” Secretary General SungKyo Kim recited his poem “Diaspora Liberation,” and everyone joined in three cheers of “Daehan Dongnip Manse!” The celebration concluded with a welcome cake cutting for the Consul General and a luncheon.

Photos: SeattleN