Aiming to examine the understanding of the foreign social service and religio-culture of the Korean religious organizations, the article analyzes the foreign social services of the American religious organizations and those of the Korean religious organizations comparatively, which have been practiced in Cambodia. Further the article compares how the Korean faith-based organizations understand the religio-culture among the cross-cultural social services in Cambodia with how the American faith-based organizations understand that in Cambodia. The research on the understandings is achieved through 3 methodological tools: critical method of literatures, visiting and surveying offices and field sites, and interviews with the persons in charge of the organizations. First, the article starts with discussing the religio-cultural context in Cambodia of which Theravada Buddhism has dominated lives of the people historically. Also Cambodian authority for the NGO/CSOs including Christian organizations and the NGO Forum on Cambodia are analyzed to impose requirements on the international NGOs. Second, the research discusses the theological policies to understand the religio-culture among the cross-cultural social services of the 7 Christian NGOs in the U. S. such as AFSC, CRS, CRWRC, CWS, MCC, MKLM, WVI which have maintained different traditions. Third, the article deals with the religious policies for understanding the religio-cultural social services of the 7 Korean religious organizations such as Catholic OBOS, Dail Community, Korea Food for the Hungry International, World Vision Korea, Buddhist JTS, Buddhist Goodhands, Won-buddhist NGO. Most of the Korean organizations show that they do not keep the policies to the cross-cultural issues. Fourth and Conclusively, the article compares the characteristics of the policies of the American FBOs with those of the Korean FBOs. Briefly speaking, the former focuses on the humanitarian and development issues as the NGO do, however the latter keep no policies, which are oriented to mission works to expand their religious identity. Therefore the Korean FBOs are asked to arrange theological or religious policies to be open to other religions and cultures. Inclusive of other religio-cultures the FBOs may do their mission-oriented development works. CRWRC can be a good model for Korean FBOs to contribute to exercising the holistic perspective development mission.

The paper aims to do a comparative research on foreign social services and cultural understanding of the religious organizations of Korea and of the United States which have been active in Cambodia. The results of the research will be helpful to contribute to develop the support policies of the government authority to religious NGOs and to achieve more effective results in the field of international development by the religious NGOs in Korea. The first part of the paper defines some concepts on community development, international cooperation NGOs, understanding of culture, and foreign social services of the religious organizations. Further the paper makes clear the practical structures of goals and processes of the social service (community development) of religious NGOs which transform the religiocultures of the native population. The second and third parts analyze the religious NGOs of Korea and of the United States. The activities in Cambodia and staff education on the culture of the 12 religious NGOs of Korea are examined to influence the community development or social service which is closely related to cultural change. The third part discusses the activities and staff education of the 7 religious (Christian) NGOs of the U.S. which have practiced the social services in Cambodia. The fourth part compares with the merit points of the religious NGOs of the two countries and discusses the issues of NGO activities in the fields. Finally the paper suggests three points to the NGO authorities in Korea such as financial support of the government authority to the religious NGOs, enforcement of religiocultural education for the staffs of the religious NGOs, and establishment of new department such as world relief service by the denomination basis in the Korean churches.