The Korean Chamber Orchestra(KCO), founded in 1965 in Seoul by cellist Bong-Cho Jeon, quickly became a leading chamber group in the country. Since 1979, when Min Kim became its new director, the Korean Chamber Orchestra has been establishing a growing international reputation by embarking on numerous international tours to increasing critical and popular acclaim. It has given over 440 concerts in Korea, the U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Poland, Denmark, Austria, France, Finland, Estonia, Luxemburg, Czech, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, China and Singapore. Its nine-city tour of the United States and Canada in 1995, arranged by Columbia Artists Management Inc. to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the group's inception, received outstanding reviews from such prestigious publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and the Toronto Star. The group’s seven-city tour of Europe in 1997 received similar praise from German newspapers such as the Badische Zeitung and the Mindelheimer Zeitung.
It has performed with internationally renowned soloists such as Krzysztof Penderecki, Arto Noras, Frans Helmerson, Nobuko Imai, David Geringas, Heinz Holliger, Salvatore Accardo, Marisa Robles, Felix Ayo, Zakhar Bron, Jean-Pierre Wallez, Cyprien Katsaris, Kyung-Wha Chung, Young-Uk Kim, Young-Ok Shin, Kwang-Chul Youn. In addition, the group has released 14 CDs, encompassing a wide range of repertoire, which have established a new standard of excellence in the field of classical music.
In 1999, the Korean Chamber Orchestra made its Salzburg debut in Austria and participated in the UNESCO Concert for Peace in Paris where it was officially designated as a UNESCO Chamber Orchestra for Peace. During the following year, the group successfully completed one-month tour of Poland- Croatia-Germany and performed in a special concert at the UN General Assembly Hall where it was designated as a UN Chamber Orchestra, and completed a tour of Singapore. In September 2001, it went on its European tour that included a concert, first for a Korean artistic group, in the Chamber Music Hall of the Berlin Philharmonie. The critics praised the ensemble as the first class orchestra with resilient tonal colors and precise ensemble work. The 2002 season, it finished successfully a performance in the famed Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen and the 2003 season, European tour in Italy and Germany with a favorable criticism. In 2004, it went on its Chinese tour and to celebrate its 40th Anniversary in 2005, it participated in Heidelberg Chamber Orchestra Festival in Germany, Naantali Festival in Finland, Rheingau Festival in Germany. The 2006 season, it successfully performed at International Mozart Festival in Estonia, European tour in France-Poland(the 10th Beethoven Easter Festival)-Czech. In 2007, after Harbin winter festival in China, the KCO got successful reviews at Rheingau festival, Naantali festival , Echternach festival in Luxembourg, Max-Reger-Tage festival, Markgraefler festival. Coming 2009 season it has plans such as German tour including Kiel, Hildesheim, Mannheim and in August-September at Belgium Brussels festival, Rheingau festival, Speyer festival, Italy Ascoli Piceno festival , also until 2010, the KCO is invited to the Beethoven festival in Poland, concerts in France, Naantali festival.
