On June 2, 2026, VANK, led by Director Park Gi-tae, announced that it had launched an intensive campaign to address what it describes as distortions and biases related to Africa within South Korean government institutions, coinciding with the Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Seoul.
VANK argued that while the South Korean government promotes a future-oriented partnership with Africa, government agencies involved in diplomacy and public health continue to use practices that underestimate the continent or reinforce negative stereotypes. The organization pointed to the continued use of world maps based on the Mercator projection, which it says minimizes Africa’s actual size, as well as the use of the disease name “African swine fever,” which includes a geographic reference to Africa.
According to VANK, it has spent the past year urging government agencies to make corrections but has seen little change. The organization said it would intensify its efforts during the foreign ministers’ meeting, which began on May 31 and runs through June 2, 2026.
Among the issues highlighted by VANK are the continued use of the Mercator projection world map and the term “African swine fever,” which it argues contributes to prejudice and negative perceptions of Africa.
After reviewing map usage across the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its affiliated institutions, VANK said that Mercator projection maps were still widely used in official publications and materials.
VANK maintains that the Mercator projection significantly enlarges areas at higher latitudes, resulting in Africa—which actual landmass is far larger than North America and approximately 14 times the size of Greenland—appearing smaller than its true scale on many maps.
The organization said its review found the projection being routinely used in official materials, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “Overseas Safe Travel” resources and the Republic of Korea ODA White Paper, as well as publications issued by the Overseas Koreans Agency, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and the Korea-Africa Foundation.
VANK also criticized the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and their affiliated agencies for continuing to use the term “African swine fever” instead of the internationally recognized abbreviation “ASF” or alternative names based on the disease’s pathological characteristics, such as “swine hemorrhagic fever.”
The organization noted that agencies including the Rural Development Administration and the National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention continue to use the term officially, despite recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies to avoid naming infectious diseases after specific regions or countries.
Park Gi-tae, head of VANK, said, “It is contradictory to invite foreign ministers from 50 African countries to discuss shared prosperity while allowing government websites to continue using maps that diminish Africa’s size and disease names that reinforce negative stigma. Genuine solidarity begins with accurate understanding and respect for others.”
During the foreign ministers’ meeting, VANK plans to carry out a digital awareness campaign targeting both domestic and international internet users, as well as government officials. The organization also intends to send official requests to relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, urging immediate corrective action.