VANK corrects error about East Sea on international marine information website 

VANK discovered errors related to the East Sea on Marine Insight, one of the world’s largest online maritime training and information websites, and launched a global correction campaign.

On Marine Insight, the site used only the name “Sea of Japan” and stated the following under the section “3. The Naming Dispute Over the Sea of Japan”:

“Both Koreas believe that the Europeans named the water body the Sea of Japan in the 19th century, thinking that Korea was a part of Japan, as the latter had colonised it.”

Marine Insight has established itself as a global leader in maritime news and professional education, featuring over 5,000 expert articles, 1.5 million social media followers, 75,000 email subscribers, and more than 12 million video views. The platform delivers maritime news and training through a panel of experts, including writers, news reporters, and consultants.

Additionally, since its content is widely used as a reference tool for the maritime and shipping industries by global online media, institutions, and organizations, and is trusted by many users worldwide, any misinformation on this site can have an even greater impact.

In response, VANK youth researcher Seong Hye-seung launched a two-week campaign urging Marine Insight to correct the misinformation on its website, ensuring that maritime professionals worldwide receive accurate and unbiased information.

Using various methods such as comments and emails, Seong repeatedly reached out to the editorial team, emphasizing the universal and historical legitimacy of the name “East Sea,” its validity under international law, and the injustices of imperialism. The request urged the site to accurately reflect the historical facts and relevant information regarding the East Sea.

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To the Marine Insight Team,

Hello,

My name is Sung Hye-seung, and I am a member of VANK, a non-governmental and non-profit organization based in South Korea. VANK, short for Voluntary Agency Network of Korea, was founded in January 1999 as a cyber diplomatic organization dedicated to providing accurate information about Korea to people around the world through the internet. VANK trains “cyber diplomats” to engage in digital diplomacy, promoting Korea’s history and culture while also running campaigns to raise awareness of global issues such as poverty, the environment, and human rights.

Recently, I discovered a serious issue regarding the description of the East Sea on your website. When searching for information about the East Sea (https://www.marineinsight.com/know-more/important-facts-about-the-sea-of-japan/), I found that it is labeled solely as the “Sea of Japan,” accompanied by the following statement:

“Both Koreas believe that the Europeans named the water body the Sea of Japan in the 19th century, thinking that Korea was a part of Japan, as the latter had colonized it.”

The East Sea is the name of the sea located east of the Korean Peninsula, with a history spanning over 2,000 years. It is a shared body of water between Korea, Japan, and Russia, making it inappropriate to refer to it solely as the “Sea of Japan.” There are five key reasons why this issue is significant:

1. Historical and Common Usage of “East Sea”

When naming geographical features, it is essential to reflect the name commonly used by the people living in adjacent countries. The East Sea has been a central part of Korean history for over 2,000 years. The earliest known reference to it appears in Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), which describes an event in 59 BCE, making “East Sea” a historically recognized term far older than “Japan,” which was first used as a national title over 700 years later. Furthermore, because the sea is shared by multiple countries, it should not be referred to solely by a name that represents only one nation’s perspective.

2. Legitimacy Under International Law

International organizations that standardize geographical names, such as the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names (UNCSGN), recommend that when a geographic feature is shared by two or more countries and no single name has been universally agreed upon, all commonly used names should be listed. Since Korea and Japan have not reached an agreement on a single name for this sea, using both “East Sea” and “Sea of Japan” is the correct approach under international norms.

3. “Sea of Japan” as a Legacy of Imperialism

For Koreans, restoring the name “East Sea” is not just a matter of terminology—it is a step toward reclaiming what was unfairly taken away during Japan’s colonial rule (1910–1945). Under Japanese occupation, the Korean language was suppressed, and geographical names were forcibly changed to Japanese terms. Koreans were even forced to adopt Japanese names. Few colonial regimes in history have imposed such extreme measures to erase a nation’s cultural identity. Therefore, rectifying the name of the East Sea is part of eliminating remnants of Japanese imperialism and restoring Korea’s historical and cultural identity.

4. The East Sea as an Integral Part of Korean Life

The East Sea has long been a source of livelihood, cultural significance, and historical events for the Korean people. It appears not only in historical texts and maps but also in folklore, literature, and daily life. The very first words of Korea’s national anthem are “Donghae mulgwa Baekdusan” (The East Sea’s waters and Mount Baekdu)—showing that the East Sea is deeply tied to Korean heritage. Even today, the name “East Sea” is widely used in place names, businesses, and various aspects of life.

5. Growing Global Recognition of the Name “East Sea”

Since its founding in 1999, VANK has worked to raise awareness of the inaccuracies in labeling the sea solely as the “Sea of Japan.” As a result, many internationally renowned publishers, such as National Geographic, Dorling Kindersley (DK), and Lonely Planet, now use both “East Sea” and “Sea of Japan” in their materials. The claim that “both Koreas accept the name ‘Sea of Japan’” is entirely false, and allowing such misinformation to spread could lead to further misunderstandings, such as the misrepresentation of Korea’s sovereignty over Dokdo (an island in the East Sea). Given that Marine Insight is widely used by maritime professionals, the risk of this misinformation spreading is even greater.

Request for Immediate Action

To prevent further misunderstandings caused by this incorrect labeling, we urge you to take the following actions:

1. Correct the misleading statement that suggests both Koreas accept the name “Sea of Japan.”
2. Accurately present historical facts about the East Sea on your website.
3. Implement measures to prevent similar errors from occurring in the future.

This is not a minor mistake—it is a serious challenge to Korea’s territorial sovereignty and national identity. Geographical names should be based on historical and legal accuracy, and any misinformation must be corrected.

Given that Marine Insight is regarded as a trusted source of information by users worldwide, the impact of errors on your platform is significant. VANK is committed to ensuring the accurate representation of Korea’s history, and we hope for your cooperation in this effort.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your positive response.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

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Two weeks later, the error was corrected on the Marine Insight website.

VANK carefully compared the revised content with the original description to ensure that the correction was made accurately.

The site was updated to include “East Sea” alongside “Sea of Japan” instead of using the latter exclusively.

Additionally, the section “3. The Naming Dispute Over the Sea of Japan” was removed. The previous claim that both North and South Korea agreed to the name “Sea of Japan” was deleted and replaced with information highlighting the significance of fisheries as a key economic activity in the region.

The previously empty section 10 was updated with the description: “More than 10 major seaports are situated along the coast.”

Additionally, new information was added:
“Pusan and Pohang are crucial South Korean ports situated on the country’s southeastern shores. Ulsan is another major port which can accommodate 95 ships on its numerous berths and terminals. It handles petroleum, crude oil, containers and raw materials. Ulsan is home to the world’s biggest shipyard owned by Hyundai Heavy Industries.”

VANK sees this correction of the Sea of Japan labeling on Marine Insight as a pivotal step in raising global awareness about the East Sea and Korean history.

Furthermore, this effort is just the beginning. VANK will continue identifying and correcting inaccuracies related to Korea in global media and maps to ensure accurate representation.

In the past, such errors did not spread widely because Korea was not in the global spotlight. However, as Korea now garners significant international attention, historical distortions left uncorrected could seriously damage the country’s image. In response, VANK remains committed to actively promoting Korea and preventing misinformation from spreading, especially in this era of 250 million Hallyu fans worldwide.

This correction on Marine Insight is not the end but a stepping stone toward rectifying global misconceptions about Korea. VANK will continue working to set the record straight and actively share Korea’s rich history and culture with the world!

VANK stops display of Japanese imperialist flag on Axial RC toy car products

The remote-controlled car brand Axial has removed the Rising Sun flag print from its recent social media promotional materials in response to a request from the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK).

Axial is the largest RC (radio-controlled) car brand in North America, founded in 2005. It currently operates in about 62 countries worldwide, including South Korea.

VANK identified the Rising Sun flag print in Axial’s promotional videos and Instagram posts and checked whether this design was included in the actual product being sold. Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the print was used only as an example during the promotional process and that the actual product was manufactured with a transparent plastic cover instead.

As a result, VANK formally requested the removal of related images and videos from Axial’s social media posts on June 20, 2023.

In its letter to Axial, VANK explained the historical significance of the Rising Sun flag, comparing it to the Nazi swastika. The letter emphasized that, for Asians, the Rising Sun flag carries the same painful meaning as the swastika does for Europeans and Americans. VANK also pointed out that while the German government continues to reflect on and apologize for its past, the Japanese government has attempted to erase or cover up its historical wrongdoings.

On June 21, 2023, just one day after the letter was sent, Axial removed all social media content featuring the Rising Sun flag.

The Rising Sun flag is a symbol of Japanese imperialism and a war criminal flag that was used in invasion wars. Japan used this flag to wage war across the Asia-Pacific region, committing numerous war crimes, including forced labor and the exploitation of women as so-called “comfort women” by the Japanese military.

VANK has carried out various campaigns to raise global awareness of the truth about the Rising Sun flag. These efforts include preventing the use of the flag by supporters during the Tokyo Olympics and stopping the sale of Rising Sun flag-related products on platforms like eBay and Envato.

VANK views the issue of the Rising Sun flag as more than just a historical dispute between Korea and Japan. It is a global issue that concerns everyone who opposes Japan’s 21st-century imperialistic actions, which seek to revive the mindset of past wars of aggression. People around the world who stand for human rights and peace must remain vigilant about this issue.

Moving forward, VANK will continue to spread awareness about the truth of the Rising Sun flag worldwide.

VANK corrects BBC Country Profile error for East Sea

On December 6, 2019, VANK’s youth correction campaign led to a major incident when the BBC, the largest public broadcaster in the English-speaking world, removed a map that labeled Dokdo/Takeshima.

Then, on April 13, 2023, VANK researcher Kim Bong-su successfully corrected the BBC’s map of Korea, replacing the sole use of “Sea of Japan” with both “Sea of Japan” and “East Sea.”

This correction of the “Sea of Japan” label on the BBC map by VANK holds significant meaning. In a situation where Japan continues to distort historical facts related to Dokdo, forced labor, and comfort women, the single use of “Sea of Japan” could be misused to promote Japan’s disregard for international principles.

On March 17, 2023, VANK youth public diplomacy ambassador Hong Sang-jin reported that the map on the BBC’s country profile page for Korea only labeled the body of water as the “Sea of Japan.” Despite Hong Sang-jin’s initial request for a correction and the demand for the inclusion of “East Sea,” no response or map modification had been made by the BBC.

Upon confirming this, VANK took action. Researcher Kim Bong-su from VANK not only addressed the issue on the BBC’s map of Korea but also discovered the same issue on the map of North Korea. Kim Bong-su then sent an email to the BBC, urging them to correct both maps for Korea and North Korea.

• The principle of place name labeling is to use the name that is commonly used by the people of the region. Therefore, the body of water between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago should be labeled as the “East Sea,” the name used by the people of Korea.
• However, in cases where there is no agreement on a single name between countries sharing a specific geographical feature, both names should be accepted, according to the resolutions of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNCSGN). Thus, the names “East Sea” and “Sea of Japan” should be used equally for the body of water between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago.
• Following these principles of international law, the name “East Sea” is now being used on many global websites, maps, and textbooks, and it continues to spread.

After submitting the correction request on March 17, 2023, VANK was able to confirm that the name “East Sea” was added to the maps of South Korea and North Korea on the site on March 21, 2023! Finally, on April 12, 2023, BBC sent a final response to VANK confirming that the correction had been completed.

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Dear Mr. Kim,

Thank you for contacting us regarding the BBC News website.

Please accept our apologies for the delay in replying.

We know our correspondents appreciate a quick response and we are sorry you have had to wait on this occasion.

We note your unhappiness with the reference to the Sea of Japan on the map accompanying our South Korea country profile.

This has been amended and the map in question now refers to the “East Sea/Sea of Japan”.

You can view this by following the link below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15289563

We are grateful for your feedback on this section of our website.

Thank you once again for getting in touch.

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VANK believes that the correction of the “Sea of Japan” label by BBC will serve as a lever to widely promote the East Sea and Korean history overseas.

Furthermore, VANK plans to continue identifying and correcting errors related to Korea in global media and maps, ensuring that these issues are addressed and changed moving forward.

VANK corrects Google Translate error for Seoul

Referring to Seoul as “Seoul” rather than “Hanseong” is a globally recognized standard and an established international convention.

However, in the past, very few people in China understood the name “Seoul” as the capital of South Korea.

This is because Chinese people traditionally referred to Seoul as “Hanseong,” the capital during the Joseon Dynasty. One major reason for this was that “Seoul” is a purely Korean word with no direct Chinese character equivalent.

To address this, in 2005, the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to adopt a Chinese transliteration, “Shou’er” (首尔), meaning “the leading city.”

Following this policy decision and continued promotional efforts, as of 2023, Chinese people now commonly use “Seoul” instead of “Hanseong” when referring to South Korea’s capital.

However, in February 2023, it was discovered that Google Translate, operated by the world’s largest search engine, Google, was incorrectly translating “Seoul” into Chinese as “Hanseong” instead.

Google Translate should correctly display Seoul’s Chinese name as “Shou’er” (首爾·首尔), but instead, it was incorrectly shown as “Hancheng” (漢城·汉城).

In response, VANK member Kim Da-hyun sent an email to Google in both Korean and English, addressing the issue as follows.

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Hello,

My name is Kim Da-hyun, a student of History at Hannam University and a Youth Public Diplomacy Ambassador (10th term) of the Cyber Diplomats VANK. I recently visited the Google Translate website and discovered a significant issue.

The capital of South Korea, Seoul, is incorrectly displayed in simplified Chinese as “汉城” (Hanseong).

Seoul was once referred to as “Hanyang,” “Hanseong,” or “Gyeongseong,” in the past. However, on August 15, 1946, it was officially renamed Seoul, and the city charter was announced with 7 chapters and 58 articles.

If this issue is not corrected, Koreans will consider Google Translate to be full of errors and may stop using it. Please resolve this issue.

Thank you.

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Kim Da-hyun received a response from Google confirming that they had reviewed the translation error in Google Translate. As a result, the correct simplified Chinese translation of Seoul, “首尔” (Seoul), was eventually fixed.

Kim Da-hyun shared her thoughts on the activity as follows:

“I thought it would be difficult to fix errors related to Korea on foreign websites by myself during my VANK activities, but I was wrong.

Although my actions may seem small, this experience showed me that even a small effort can change the bigger world of the ‘internet.’

VANK activities have been a truly valuable experience, teaching me a great deal.”

The global interest in Korea, sparked by the Korean Wave (Hallyu), also carries risks that could harm Korea’s image. Many of the Hallyu fans worldwide are in their teens and twenties, and the textbooks and websites they use in school often present a severely distorted version of Korean history.

In the past, these errors did not spread widely because Korea wasn’t receiving much attention from the world. However, as Korea is now in the global spotlight, if the distortions in Korean history are not corrected, there is a serious risk of damaging Korea’s image.

Therefore, now is the time to leverage the increased global attention from the Hallyu wave to accurately share the brilliant history and culture of Korea with the world.

For this reason, VANK will continue to actively promote Korea, ensuring that incorrect information about the country does not spread globally in the era of 170 million Hallyu fans.

VANK corrects errors about Korea on Harvard Business School textbook

In September 2022, VANK discovered several errors related to Korea in the Korea textbook used at Harvard Business School, one of the world’s top universities, and launched a global correction campaign.

The textbook stated, “For 35 years, Japan integrated Korea’s economy with Japan’s, and prohibited the use of the Korean language.” It then continued, “However, during this period, Korea underwent significant industrialization, and its education, administration, and economic systems were modernized.”

The textbook also described the issue of the Japanese military “comfort women” during Japan’s imperialist invasion, stating, “Japan declared that the issue of ‘comfort women’ was completely and finally resolved through the 1965 Korea-Japan Treaty.”

Regarding Korea’s ancient history, the textbook introduced the start of Korea’s history from 668 AD, when Silla unified the Three Kingdoms, but provided very limited information on the cultures of Goguryeo and Baekje, and omitted mention of Balhae. It also stated, “Goryeo was a tributary state of China,” distorting Korea’s history.

The period of Japanese colonial rule is a painful chapter in our nation’s history, and imperialist invasions that disrupt peace in East Asia must never be repeated. It is also deeply regrettable that Harvard University, an institution known for providing high-quality education, would downplay and distort Korea’s brilliant 5,000-year culture and history, and it is something that must be corrected.

In response, VANK youth researcher Ma Min-seo sent a letter of protest urging the correction of errors in the textbook, to ensure that students who will lead the future receive unbiased and accurate education. The letter was delivered to six recipients, including two professors from the textbook’s editorial team and the business school publishing department.

Ma pointed out that instead of using the term “integration,” words like “forced colonization” should be used to describe Japan’s rule over Korea. Ma also emphasized that the issues of “comfort women” and forced labor during the war have not been resolved in Korea, and that Japan’s industrialization of Korea was driven by Japan’s policy of turning Korea into a military supply base.

After sending the letter of protest on September 30, 2022, a reply was received from the Harvard Business School on October 9, 2022. The response was sent by Professor Forest Reinhardt, a member of the Harvard Business School faculty and a co-author of the Korea textbook.

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Dear Ms. Ma,

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to write to my colleague and me. I want you to know that we are interested in getting feedback on the cases that we write for our students’ use, and that we take your views very seriously. In fact, my colleague and I have already had the opportunity to have several enlightening conversations with officials from the Korean diplomatic corps about the very topics that you mention in your letter. We are always interested in improving our work and we expect to make editorial changes to future versions of this case. Thank you again for your interest in our work, and best wishes,

Forest Reinhardt

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VANK believes that the response from Harvard Business School, acknowledging the seriousness of the distorted content in the textbook about Korea and stating that they would review the correction, marks an important starting point for meaningful change. In February 2023, five months after receiving the letter of protest, Harvard Business School published a revised edition of the Korea textbook.

VANK compared the revised edition of the Korea textbook with the previous version to confirm that the errors related to Korea had been properly corrected.

The part “integrating the Korean economy with that of Japan” was revised to “Japanese administrators sought to assimilate Korea to the Japanese Empire by force.”

Additionally, the explanation “Yet during this period Korea became increasingly industrialized, and transportation and power infrastructure improved” was replaced with “Though infrastructure on the peninsula improved during this period, along with administrative capacity and some industries, developments were principally aimed at benefiting Japanese interests.”

The statement “Tokyo protested the verdict, asserting that the normalization treaty in 1965 … had already ‘completely and finally’ resolved the issue” was followed by the addition of “Tensions continued to haunt diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries.”

In February 2023, with the revision of the <Korea> textbook, new content related to Korea was also added.

In the section titled [Country Overview], a description was added stating, “It bordered on the DPRK to the north, faced the Yellow Sea to the west, and the East Sea, to the East.”

Additionally, the map attached to the <Korea> textbook was changed. In the original map, the East Sea was labeled as the Sea of Japan, and there was no indication of Dokdo.

After the revision, the new map in the textbook shows the East Sea (East Sea) and also marks Dokdo as ‘Dok.’

The correction of errors in the Harvard Business School’s required textbook and the accurate representation of the East Sea and Dokdo has yielded significant results for VANK’s correction campaign. This success is due to the voluntary participation of all Koreans who joined VANK’s efforts.

However, the correction in the Harvard textbook cannot be the end of our efforts.

There are still many errors related to Korea in textbooks and world maps used in universities worldwide, which are being used as teaching materials. In particular, errors regarding the incorrect labeling of the East Sea and Dokdo, as well as the minimization or omission of Korean history, are still easily found.

Distorted information about Korea can also be found in major global English-language dictionaries, such as those published by Oxford and Collins.

VANK will continue its correction activities, ensuring that the revision of the errors in the Harvard textbook is not the end but a step toward making significant contributions in correcting errors related to Korea in materials used in universities and educational fields worldwide.

VANK hopes that the example of correcting errors in the Harvard University textbook will serve as a guide to help correct the distorted information about Korea.

VANK will continue to correct misconceptions about Korea and actively promote Korea’s brilliant history and culture worldwide!

6th grader VANK member corrects error about Jikji in Encyclopedia Britannica

VANK is training South Korea’s youth and young adults to become cyber diplomats and ambassadors for promoting Korea, while actively working to properly introduce “Jikji,” a symbol of Korea’s brilliant heritage, to the world.

Recently, 6th grader Jeong Yoon-young (13 years old), who is serving as a cyber diplomat with VANK, became a hot topic for correcting errors related to Jikji on the globally renowned Britannica Encyclopedia website.

Jeong Yoon-young has been actively participating as a cyber diplomat, investigating and correcting errors related to Korea found in overseas textbooks, encyclopedias, and websites.

She discovered an error in the Encyclopedia Britannica, which stated that Gutenberg invented the world’s first movable metal type in 1455.

However, the Britannica’s description is incorrect because Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty printed Jikji using metal movable type as early as 1377, 78 years before Gutenberg.

As a result, Jeong Yoon-young requested that it be corrected to say, “Gutenberg was the first in Europe, not the world, to invent movable metal type.” A few days later, the Britannica Encyclopedia responded with the following message.

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Your feedback will be reviewed and forwarded to the editor responsible for Britannica’s coverage of this topic.

We will determine whether to revise the article or make any other changes to the content on the page.

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Finally, the Britannica Encyclopedia corrected the statement to say, “Johannes Gutenberg is known for having designed and built the first known mechanized printing press in Europe. In 1455 he used it to print the Gutenberg Bible, which is one of the earliest books in the world to be printed from movable type.“

VANK recognizes the Encyclopedia Britannica as the oldest English-language encyclopedia in the world. Since its first publication in 1768 in Scotland, it has been recognized as one of the most authoritative international encyclopedias.

Given this, VANK expects that this correction regarding Jikji in the Encyclopedia Britannica will play a significant role in promoting Jikji to the world.

This correction in Britannica, stating that Gutenberg was the first to invent movable metal type in Europe, not the world, marks a milestone for VANK. It is expected to serve as leverage in spreading awareness of Jikji across major global textbooks, encyclopedias, museums, and libraries.

Additionally, just as 6th-grade student Jeong Yoon-young spread awareness of Jikji through VANK’s education, VANK hopes that youth from across the country will actively participate in VANK’s efforts to promote Korea and serve as ambassadors for Korea.

Jeong Yoon-young, who led this achievement, shared her thoughts in an interview with VANK’s social media.

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“What stands out the most to me is the error correction activity, where I find errors related to Korea and send correction letters. At first, it seemed impossible for just one person to correct an error, and writing the letter itself felt so difficult.

But after referring to VANK’s letter as a guide, I wrote it with the mindset of ‘I must correct this mistake!’ and I was surprised to find that this activity wasn’t as hard as I initially thought. I’ll never forget the sense of pride and accomplishment I felt when I received a reply after sending the correction letter and confirmed that the error had been fixed.

I discovered an error on the Britannica website, where it stated that Gutenberg was the first to invent movable metal type in the world. However, 78 years before Gutenberg, in 1377, Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty had already printed Jikji using movable metal type.

I requested the site administrator to correct the error, stating that ‘Gutenberg was the first to invent movable metal type in Europe,’ and a few days later, my request was accepted!

I found that Britannica is considered one of the most reliable online encyclopedias by foreigners. I still remember how proud I felt when that error on such a well-known site was corrected with just my one letter.”

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Meanwhile, VANK has achieved various successes in promoting Jikji to global textbooks, museums, art galleries, and educational websites, including getting Jikji listed by DK, the world’s largest multinational textbook publisher.

Below is an interview with 6th-grade student Jeong Yun-young (13 years old), who corrected an error related to Jikji.

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Q1. Can you introduce yourself briefly?

Hello, my name is Jeong Yun-young, a 6th-grade student and a member of VANK. I dream of becoming a diplomat in the future.

Q2. What made you apply to become a Cyber Diplomat?

My dream is to become a diplomat, and I thought that VANK’s Cyber Diplomat activities, such as introducing Korea while making international penpal friends and sending letters to Koreans abroad to build a Korean diaspora network, were similar to the work of a diplomat. That’s why I decided to apply.

Q3. What is the most memorable activity you’ve done as a Cyber Diplomat?

The activity I remember the most is finding errors related to Korea and sending correction letters. At first, it seemed impossible for just me to correct an error, and even writing a letter felt very difficult. However, by referring to VANK’s letter, I wrote it with the mindset, “I must correct this error!” and I was surprised that this activity was not as hard as I thought. The sense of accomplishment and pride I felt when I received a reply and confirmed that the error had been fixed is something I will never forget.

I discovered an error on the Britannica website, where it stated that Gutenberg invented movable metal type first in the world. However, in 1377, 78 years before Gutenberg, Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty had already printed the Jikji using metal type. I requested the website administrator to correct the error to “Gutenberg was the first to invent movable metal type in Europe,” and a few days later, my request was accepted!

When I searched, I found that Britannica is considered one of the most reliable online encyclopedias by foreigners. I felt really proud when I corrected an error on such a site with just one letter.

Q4. What do you think a Cyber Diplomat is?

I think a Cyber Diplomat is the face representing our country.

Cyber Diplomats make international penpal friends and promote Korea. Foreign penpals who don’t know much about Korea will form their opinions about Korea by interacting with us. For example, if we treat our overseas friends politely, they will think that Koreans are very respectful. However, if we treat them roughly, they might form a negative perception of Korea. So, I believe a Cyber Diplomat should set a good example as the face of our country.

Q5. Do you have any tips for future Cyber Diplomats?

I think the activities are easier and more enjoyable when you approach them with determination.

If you don’t just think of it as a homework task but instead see it as “something for our country” and approach each task with a positive attitude, you’ll become a great Cyber Diplomat!

Especially when making international penpal friends, you may be worried about how to start the conversation so that your friend will find Korea interesting, but instead of just thinking about promoting, if you think of it as having a conversation with a friend, it becomes more natural and fun.

Also, when correcting errors, you have to look up information and write letters in English, so it might feel challenging. But if you enjoy the activity while imagining how great it will be when the error gets fixed, it will be a fun experience.

Q6. What did you enjoy about being a Cyber Diplomat?

I really enjoyed learning more about my country through my activities as a Cyber Diplomat.

When I first applied to become a Cyber Diplomat, I realized I didn’t know much about Korea’s politics, geography, culture, and so on, even though I live here. But through activities like introducing Korea, I researched and learned so many new things.

For example, I did research on Korean food. Before this activity, I just thought Korean food was tasty, but I never really considered how healthy it is. Through this activity, I learned that Korean food helps prevent adult diseases, constipation, dementia, cancer, and more. I became interested in other benefits of Korean food and also started looking into the health aspects of foreign foods. I think it was great that I learned new things and developed interest in many areas.

Q7. What have you gained or realized through being a Cyber Diplomat?

Being a Cyber Diplomat has helped me solidify my dream. I had always wanted to become a diplomat, but I never really thought deeply about it before.

However, through the “Dream Realization” activity in the Cyber Diplomat program, I had time to think about what I truly want to do in the future. After completing the program, my dream became clearer: to be a diplomat who helps Korea be seen as a great country by people all over the world.

For those who are unsure about what they want to do in the future or those who have dreams but have never really thought about them in detail, I think participating in VANK activities could be a good opportunity to design a vision while thinking about how they can help South Korea.

Also, in order to correct errors related to Korea, you need to know accurate information about the country. When I started VANK activities, I realized I didn’t know much about Korea despite being Korean.

So, I realized I need to learn more about Korea in order to correct errors accurately.

Q8. What are your future plans and aspirations?

In the future, I want to continue my work as a Cyber Diplomat and correct more errors related to Korea. There are still many distorted facts about Korea, such as those regarding Dokdo, the East Sea, Jikji, and Gutenberg, and I will work hard to get these errors corrected.

In order to correct errors and promote Korea accurately, I need to know more about Korea, so I want to take more time to learn about my country. I hope to help realize VANK’s dream of properly introducing South Korea to people around the world!

Q9. Any words of encouragement for other VANK members?

When I first found out about VANK, I was worried because there were so many unfamiliar activities like error correction and uniting the Korean people. I thought, “Can I really do all of this?”

Also, I thought it would be hard for me to become a diplomat since I still don’t know much about world history or politics.

However, if you participate with the mindset of “I will make this happen!” and enjoy the process, even if the activities are unfamiliar or you feel like you’re lacking, I believe anyone can become a great Cyber Diplomat.

Let’s work together to correct errors related to Korea and promote Korea to our overseas penpal friends, and let’s achieve our dreams and VANK’s dream! Fighting!!

VANK fixes error about Gyeongnyeolbi-yeoldo on Google

In March 2021, VANK received a report that the Google search results for Gyeongnyeolbi-yeoldo, located in Taean, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, were incorrectly listed in an unclear English source as “Tschok-dschom.”

Upon checking, VANK found that according to a record from a U.S. Navy ship’s movement in February 1898, it was listed as “Tschok-dschom.” The same incorrect spelling is also found in the data from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

Despite the existence of the Korean name “Gyeongnyeolbi-yeoldo,” Google has allowed the incorrect term “Tschok-dschom,” which was arbitrarily given by the United States, to remain. Gyeongnyeolbi-yeoldo, rich in fishery resources and geopolitically important—often referred to as the “Dokdo of the West Sea”—has been misrepresented on Google for a long time.

VANK launched a campaign to correct errors in the English names of Korean places, including Gyeongnyeolbi-yeoldo and the Tamjin River. After 1 year and 8 months, the error in the English spelling of Gyeongnyeolbi-yeoldo was finally corrected.

We have a sad history of having our names stolen. During the Japanese colonial period, we were forced to use Japanese-style names, and the term “Sea of Japan,” which Japanese imperialism spread worldwide, was eventually corrected after over 20 years of effort. In 1999, only 3% of world maps showed the East Sea, but by 2022, more than 40% of world maps recognized the East Sea.

Additionally, through the efforts of many people in correcting errors related to “Son Kee-chung,” “Changdeokgung Palace,” “Seollal,” “Kimchi,” and “Taehwa River,” we were able to correct the inaccurate representations on Google.

VANK will continue to actively find and correct foreign language misrepresentations related to Korea, like the error with the name of Gyeongnyeolbi-yeoldo, in the international community.

VANK corrects error about Dokdo on Apple Siri

On August 18, 2022, VANK discovered that when asking Apple’s Siri voice assistant in Korean, “Whose land is Dokdo?” Siri would guide users to a site post titled “13 Reasons Why Dokdo is Not Korean Territory.” This prompted VANK to launch a correction campaign.

Apple’s Siri responded to the question “Whose land is Dokdo?” by directing users to websites like “13 Reasons Why Dokdo is Not Korean Territory (from Namuwiki)” and “13 Reasons Why Dokdo is Japanese Territory (from Ministry of Foreign Affairs).”

What was particularly concerning was that the content attributed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not from the official Dokdo page on their website, but rather a post from the Ministry’s free forum on September 2, 2002, titled “13 Reasons Why Dokdo is Japanese Territory.”

In response, VANK raised concerns with Apple, arguing that it’s problematic for the company to provide information about important Korean topics like Dokdo from open encyclopedia sources. Additionally, it was a major issue that Apple was providing outdated information from a 20-year-old post on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ free forum, rather than offering the Ministry’s official, accurate information.

VANK also highlighted the problem of Apple, a platform used by billions of people with immense influence, providing incorrect answers about Korea’s territory without proper verification.

Furthermore, VANK requested that Apple adopt a method of cross-verifying reliable sources of information before presenting them and sent a formal letter requesting the correction.

On August 18, VANK launched a correction campaign targeting Apple, and after 14 days, on September 4, Apple Siri finally corrected the error.

Now, when you ask Siri the following questions:

• “Whose land is Dokdo?”
• “Who owns Dokdo?”
• “Whose territory is Dokdo?”

The response will now appear as shown below.

Currently, the Republic of Korea exercises solid territorial sovereignty over Dokdo through legislative, administrative, and judicial means.

VANK strongly demanded that Apple adopt a method of cross-verifying and displaying credible information regarding the territorial sovereignty of Dokdo, and as a result, the correct Dokdo information from the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been reflected.

This is the outcome of the active correction campaign led by VANK members and Korean netizens who participated in the effort to correct the Dokdo error.

However, when asking “Whose land is Dokdo?” on Apple Siri, past incorrect information still appears, but it seems that Apple is continuing to fix it.

If famous companies like Apple do not correct errors related to Korea, foreign people worldwide could accept incorrect information about Korea as the truth.

Especially in the era of 150 million Hallyu fans worldwide, the errors on a platform as influential and information-disseminating as Apple must be corrected.

Meanwhile, when asking “Whose land is Dokdo?” on Bixby, the AI assistant on Samsung smartphones, unlike Apple Siri, it responds with, “The Sejong Sillok Jiriji and Samguk Sagi both state that Dokdo belongs to the Republic of Korea. History cannot lie.”

VANK will continue to focus on correcting Korea-related information on powerful platforms like Google and Apple, following the correction of Dokdo information on Apple Siri.

VANK corrects Apple Siri error about Korean history

Apple, which faced criticism for spreading distorted information by describing Korea in modern history as “the Japanese imperial territory of Korea on the Korean Peninsula or Joseon Peninsula,” has corrected the error following active complaints from Koreans.

Previously, Apple’s iPhone voice assistant, Siri, had provided the following spoken and written responses:

Korea is a region in East Asia or a constitutional state. In modern history, the term has been used to refer to the Korean Peninsula or the Japanese imperial territory of Korea on the Joseon Peninsula. In contemporary history, Korea has also been used to refer to the Republic of Korea, established by Emperor Gojong.

Apple cited Wikipedia as the source of this description, but when you actually check, the content is completely different.

In response, VANK stated, “Since modern Korean history begins on August 15, 1945, this description falsely implies that Korea remained a Japanese imperial territory even after liberation.” With this, VANK launched a correction campaign on August 9, 2022.

Apple promptly addressed the issue and corrected it within a day.

As of August 10, 2022, Siri now provides the following revised information.

Korea refers to a region on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia or a constitutional state. Today, the term is commonly used to refer to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). In modern history, “Korea” has also been used to refer to the Korean Empire, which was established by Emperor Gojong.

VANK corrects MCST directive mistranslation of Kimchi

VANK corrects Google Map error about Mount Baekdu

VANK recently discovered an error in the maps on Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, where the entire Baekdusan (Mount Baekdu) crater lake was marked as part of Chinese territory. In response, VANK launched a global campaign to correct the mistake.

When searching for Baekdusan Cheonji (the crater lake) on Apple Maps, the entire lake was shown as part of Chinese territory, beyond the borders of the Korean Peninsula.

The map description also referred to Baekdusan Cheonji as “China, Changbai Mountain (长白山) Cheonji.”

However, Baekdusan Cheonji (the crater lake) was divided between North Korea (54.5%) and China (45.5%) according to the “Korean-Chinese Border Agreement” signed on October 12, 1962, between former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and North Korean President Kim Il-sung. The northwest part of the lake belongs to China, while the southeast part is part of North Korea.

In response, VANK sent protest emails to Apple, urging them to correct the map. VANK highlighted that, similar to how Naver Map in Korea and Google Maps in the U.S. show the lake as being split between North Korea and China, Apple should also make the necessary changes. VANK further pushed for action through global petition websites.

VANK protested to Apple, stating that Baekdusan Cheonji, considered the sacred mountain of the Korean people, holds significant historical and symbolic meaning for Korea. Therefore, the entire lake being marked as part of Chinese territory must be corrected.

Given that billions of people around the world use Apple Maps on computers and smartphones to learn geography, Apple’s distortion of Baekdusan’s territory needed to be urgently addressed.

Finally, on July 21, 2022, Apple corrected the map of Baekdusan Cheonji on all its products, including iPhones (smartphones), iPads (tablets), and MacBooks (laptops and computers).

Now, all of Apple’s maps show Baekdusan Cheonji as being split between North Korea and China.

VANK believes that this successful correction was made possible thanks to the voluntary participation of all Koreans who joined in VANK’s campaign.

However, we should not be satisfied with just the recent correction by Apple.

The Chinese government has designated Baekdusan as “Changbai Mountain” and has developed the “Changbai Mountain Culture Theory,” claiming that the Baekdusan area has historically and culturally always been part of China’s territory.

In particular, China has designated Baekdusan as one of the “Top 10 Mountains of China” and is promoting it globally as China’s Changbai Mountain.

Therefore, VANK will publicize this correction of Baekdusan Cheonji and initiate a 21st-century King Gwanggaeto the Great Project, investigating and correcting instances worldwide where Baekdusan is solely referred to as Changbai Mountain.

VANK youth member includes Jikji on Timeline Index website

Please congratulate us! Jikji, the world’s oldest metal movable type book and a UNESCO World Documentary Heritage, has been added to the TIMELINE INDEX website (timelineindex.com).

TIMELINE INDEX, which was launched in 2003 in the Netherlands, provides a global chronology of events, people, and countries from the past to the present, breaking down information into “who, what, where, and why.”

Kim Ju-yeon (22, Shinhan University), who served as a Korean Cultural Heritage Ambassador for VANK’s 18th term, searched for “the oldest metal movable type book” on Google and worked to spread the correct information about Jikji, which predates the Gutenberg Bible.

Using the education and sample protest letters provided by VANK, she sent a correction request email to the site and received a response from the site manager promising to make the correction.

The site had two errors: the first was the claim that Gutenberg was the world’s first inventor of printing, and the second was the omission of information about Jikji.

Thanks to Kim Ju-yeon’s correction request, the content was updated to reflect that Gutenberg was the first European inventor of printing, not the first in the world. Also, when Jikji was searched, there were no results before, but now an explanation about Jikji as the world’s oldest metal movable type book has been added.

Kim Ju-yeon, who achieved this correction, shared her thoughts: “While Jikji has become more well-known, I realized that many people still believe that Gutenberg’s Bible is the world’s first metal movable type printed book. I was also disappointed to find that there are still many misconceptions about Korea, and some cultural heritage information is completely missing.”

She continued, “Through this activity, I realized that I need to check more websites and continue correction activities. It was truly rewarding to make a correction request and see the change!”

Jikji, the world’s oldest metal movable type book, was printed 78 years before the Gutenberg Bible, but the global community is still not well aware of it.

VANK hopes that through Kim Ju-yeon’s correction, more people worldwide will learn the correct information about Jikji, which is a cultural heritage of Korea.

Since 2006, VANK has been promoting the historical significance of Jikji, which was overshadowed by the fame of Gutenberg, by introducing it in textbooks, encyclopedias, museums, and libraries around the world.

As a result, VANK has successfully gotten Jikji included in new entries in major global textbooks and publications, including from the world-renowned publisher Dorling Kindersley, as well as international educational websites, encyclopedias, museums, and libraries. Through this, Korea’s long and brilliant history has also been introduced.

Furthermore, VANK has created the Jikji globalization English website (http://jikji.prkorea.com/english) to spread the word about Jikji to young people abroad.

Through these efforts, VANK is promoting campaigns that expand the global interest in Korea through Hallyu to encompass Korean history and culture.

Therefore, with Jikji now listed on overseas websites, we expect to shift the focus of global Hallyu fans from K-Pop groups like BTS and BLACKPINK, K-Dramas like Crash Landing on You and Itaewon Class, and K-Movies like Parasite to Korea’s long and brilliant history and culture.

Additionally, this will greatly assist Korean youth in promoting Jikji and Korean culture to young people worldwide.

VANK youth member includes Jikji on BookTrust website

The content about “Jikji,” the world’s oldest metal movable type book and a UNESCO World Documentary Heritage of Korea, has been listed on the website of BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity (booktrust.org.uk).

BookTrust is the largest children’s reading charity in the UK, delivering books and resources to millions of children across the country, supporting them in developing a love for reading.

From August 21 to September 18, 2021, Kim Se-eun (22, Gyeongsang National University), who served as a Digital Heritage Ambassador in the first group organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK, carried out an activity to correct the error by searching for “the oldest metal movable type book” on Google to inform the world that Jikji preceded Gutenberg’s Bible.

The website at the time claimed that Gutenberg created the world’s first metal movable type, promoting it as the oldest existing printed material and suggesting that the Gutenberg Bible was the reason metal movable type technology spread throughout Europe and the world.

Using the error correction training and sample protest letter provided by VANK, Kim Se-eun sent a correction request email to the site. Two days later, she received a response from the BookTrust representative, assuring that the error on the site would be corrected immediately.

As a result of Kim Se-eun’s correction request, it was added that Jikji is a metal print book made in Korea in the 14th century, and the error was corrected to state that Gutenberg created the Gutenberg Bible a century later, in 1454.

Currently, when you search for “Jikji” on the BookTrust site, there is an added description about Jikji being the world’s oldest metal print book.

Kim Se-eun, who achieved this correction, shared her thoughts on the activity as follows.

“Among all the activities, the most daunting one was the error correction and listing activity.

I felt proud that through this error correction, I was able to fix the incorrect information related to our country’s precious culture, and it was meaningful to be able to share our cultural heritage with foreigners on websites of other countries.

Although I was very scared before doing it, it turned out to be the most meaningful and rewarding activity afterward.”

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Q1. How do you feel after Jikji was listed on BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity?

I was surprised to receive a response just three days after sending the error correction email. The reply said, “Thank you for pointing out the error. We’ve corrected the article.” When I checked the site, I saw that it now mentioned, “In the 14th century, Jikji was printed in Korea as a metal movable type book.”

It’s usually difficult for Korean cultural heritage to be listed on foreign platforms, so I wasn’t expecting much when I made the correction request. But when it was included, I was happy.

I felt really proud that my small action helped to properly inform people about Korean cultural heritage. I was glad that I participated in the VANK campaign and felt proud of myself.

Q2. What are your future plans for activities?

I realized that small individual actions can lead to big changes. To be a good example for everyone interested in cultural heritage, I will continue to actively engage in activities related to cultural heritage.

If there are any newly listed cultural heritage sites or historical content that needs to be corrected, I will do my best within my capacity, such as informing those around me through social media.

Q3. Why is it important to promote Korean cultural heritage in the era of 100 million global Hallyu fans?

Cultural heritage should be preserved to understand past and present cultures and to create new cultural legacies for the future. Through this, we can create Korea’s unique and original culture and add value to our cultural heritage.

We must correctly inform the world about Korea’s cultural heritage so that people who are interested in Korea do not accept distorted historical facts.

The global rise of Hallyu can help change the distorted prejudices about Korean history.

If we correctly inform people about Korean cultural heritage and spark their interest, Koreans can unite with their national identity and solidarity, attracting the attention of the entire world.

Jikji is the world’s oldest existing metal movable type book, printed 78 years before the Gutenberg Bible, but it is still not well-known around the world.

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Through this correction by Kim Se-eun, VANK hopes that more people around the world will learn accurate information about Jikji, a valuable part of Korea’s cultural heritage.

Since 2006, VANK has been introducing Jikji to global textbooks, encyclopedias, museums, and libraries, promoting its historical significance which has been overshadowed by Gutenberg’s fame.

As a result, VANK has successfully introduced Jikji to major educational publishers, such as the global textbook publisher Dorling Kindersley, as well as renowned foreign educational websites, encyclopedias, museums, and libraries, helping Jikji gain recognition and showcasing Korea’s long and brilliant history.

Through this, VANK is running various campaigns to expand global interest in Korea from K-Pop fans to Korean history and culture.

With Jikji now listed on the UK’s BookTrust site, VANK hopes to shift the global Hallyu fan interest, currently focused on K-Pop acts like BTS and BLACKPINK, K-Dramas like Squid Game and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, and K-Movies like Parasite, towards Korea’s rich and radiant history and culture.

VANK corrects error about East Sea in French subtitles for Korean drama Bride of the Water God on Netflix

On May 11, 2021, VANK discovered that Netflix, a video streaming service with 180 million subscribers, had used “Sea of Japan” in the French subtitles of the Korean drama Bride of the Water God.

In episode 11 of Bride of the Water God, a line that reads, “And can you make oil gush out of our East Sea too?” was translated into French as “La mer du Japon” (Sea of Japan).

Bride of the Water God, which aired in Korea in 2017, is a comedic fantasy romance drama about the water god Habaek (played by Nam Joo-hyuk) who comes to the human world and his destined lover, the female doctor So-ah (played by Shin Se-kyung). The show is now available on Netflix and has been translated into 54 languages, reaching viewers around the world.

In response, VANK provided Netflix with examples from world atlases, such as those published by the French Atlas Publishing House, which list both “East Sea” and “Sea of Japan,” and also pointed out that major publishers like DK (Dorling Kindersley), online map provider World Atlas, and National Geographic all use “East Sea.”

Just four hours after VANK raised the issue, Netflix corrected the French subtitles, changing “Sea of Japan” to “East Sea.”

VANK has raised concerns about distortions related to Korea around the world, such as the paper by Harvard professor Ramsey on the Japanese military’s “comfort women.” If these issues are not addressed, foreigners may accept the incorrect information as fact.

Above all, distortions related to Korea in video media platforms like Netflix have a greater influence on forming a negative image of Korea than foreign textbooks, world maps, or websites.

With the global Korean Wave (Hallyu) reaching over 100 million fans, and growing interest in Korean dramas and films on platforms like Netflix, it is crucial to detect and correct errors related to Korea in video media as early as possible.

In particular, Netflix should make more efforts to improve understanding of Korean history and culture when translating languages.

VANK discovered a mistake in the German subtitles of the Korean movie Time to Hunt on April 24, 2020, where “East Sea” was incorrectly written as “Sea of Japan.” After a large-scale protest, the error was corrected within a day.

The errors in the Time to Hunt movie and the Bride of the Water God drama on Netflix highlight the areas where Netflix’s language translation system needs improvement.

Especially with the rise of remote activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Netflix is seeing significant profits in Korea, and a deeper understanding of Korean sentiments and history is needed.

Therefore, VANK will continue to take action to correct errors related to Korean history, territory, and culture in Netflix media and inform the public as soon as possible.

The correction of the “Sea of Japan” error in Netflix was greatly supported by the report from French exchange student Kim Da-yeon.

VANK looks forward to continued participation from Koreans and international students around the world in reporting and correcting errors related to Korea.

VANK corrects erroneous information about Kimchi on Google