Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK has officially launched a new project to review and improve the overseas promotional content of 19 central government ministries, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
On March 1, 2025—marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Movement Day (March 1st Movement)—VANK officially unveiled Yeollim, a national policy communication platform. Yeollim is an innovative platform designed to share government policies and promotional content transparently with citizens, while also providing an open forum for public participation in policymaking. By enabling easy access to information and public input, the platform plays a vital role in improving the quality of policies. This participatory communication model reflects the core values of Korean democracy and is regarded as an essential element of national progress. Through Yeollim, VANK aims to ensure that citizens can directly voice their opinions as key actors in shaping national policies, laying the foundation for practical policy development.
VANK believes Korea has reached a critical turning point, moving beyond cultural Hallyu to diversify national branding. Hallyu must expand beyond popular culture to inspire the world through what VANK calls “K-Policy Hallyu.” By leveraging Yeollim, VANK plans to take Hallyu to a new dimension in the policy field, creating global resonance through “K-Policy Hallyu.”
The first Yeollim project focused on systematically reviewing and improving the official English websites and overseas promotional content of 17 local governments (Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Sejong, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Jeju). Together with the public, VANK aims to evaluate local government outreach efforts and propose strategies to strengthen global urban competitiveness.
This new initiative marks the second phase of Yeollim. Its goal is to provide concrete improvement measures so that each central government ministry can effectively communicate its policies and vision to the international community. VANK will support government ministries in delivering a consistent and coherent national brand message worldwide.
VANK emphasizes that the official English websites of government ministries must accurately reflect Korea’s policies and vision while maintaining consistency. These websites serve as crucial gateways to Korea’
s international image, introducing economic policies to foreign investors, cultural policies to global tourists, and beyond. This project will not only improve existing content but also mark the first step toward clearly conveying Korea’s unique policies and vision to the world.
VANK Director Gi-Tae Park stated, “When citizens actively participate in the national branding process, Korea’s brand becomes more authentic and the bond with the people is strengthened.” He continued, “Through systematic governance, the policies and strategies of diverse ministries can be organically connected, ensuring Korea’s image is communicated consistently worldwide.” He added, “This project represents a significant attempt to integrate national branding with citizen participation through Yeollim.”
So-Young Kwon, a researcher in charge of the national policy platform, explained, “Encouraging citizen participation through Yeollim brings diverse perspectives into the overseas promotional content of ministries, ensuring a more consistent message in the international community.” She added, “This process builds governance that fosters smooth communication among government, private sector, and citizens, while citizen participation becomes a key factor in strengthening Korea’s national brand.”
Seung-Hyun Koo, a researcher in charge of strategic planning, noted, “Citizen participation in national branding goes beyond offering opinions—it is a critical process of co-creating the nation’s policies and vision.” She emphasized that this second project will mark an important turning point in Korea’s national branding.
Meanwhile, VANK continues to operate Woollim, a national policy proposal and communication platform, alongside Yeollim. These platforms enable citizens to propose policies directly, share them globally, and enhance Korea’s international reputation. VANK’s vision is to transform interest in Hallyu from popular culture into deeper engagement with Korea’s history and policies, thereby developing “K-Policy Hallyu.” Through this initiative, VANK aspires to establish Korea as the heart of Asia and a gateway to Northeast Asia, while sharing dreams and friendship with the world.