VANK and the Korea Taekkyeon Association have launched a contest inviting citizens to use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to promote the history, spirit and cultural value of Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art.
The organizations announced on Aug. 28, 2026, that they are holding the “Taekkyeon AI Diplomat Content Contest” under the theme “Taekkyeon, Korea’s Traditional Martial Art for the World.” The contest is open to anyone, regardless of whether they practice Taekkyeon, with entries accepted through Sept. 30, 2026.
Participants are asked to identify aspects of Taekkyeon they want to share with international audiences and use generative AI and other digital tools to turn them into engaging content. Entries can be submitted in five categories: short-form videos, digital posters, webtoons, songs and other audio content, and card news.
The contest is not intended to test participants’ Taekkyeon skills. Instead, it focuses on how citizens can explain the martial art to people around the world who may know little about it and determine what aspects of its history, philosophy, distinctive movements and community culture should be introduced.
The organizers emphasized that the goal is not to leave the work entirely to AI. Participants are expected to first identify the cultural value and message they want to convey, while using AI as a partner for planning, translation, image and video production, music creation and other forms of content development.
Teaching AI to Represent Taekkyeon Accurately
Another key objective of the contest is to improve the accuracy of information about Taekkyeon within the AI ecosystem.
VANK said its preliminary review of major generative AI systems found multiple errors, including cases in which nonexistent Taekkyeon techniques were presented as genuine techniques or distinctive Taekkyeon movements were incorrectly portrayed as movements from other martial arts.
The organization warned that such errors could have consequences beyond individual AI responses. As generative AI becomes an increasingly important gateway through which people around the world learn about history and culture, repeated generation and circulation of inaccurate information could distort how international audiences understand Taekkyeon.
The organizers therefore plan to build up a large body of high-quality digital content created by participants and make it available online. By increasing the amount of accurate information about Taekkyeon in the digital environment, they hope to help AI systems learn and represent the martial art more accurately.
Taekkyeon is a traditional Korean martial art that has been passed down alongside the country’s cultural life. It is designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011.
Known for its soft and fluid movements, distinctive rhythm and movements that emphasize coordination with an opponent, Taekkyeon reflects Korea’s traditional culture and community spirit.
The Korea Taekkyeon Association has promoted the international spread of the martial art by sending instructors overseas, training local instructors and establishing training centers. International exchanges have also expanded, with Taekkyeon competitions being held in Central and South America as well as Europe.
The new contest aims to build on this traditional approach to internationalization by combining in-person transmission with AI and digital content. The organizers said the goal is to broaden participation so that not only Taekkyeon practitioners but also teenagers, young adults and ordinary citizens can use AI to introduce the martial art to global audiences.
From Cultural Ambassadors to AI Diplomats
Park Gi-tae, head of VANK, said the rise of generative AI is creating a new environment for public diplomacy.
“An AI diplomat is not someone who leaves the task of promoting Korea to AI,” Park said. “It is a citizen who first discovers the values of Korea that should be shared with the world, designs the message and direction, and then uses AI as a diplomatic partner to communicate directly with the world.”
He added that promoting Korea’s history and cultural heritage was once largely regarded as the responsibility of experts and institutions, but AI now allows anyone with an idea and the will to share Korean culture to reach a global audience.
VANK plans to expand this citizen-led model of AI public diplomacy beyond Taekkyeon to other areas of Korean history and cultural heritage.
Moon Dae-sik, president of the Korea Taekkyeon Association, said the federation had focused on creating opportunities for people around the world to learn and pass on Taekkyeon.
“We have worked to build a foundation for people in different parts of the world to learn and continue Taekkyeon,” Moon said. “By combining traditional transmission and international exchange with AI and digital content, we hope to help Taekkyeon reach a broader global audience as a cultural heritage that represents Korea.”
The contest winners will be announced on Oct. 10. Outstanding participants will be appointed as “Taekkyeon AI Diplomats” and honored at the 17th World Taekkyeon Championships organized by the Korea Taekkyeon Association.
The organizers said the significance of the contest goes beyond selecting AI-generated content. At its core, they said, the initiative is about deciding what aspects of Taekkyeon Korea wants to preserve and share with the world before AI systems determine how the tradition is represented.
The contest is intended to create a growing body of accurate digital resources about Taekkyeon while demonstrating how citizens can use AI as a tool for cultural diplomacy and heritage promotion.