The reconstruction project of the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles has begun with the goal of completing the project by the end of 2029.
On September 25, the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles held a press conference and announced that it will receive submissions for the general design competition for the reconstruction of the consulate building until November 22, and construction is scheduled to begin as early as the second half of 2026 after the permitting process.
According to the Consulate General, 11 Korean architectural firms applied for the general design competition. Of these, only seven firms qualified after attending a site briefing at the Consulate General on September 23.
The seven firms have until November 22 to submit their design plans for the rebuilding. The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles will select a firm in early December and sign a contract for design services.
“We expect a year for the final design,” said Consul Joo Hyung Han. “If the permitting process goes as expected, we will start the reconstruction in the second half of 2026 and aim to complete it by the end of 2029.”
The rebuilding site will encompass 19,498 square feet, including the current consulate building and the east and the north parking lot. The consulate general said that the reconstruction will focus on the administrative functions of the consulate, but there is a possibility of expansion during the reconstruction process.
However, it must be noted that the reconstruction budget has been reduced to 70.3 billion won (roughly $53 million) from the original 88 billion won (roughly $66 million). The cost of relocation to the temporary office, which is necessary for the reconstruction process, will be budgeted separately.
Deputy Consul General Song Hwan Kwon said, “The budget has been slightly reduced, but it takes a long time from design to construction, and we will evaluate the progress of the project every year, reflecting additional costs such as inflation in the future.”
Related to this, criticism has been raised that the general design competition for the reconstruction was limited to Korean architectural firms, eliminating the chances for Korean-American architectural firms.
According to Korean government regulations, applicants must have an architect’s license and have opened an architectural office in accordance with Article 7 of the Korean architecture law, have declared overseas construction business, and have attended a briefing session at the headquarters after applying.
Kwon said, “Among the seven firms, there are also firms with U.S. entities. If the final architectural design firm is selected, the firm will collaborate with local architects or construction companies.”
It is unclear whether the Korean architectural firm will reflect the Korean American community’s opinion in the design of the new consulate.
According to a survey conducted by the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles from August 30 to September 13, the most important aspects of the reconstruction are a comfortable service area (36%), Korean symbol design (29%), Korean culture and exhibition space (18%), and sufficient parking space (18%).
When it comes to designing the interior of new government offices, the top three design priorities were preserving the beauty of Korean tradition (54%), promoting Korean culture (36%), and emphasizing modern, eco-friendly, and cutting-edge technology (11%).
The most important aspects to consider when improving the complaint center were spacious waiting areas and amenities (54%), privacy-protecting counters and counseling spaces (32%), and cultural spaces connected to the complaint center (7%).
Consul Han said, “We presented the survey results to the participating companies at the on-site briefing on September 23. We left open the possibility for companies to freely design the reconstruction of the consulate.”
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, HOONSIK WOO [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
