VANK has launched a global campaign calling on Korean communities overseas to help uncover and share the stories of lesser-known Koreans who have contributed to their local societies and the Korean community abroad.
Announced on Oct. 4, 2026, ahead of World Korean Day on Oct. 5, the campaign invites Koreans living abroad to nominate figures who have contributed to their host countries, advanced the rights of Korean communities or supported Korea’s independence movement.
The search extends beyond independence activists to people who have made meaningful contributions in culture, academia, science, civic activism, public diplomacy and other fields. VANK is also seeking photographs, historical sites, personal accounts and other materials documenting their lives and work.
VANK has previously highlighted figures such as Pastor Lee Dae-wi, who helped Korean immigrants in San Francisco settle in the United States and protect their rights, and Kim Jong-rim, an independence activist who helped establish the Willows Korean Aviation School to train pilots for Korea’s independence movement. The new campaign expands these efforts by inviting Korean communities around the world to identify and document figures in their own regions.
Anyone can submit information through Woollim, VANK’s national policy platform, or by direct message to VANK’s official Instagram account. Participants can also share stories on social media using hashtags such as #KoreanDiasporaHeroes, #세계한인의날, #숨겨진한인영웅 and #VANK.
VANK will review submissions and turn selected stories into digital content in Korean, English and other languages, including information cards, short videos and online exhibits. The materials will be shared internationally and used in educational resources for Korean schools overseas and young people.
Park Gi-tae, head of VANK, said the campaign aims to encourage overseas Koreans to document the contributions of people in their communities and pass their stories on to future generations.
“The history of Koreans overseas is also a history of diplomacy and challenges as Korea built connections with the world,” Park said. He expressed hope that the campaign would give Korean communities in different countries an opportunity to identify and share local Korean heroes.
The campaign follows a public diplomacy seminar held at the National Assembly on Oct. 1, where Park delivered a keynote address titled “100 Years of Memory, 100 Years of Mission.” He discussed the historical role of Korean communities overseas, including their support for the independence movement and the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
Park also highlighted the role of overseas Korean associations and diaspora communities as an important network for public diplomacy, calling on them to help uncover and share stories of Koreans whose contributions have received little recognition.