HOME > HISTORY > Prior the Establishment of the Korean Bar Association With the promulgation of the ‘Lawyers Act’ in Cho-sun Dynasty, the bar system in Korea started on November 8, 1905. Rules on examination and registration were followed by this act, and on June 24, 1907 the first bar examination was held by the Justice Department. On June 23, 1907, the first association of lawyers, “The Hansung (Seoul) Bar Association,” was established. This association was supposed to have local branches on paper but was not a nationwide organization because the total number of lawyers was less than ten. However, when necessary, they convened in the name of “Pan-Chosun Lawyers Convention” from time to time. On November 19, 1945, as Korea became independent from Japan and U.S. military trusteeship started in Korea, Justice Section Ordinance No.4 was enacted to replaced all former associations of lawyers with the nationwide "Chosun Bar Association" with branches in each district court jurisdiction. The head office of the Chosun Bar Association was at the Chosun Hansung Court, and its council meetings were held at the Hansung Court quarterly on every second Thursday in January, April, July and October. The Republic of Korea was founded on August 15, 1948, followed by the enactment of the Constitution of Korea on July 17, 1948. Court Organization Act was also enacted on September 26, 1948, and on November 7, 1949, Lawyers Act was followed to form the Association. On June 17, 1950 the inaugural meeting was held to found the Korean Bar Association under the new Lawyers Act, but Korean War broke out to halt the registration width Justice Department. On July 28, 1952 the inaugural meeting resumed in the war-time capital, Pusan, to confirm the rules and the registration. On August 29, 1952 the Korean Bar Association was finally established.