The Embassy of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in Washington D.C. opened KORUS House as part of an effort to transform the ROK-US alliance into a forward-looking partnership. KORUS House serves as a venue for speeches, lectures, and briefings concerning the past, present and future state of the ROK-US alliance in a changing world.

The name 'KORUS' is a combination of "Korea" and "U.S." that fortuitously rhymes with "chorus." The name of this institution denotes a strong wish for a more dynamic and harmonious relationship between the two nations.

The mission statement of KORUS House is as follows,