KOREA FOUNDATION

2017, the Year of the Fire Rooster, has dawned. To all of the supporters of the KF, I wish you good health and great success in the New Year.
  Last year was a significant year for the KF, marking the 25th anniversary of its founding as well as its designation as the official national agency for the promotion of public diplomacy, following the entry into force of the Public Diplomacy Act in August. Major accomplishments included the strengthening of the base for fostering next-generation Korea experts in the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and the ASEAN region. In 2017, the KF will continue to actively support the fostering of experts with a deep interest in and understanding of Korea.
  2016 also saw the KF upgrade its culture and arts exchange programs and successfully organize new programs for the development of local communities, including a joint project to paint wall murals in the small seaside city of Tam Ky, Vietnam. Tam Ky became the first mural village in the country and was enthusiastically received by local residents and media.
  Important changes are expected for the KF in 2017. First, in line with the initiative to relocate public agencies to areas outside the capital, the KF will be moving to the city of Seogwipo on Jejudo Island. From this new location, the KF will work for the flourishing of the local economy and culture through various international exchange programs, focusing in particular on projects to be carried out with the participation of the residents of Jejudo Island. The KF Global Center (galleries for exhibitions and performances) will remain, its operations unchanged, at its current location in Jung-gu district, Seoul.
  Second, the ASEAN Culture House, which was agreed on at the 2014 Korea-ASEAN Summit, will open in Busan during the second half of the year. Tasked with operating the House, the KF will organize programs for arts and academic exchanges with the ten ASEAN countries so as to enhance Koreans’ understanding of the cultures of the ASEAN region. With the relocation of the KF headquarters to Jejudo Island, the opening of the ASEAN Culture House in Busan, and the continued operation of the KF Global Center in Seoul, the KF will become an agency with three main bases of operation, making 2017 the start of a new chapter in KF’s activities on the global stage.
  Third, in accordance with the official designation of KF as the national agency for promotion of public diplomacy, the KF will take on a number of public diplomacy projects currently being overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this first year, the projects to be transferred to the KF are those that are either closely related to existing KF projects or have the potential for synergistic effects when pursued alongside existing projects. In the years ahead, the role of KF and its importance in this domain will continue to grow.
  Last, a new Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat will be established and operated as a division of the KF for the purpose of strengthening Korea’s cooperation with five countries in Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan).
  2017 is thus expected to be a year of significant changes for the KF. We will do our utmost to ensure a time of smooth transition and further strengthen the KF’s role in connecting the people of Korea to the world through reciprocal exchanges of knowledge and culture. We appreciate your continued support and interest.
  Thank you very much.

Lee Sihyung
President
The Korea Foundation