KOREA FOUNDATION

As the current director of the research lab at the Jeju Peace Institute, please briefly introduce your institution and the nature of your job.

The Jeju Peace Institute (JPI) is a private institute which was founded in 2006 to contribute to world peace and establish stability and peace on the Korean peninsula. JPI carries out various programs despite its small size and its location far from Seoul, including the annual international gathering Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity. We have also been selected as one of the top 10 domestic think tanks in the diplomacy-security field. I am in charge of the overall operation of JPI's research programs and also individual research programs on peace and cooperation.

How would you define public diplomacy? Please explain why public diplomacy is important, and the current state of public diplomacy in Korea.

For the past few decades, Korea has developed into a global trade-based economy. It is not an overstatement to say that today, Korean citizens and corporations can be found virtually anywhere in the world. As such, the insurance of their safety and fair/favorable treatment in other countries that are beyond Korean sovereignty is one of the most basic measures to be taken. What is important is that local recognition of our country should come first. Public diplomacy is an effort to promote understanding of Korea to citizens of other countries and thereby encourage them to think favorably about our nation. South Korea has devoted a great deal of effort to public diplomacy activities because of North Korea. Although it was not until recently that we began engaging in public diplomacy, significant progress has already been made in terms of improving Korea's image among the foreign public.

You conducted research for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2016 regarding public diplomacy as a policy strategy. Is there any noteworthy difference in our diplomatic tactics compared to before the practice of public diplomacy law? How would you evaluate Korean public diplomacy’s perspective and direction of its enforcement?

Public diplomacy until the present was mainly concentrated on "cultural public diplomacy," which focuses on spreading Korean culture, and "knowledge public diplomacy," which aims to promote an understanding of Korean studies. Both types have indeed contributed a great deal to improving Korea's image and status within the international community. With the enactment of the Public Diplomacy Law, we now have a new type: policy public diplomacy. Policy public diplomacy refers to informing global society about South Korea's national policies and seeking their support when needed. Mostly carried out for foreign governments, now we hope to also inform the general public about our policies. The more its role becomes recognized, policy public diplomacy will become an increasingly important instrument for Korean diplomacy.
  Thanks to the progress made by earlier types of public diplomacy, the foundation for policy public diplomacy is solid. However, we still have many things to be concerned about due to constant safety crises and the limitations of Korea's national power.

In your opinion, what roles does the KF play as a public diplomacy-focused organization? What are some aspects that should be improved?

I believe that the KF has accomplished a great deal in terms of spreading Korean culture and offering an overall introduction of Korea to the global community in the right way under cultural public diplomacy and knowledge public diplomacy. However, because of the limitations on our budget and manpower, I think that the KF has been forced to focus on traditional modes of public diplomacy. In the case of the United States, for example, the government has made efforts to exercise public diplomacy through Washington think tanks and universities. As the recent US presidential election has proven, however, outsiders in Washington and grassroots organizations also play an important role. We need a new type of public diplomacy for individuals and groups which have thus far been excluded from the traditional mode of public diplomacy. It may be a good idea to use social media to communicate with such groups. The KF must create a department or a separate body of experts specifically devoted to digital public diplomacy.

There are still a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the concept and importance of public diplomacy. How can citizens participate in public diplomacy in order to improve the status and image of Korea in the international society?

I personally believe that every citizen can be a public diplomat everytime they meet foreigners or go abroad. Most Korean citizens have probably had experiences in which they tried to improve or contribute to Korea's national image while in another country for sightseeing or business.
  I have a very high regard for the public diplomacy efforts of former US ambassador Kathleen Stephens; as many people know, she enjoyed Korean food and culture as well as spreading awareness of and knowledge about American culture to Koreans. When she praised Korean food like pajeon and makgeolli (Korean style alcohol made with rice) while actually eating it herself, there is probably no onlooker who did not start thinking favorably of Americans. The most effective means of public diplomacy that every Korean citizen can participate in is having respect for foreign citizens and being interested in the cultures and government policies of other countries.