The Korean Archeological Society was founded in 1976. As the first pan-regional archaeological society to be established in Korea, it may be regarded as Korean archaeology's foremost Society; its members include the majority of archeologists who have an interest in Korean archaeology, from both within and outside Korea. The affairs of the society are systematically supervised and directed by the General Committee, Peer Committee, Executive Committee, Editorial Committee and additional Sub-committees. The existence of the Peer Committee is a distinctive feature of the society; it is comprised of the President of the society and twenty 'Peer Members' who represent the various regional archaeological communities. The Peer Committee ensures that the activities and policies faithfully represent the opinion of the all society members, and therefore that the Society is run in a democratic way.

The Society was formed with the objective of promoting the study of archeology. It aims to do so by hosting conferences, publishing a Society Journal, and promoting initiatives which aid in the conservation and preservation of archaeological heritage.

Two main conferences are hosted annually by the Society: the `Annual Conference of the Korean Archaeological Society', which takes place in early November for two days, and the Archaeology Session of the `National Historical Studies Conference' which takes place in late May. The Annual Conference of the Korean Archaeological Society, which takes place at a different university or institution each year, provides the opportunity for society members to come together. As well as being a social event, papers presented at the conference - which cover all time periods, regions, and themes - allow participants to review and discuss developments within the discipline. The `Annual Excavation Session', which introduces the key sites excavated that year, gives members an opportunity to keep up with recent archaeological findings. Key sites which have been excavated following the Annual Conference of the Korean Archaeological Society are introduced at the `National Historical Studies Conference' the following year.

The Society also aims to promote and encourage archaeological research through the publication of the Journal of the Korean Archaeological Society. Three volumes of the journal are published each year (volumes were originally published twice a year, but this was increased to three times a year in 2002) and a process of strict peer review is employed in order to maintain the high standards of the Journal. Publications based on the presented papers and discussions of the key-note session of the Annual Conference of the Korean Archaeological Society are also produced by the Society.

The Society is very much aware of the discipline's role in preserving and conserving our cultural heritage, and therefore takes an active interest in promoting relevant initiatives. It has, for example, played a key role in bringing about changes to the Cultural Property Protection Law; this will ensure that our archaeological heritage, which is constantly under threat from land development, is systematically investigated, researched, and protected and preserved if necessary. The Society, in co-operation with the various regional archaeological societies, also aims to encourage the public's appreciation of cultural heritage as an integral part of the surrounding landscape, and consequently promote the understanding that the former cannot be preserved without protecting the latter as well.