Until 1998, when the Korean Society of Interpretation and Translation Studies was founded, interpretation and translation studies had not fully taken root in Korea. Those who graduated from schools of interpretation and translation, though actively working as professional interpreters or translators in various fields, were not very interested in academic research. However, some graduates moved on to become professors at universities and continued to teach and practice interpretation and translation (I&T). They came to realize the importance of having a theoretical foundation to support the work of I&T, and realized that there was a need to establish an academic society to support research activities in the field. The Korean Society of Interpretation and Translation Studies is the first of academic society of interpretation and translation to be established in Korea. In the early years, I&T studies had been considered a sub branch of linguistics. However, the Korean Society of Interpretation and Translation Studies laid a firm foundation for interpretation and translation studies to be recognized as an independent field of study. Such recognition was gained through significant contributions from many scholars and researchers equipped with both theoretical and practical experience in the field of I&T.

'Interpretation and Translation' was published once a year during the first three years and from the fourth year, the journal was published twice a year. The publication of 'Interpretation and Translation' opened new doors in the field of I&T studies, since there had been no academic journals in the field prior to it. The articles written by professional interpreters and translators combined both theory and practice, and opened a new horizon in the field of I&T research. Acknowledged for its contribution in academic research, 'Interpretation and Translation' became a registered journal of the National Research Foundation Citation Index in 2007. The journal continues to function as a vital platform for active exchange of research results and ideas in the field of I&T. Since 2003, KSCI and ESIT in France, issues 'Forum', the first international journal jointly published by Korea and France.