Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea) has partnered with the Overseas Koreans Agency (OKA) to promote Korea’s development achievements and raise awareness of overseas Koreans’ contributions worldwide. The collaboration, formalized in September 2023, targets the nation’s 7 million overseas Koreans and seeks to ensure that Korea’s progress is accurately represented in foreign textbooks.
On Thursday, May 2, 2024, VANK held a briefing at the Overseas Koreans Agency’s conference room to review its efforts over the past eight months and discuss future initiatives. Lee Key-cheol, Head of the Overseas Koreans Agency, attended the session, which highlighted VANK’s multimedia campaigns and outreach projects.
VANK reported that it had:
- Established a bilingual (Korean and English) website introducing Korea’s development achievements to overseas Koreans (ourpride.prkorea.com).
- Produced videos and digital content showcasing Korea’s political and economic growth.
- Developed materials to improve domestic perceptions of overseas Koreans.
- Created promotional content under the theme We Are Korea, Proud of Our Nation.
- Hosted an exhibition at the National Museum of Korea highlighting Korea’s progress and the contributions of overseas Koreans.
- Trained young ambassadors to promote Korea internationally.
The exhibition, titled A Great Journey with 7 Million Overseas Koreans, ran from February 22–27, 2024, at the National Museum of Korea. It traced the 122-year history of Korean migration from the 1902 departure of 121 Koreans to Hawaii and highlighted the global achievements of overseas Koreans across politics, business, and culture.
During the briefing, VANK presented proposals for expanding Korea’s international promotion:
- Choi Yoo-jin suggested producing music and audio content about Korea’s achievements for social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, to cultivate a new generation of global ambassadors.
- Cho Su-yeon proposed targeted, interactive digital campaigns tailored to specific countries, aiming to improve domestic perceptions of overseas Koreans while promoting Korea abroad.
- Joo Hye-in emphasized creating engaging, multimedia content to reach younger audiences worldwide.
- Kwon Soon-gyu highlighted the importance of multilingual content, especially for ASEAN and African countries, to effectively communicate Korea’s political and economic achievements to global audiences.
- Kwon So-young called for campaigns recognizing individual contributions of Koreans and their families who supported Korea’s development, such as honoring parents who worked abroad.
- Yang So-hee recommended developing AR filters and social media stickers to increase engagement and raise awareness of overseas Koreans’ contributions.
VANK’s multimedia content has attracted over 617,500 views and 1,643 user comments worldwide. Videos have been used in events such as the San Francisco Bay Area Korean Association opening on February 17, 2024, attended by 250 dignitaries, and various Korean language school programs.
Lee Key-cheol praised VANK’s efforts, noting, “Promoting Korea’s achievements globally cannot be achieved by government efforts alone. Overseas Koreans, in partnership with organizations like VANK, are essential to ensuring accurate representation of Korea in foreign textbooks and fostering national pride worldwide.”
VANK and the Overseas Koreans Agency plan to expand their campaigns, including:
- Promoting Korea’s development achievements to the world’s top 100 textbook publishers.
- Establishing a metaverse exhibition showcasing Korea’s political and economic achievements and diaspora contributions.
- Launching multilingual digital campaigns.
- Publishing educational materials in print and e-book formats.
- Training global ambassadors to continue promoting Korea internationally.
Through these initiatives, VANK aims to strengthen Korea’s global image while highlighting the invaluable contributions of overseas Koreans to the nation’s development.