On June 21, 2023, VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea) signed a partnership agreement with the Geumsan Ginseng & Herb Development Agency to promote the globalization of Korean ginseng.

Under this agreement, both organizations will investigate misinformation about ginseng, take corrective action, and create educational materials to help people understand ginseng more accurately. They also plan to launch a global campaign to raise awareness and work toward adding the term “Insam” to major English dictionaries worldwide.

During the event, VANK’s director, Park Ki-tae, delivered a special lecture to 30 institute employees on strategies to leverage global interest in Korea—particularly from 170 million Hallyu fans—to promote the country internationally.

Meanwhile, Shin Ji-won, senior researcher at VANK, and Kim Bong-soo, researcher at VANK, conducted lectures for 40 students from the “Dokdo Keepers” club at Geumsan Girls’ High School. Shin discussed ways to build global friendships and introduce Korea accurately, while Kim focused on raising awareness about Dokdo and the East Sea.

Agency director Kim Young-soo expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Through this partnership with VANK, Geumsan Ginseng, with its 1,500-year history, has gained a powerful ally for globalization. We will do our best to inform the world of ginseng’s incredible benefits and solidify its status as Korea’s top specialty product.”

VANK’s Park Ki-tae added, “For over 20 years, we have worked to correct global misconceptions about Korea. Now, using our expertise, we will collaborate with the Geumsan Ginseng & Herb Development Agency to properly introduce Korean ginseng to the world. In this era of 170 million Hallyu fans, we aim to make ginseng a historical Hallyu star.”

Since its founding in 1999, VANK has trained young Koreans as cyber diplomats and global ambassadors, working to correct historical inaccuracies in foreign textbooks, maps, and websites. The organization has also played a key role in getting Korea’s cultural heritage recognized in major dictionaries like Oxford and Collins.