Powered by its growing economic and diplomatic clout, Seoul is stepping up public diplomacy, exploring ways to capitalize on its middle-power charm and crafting tailored regional approaches.

By promoting scholarly exchanges and cultural and outreach events at overseas diplomatic missions, the government helps people overseas experience Korean culture and build personal ties. It also partners with international celebrities as goodwill ambassadors who can influence their fans and boost Korea’s image and tourist industry.

Public diplomacy has emerged as a vital tool in statecraft, as it helps promote foreign understanding of the country and eventually reach its foreign policy goals.

“The essence of public diplomacy is to make other countries adore Korea by utilizing ‘soft power,’” said Ma Young-sam, Seoul’s ambassador to Denmark who served as the country’s first envoy for public diplomacy from 2011-14.

“Public diplomacy is like an orchestra. If the conductor succeeds in harmonizing all the instruments and pulls off a good performance, the audience will get fond of it. Public diplomacy works the same way: If its elements, including K-pop, K-cinema, K-food, folk music tradition ‘pungmul’ and taekwondo, work in harmony, other people will become favorable toward Korea, and eventually help improve our national interests.” 

Since the Foreign Ministry allocated 6 billion won ($4.9 million) for public diplomacy for the first time in 2013, the figures have constantly risen to 9 billion won in 2014, 13.3 billion won in 2015 and 14.1 billion this year. This year’s ministry budget amounts to 2.14 trillion won, up about 4.6 percent from a year before.

The upward trend coincides with growing calls for nurturing next-generation Korean studies scholars, Korean-American leaders, and related human and organizational networks, highlighted during Seoul’s feud with Tokyo over the “comfort women” issue that has spilled over into the world stage.

Despite the ever-growing needs, Korea’s public diplomacy spending remains far behind its neighbors and other major economies. Japan’s public diplomacy machine, for instance, is backed by the Japan Foundation, which operates a 32.6 billion yen ($263.6 million) budget annually. This year’s Korea Foundation budget stands at 49.7 billion won.

In a fresh bid to kick-start the drive, the cabinet endorsed a revision early this year in the Foreign Ministry organization to revive the post of public diplomacy ambassador and create two divisions under the policy planning bureau, responsible for policy and regional public diplomacy, respectively.

President Park Geun-hye, who unveiled her “attractive Korea” initiative following her inauguration, has acted as the nation’s top ambassador herself. As Northeast Asia’s first female president, she often wears traditional or modernized hanbok at major events, introduces cultural heritage to visiting foreign dignitaries and attends K-pop concerts abroad.

During her travel to New York last September, Park became the first sitting president to visit an overseas Korean culture center since the country began opening the institutes in 1979. She also met 16 “K-Culture” supporters selected by the center among renowned figures in the local culture, academic, sports and political circles and Korean War veterans, requesting them to play a “bridging role” between the two countries.

At home, the ministry launched youth and senior public diplomacy corps in 2013 and supported their activities. It also holds a nationwide competition every year for which citizens submit their proposals for a public diplomacy program.

Currently, the senior group consists of 37 retired academics, public servants, business executives, doctors, chefs, translators and other professionals, who are actively promoting the Korean culture such as through lectures, countryside trips with foreigners and other public events.

“Enhancing the country’s images among foreign residents here is a first and foremost task,” said Choi Ha-kyung, a 72-year-old former chief executive of Hyundai Group, who has been leading the senior group since its inception, during an interview with the Culture Ministry last November. Until his retirement in 2006, he had built up experience at the corporation’s overseas units for nearly 20 years.

“As for Koreans, public diplomacy has a key role in tackling any ‘multiculture’-related biases and fostering mutual respect and global citizenship.”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)