On August 14, 2024, Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK signed a cooperation agreement with Yeongcheon Girls’ Middle School (Principal Park Jeong-sook) to launch the Global Climate Change Ambassadors Program, aiming to empower Korean youth to take the lead in addressing the climate crisis.

The event, a collaboration between VANK and the school, was designed to cultivate youth leaders capable of solving global issues like climate change. VANK’s Director Park Ki-tae delivered a career lecture for all students from grades 1 to 3, followed by a training session and inauguration ceremony for 117 first-year students as Global Climate Change Ambassadors.

In his speech, Park emphasized the urgency of the climate crisis, citing the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Risks Report, which ranked the failure to mitigate and adapt to climate change as the top threats facing humanity. “The youth of Yeongcheon Girls’ Middle School can become leaders who will guide Korea and the world in overcoming these challenges,” he said.

In addition, Kim Bo-kyung, CEO of the social venture Impactus, and Woo Yeon-taek, VANK team leader, gave lectures on the climate crisis and ways to act, engaging the students with an interactive quiz. VANK researchers including Lee Jeong-ae, Lee Sun-hee, Kwon Soon-gyu, Yang So-hee, Kwon So-young, and Choi Yoo-jin also provided practical guidance on climate action.

Principal Park Jeong-sook emphasized the importance of youth-led action to address global issues like climate change, stating, “ESG education that promotes sustainable leadership is essential. Through this program, students will understand the severity of the climate crisis and take responsibility to work together for global solutions.”

VANK’s Park Ki-tae highlighted a recent event where Korean youth filed a constitutional petition against the government for failing to address the climate crisis, which gained international attention. “Through this partnership with Yeongcheon Girls’ Middle School, we hope to see Korean youth become active global climate change ambassadors.”

The two institutions will collaborate on climate change education, campaigns, and ESG initiatives to equip students with the knowledge and skills to become proactive global leaders in tackling the climate crisis. VANK is also pushing forward various projects aimed at fostering global climate ambassadors worldwide.

VANK ✖️ GYEONGGI

VANK has partnered with Gyeonggi Province to nurture youth and young adult global climate ambassadors and strengthen global collaboration to address the climate crisis.

On August 6, 2024, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon and VANK signed an agreement at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office. Governor Kim praised VANK for accomplishing what governments often cannot, adding, “Gyeonggi has declared the Gyeonggi RE100 initiative, appointed climate ambassadors, and actively engages in international efforts to combat the climate crisis. Together with VANK, we aim to lead the way.”

Under the agreement, VANK will recruit global climate ambassadors to create climate policy content and promote Gyeonggi’s climate initiatives internationally via social media. Meanwhile, Gyeonggi will support climate education and content development for policy advocacy.

VANK, known for training digital diplomats and global Korean cultural ambassadors, launched a project this year to cultivate 100,000 global climate ambassadors using social media to raise awareness of climate action.

Both parties agreed to collaborate on:

– developing content about the climate crisis and its solutions
– expanding climate education and action among the youth
– internationally promoting climate policies via social media

VANK Director Park Ki-tae expressed gratitude, saying, “This partnership with Gyeonggi aligns perfectly with our mission to inspire 200 million Hallyu fans worldwide. Through this initiative, we’ll showcase climate leadership as part of our cultural diplomacy.”

In a preceding discussion, VANK researchers highlighted their ambition to train Korean youth as global climate leaders, much like they’ve prepared digital diplomats to share Korea’s culture. They emphasized that young people, with proper support, are eager to act.

Governor Kim underscored Gyeonggi’s ongoing eco-friendly measures, such as banning single-use items at government facilities and mandating reusable containers for food deliveries. He encouraged nationwide participation in tackling the climate crisis and pledged full support for VANK’s efforts.

VANK ✖️ NHM

On July 22, 2024, the National Hangeul Museum (Director Kim Il-hwan) and the Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK (Director Park Ki-tae) signed an agreement at the museum to globalize Hangeul and its culture.

– Promoting Hangeul to VANK members and Hallyu fans worldwide
– Providing accurate information about Hangeul in international publications and websites
– Creating online and offline Hangeul promotional materials
– Organizing Hangeul cultural experiences and education programs for foreigners

This collaboration builds on their connection during the 2022 National Brand-Up exhibition. Moving forward, the two organizations plan to explore and implement joint projects to promote Hangeul and its culture globally.

The first initiative under the partnership will take place during the museum’s 10th anniversary and the 2024 Hangeul Culture Week (Oct. 4–10). Visitors can participate in a “Pure Korean Name Creation” event using a custom app developed by VANK. Additional joint projects are also in the works.

Museum Director Kim Il-hwan expressed hope that the agreement will foster vibrant cooperation, sharing Hangeul culture with the world. VANK Director Park Ki-tae noted that over 200 million global fans of Hallyu present a unique opportunity to position Hangeul and its culture at the center of this global wave.

VANK views the growing interest in Korean pop culture as a bridge to promoting Hangeul worldwide. By creating resources and initiatives, they aim to expand the global focus from Korean pop culture to the language itself, ensuring Hangeul becomes a celebrated cultural asset worldwide.

VANK ✖️ KPPIF

VANK has partnered with the Korean Peninsula Population Institute for Future to launch the “Save Korea’s Future Project,” aimed at raising youth awareness about the challenges of low birthrates and aging.

VANK, known for safeguarding Korea’s history and culture from global inaccuracies, now addresses internal threats to Korea’s future. The institute specializes in analyzing population crises and fostering collaboration among private, academic, and corporate sectors to find sustainable solutions.

Their agreement, signed on July 8, 2024, sets out to build a digital communication platform that mobilizes nationwide awareness. Campaigns will include digital initiatives, policy discovery efforts targeting youth, and social media outreach to enhance understanding of these critical issues.

VANK leader Park Ki-tae emphasized the importance of involving young Koreans, not just policymakers, in addressing the demographic crisis. “Korea’s youth must lead as digital diplomats and advocates to secure the nation’s future,” he stated.

The partnership has already produced impactful campaigns. VANK launched a website and posters highlighting the urgency of the crisis. One poster juxtaposes Korea’s rich history with the stark reality of population decline, urging action: “Pride in 5,000 years of history cannot outweigh the worry for a disappearing Korea. The time to act is now!”

Through collaborative efforts, VANK and the institute aim to inspire Korea’s youth to step forward as champions for the nation’s survival and prosperity.

VANK has teamed up with the King Sejong the Great Foundation to expand the global interest in the Korean language and Hangeul, extending beyond just language learning to the significance of Hangeul and the love for the people that inspired King Sejong to create it.

On December 14, 2023, VANK signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the King Sejong the Great Foundation (Chairman Choi Hong-sik) to strengthen their collaboration. The two organizations aim to promote King Sejong and Hangeul both domestically and internationally through various online and offline campaigns, produce educational materials, and train young Koreans to become ambassadors who will raise awareness about King Sejong and Hangeul worldwide.

The King Sejong the Great Foundation, founded on October 9, 1956, at the Hangeul Day ceremony, is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the achievements of King Sejong and his legacy, while contributing to the advancement of Korean culture.

Through this partnership, the King Sejong the Great Foundation emphasized, “King Sejong is the most respected figure in our country and our greatest teacher. Together, we will work to spread the value of King Sejong and Hangeul globally, making his legacy known far beyond Korea.”

Additionally, the Foundation shared exciting news for 2024: “Next year, the Hunminjeongeum, the script created by King Sejong, will be printed on Korea’s finest hanji paper. We will showcase this through the woodblocks of the Hunminjeongeum Haerye and Eonhaebon, a prized national intangible cultural heritage, to spread this heritage worldwide.”

VANK also reflected on the significant recognition King Sejong received in its “5,000 Years of Korean History and Hallyu Stars” project, where he was selected as the ultimate Hallyu star. VANK aims to further the “Sejong Hallyu” through its continued collaboration with the Foundation, hoping to ignite global enthusiasm for King Sejong and his contributions to Korea and the world.

Previously, VANK has undertaken numerous initiatives to promote Hangeul and King Sejong globally, including its “Ilhoom” platform, which offers Korean names to international Hallyu fans. Through this service, over 50,000 people worldwide have received their own Hangeul names, helping spread the culture of Hangeul.

Additionally, VANK is leading the “We Are the 21st Century Korean Language Ambassadors” project, educating global audiences about the Hunminjeongeum and its historical significance. Through these ongoing efforts, VANK aims to further solidify Hangeul’s place in the global cultural landscape.

VANK ✖️ KSNC

VANK has launched an ambitious project to promote Korea’s history and culture to 7.5 million overseas Koreans across the globe.

This campaign targets Korean youth, next-generation leaders, and teachers of Korean schools worldwide, aiming to enhance their pride in Korea’s history, culture, and identity. VANK’s initiative also includes a special effort to appoint overseas Koreans as cultural ambassadors, showcasing Korea’s achievements in democracy and economic development to the world.

To further these goals, VANK signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korean Schools of Northern California (KSNC) on September 4, 2023. The KSNC, founded in 1991, is a coalition of Korean schools in Northern California, focusing on education in Korean language, history, and culture. The organization consists of around 60 schools, 300 teachers, and 3,800 Korean-American students.

The partnership between VANK and KSNC aims to foster Korean pride and identity among Korean-American youth and educators through an ambassador training program and collaborative efforts to enhance Korea’s image in the United States.

The key initiatives include:

1. joint development of the Global Korean Ambassador appointment program for teachers and the youth affiliated with KSNC
2. mutual cooperation to ensure accurate representation of Korea in U.S. textbooks, encyclopedias, and tourism publications
3. VANK providing promotional materials on Korean history and culture to schools within the KSNC network
4. KSNC assisting VANK by identifying inaccuracies about Korea in U.S. textbooks
5. launching campaigns to spread the knowledge of Korean history and culture across the U.S., leveraging the rising popularity of Hallyu
6. a campaign to boost sense of pride and identity in Korean-American youth in regards to their heritage
7. transforming 7.5 million overseas Koreans into active Korean cultural ambassadors
8. a global campaign to elevate the national brand and image of Korea among 170 million Hallyu fans worldwide

VANK’s partnership with KSNC marks a significant step toward increasing awareness of Korea’s cultural and historical contributions, empowering the next generation of overseas Koreans to take pride in their roots.

VANK ✖️ METARO

On August 4, 2023, the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) and Metaro, led by CEO Yoo Jin, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at VANK’s Seoul office to collaborate on “Digital Metaverse Diplomacy.” This partnership aims to empower Korean youth with the skills to promote Korea’s rich history and culture globally while establishing a metaverse platform dedicated to accurately presenting Korea to the world.

Under this agreement, VANK and Metaro will develop a metaverse platform for education, exhibitions, and cultural exchanges. They plan to create new metaverse spaces, expand them internationally, and manage the platform while also developing a mentoring system for youth careers. The goal is to cultivate young Koreans as digital metaverse diplomats and Korean cultural ambassadors.

VANK previously signed an MOU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 6, 2022, to advance digital public diplomacy. Since January 31, they have trained the first and second cohorts of “Digital Metaverse Diplomats,” who have built metaverse exhibition halls and created digital content to share Korean history and culture with a global audience. They are also engaging in global issue advocacy through the petition platform www.bridgeasia.net.

Metaro, specializing in 2D metaverse map creation using a 3D rendering system, has been collaborating with public institutions, schools, governments, and companies since 2021 to develop metaverse environments.

Together, VANK and Metaro will build a metaverse platform covering Korean history, culture, Hallyu’s historical roots, Dokdo, the East Sea, and independence activists. This initiative will allow Korean youth and VANK members to accurately represent Korea, foster international exchanges, and engage in global problem-solving.

VANK emphasized that with over 170 million Hallyu fans worldwide, interest in Korea is at an all-time high. They expect this metaverse initiative to further enhance global engagement with Korean history and culture, serving as a crucial stepping stone for broader international outreach.

VANK ✖️ ULLEUNG

On July 13, 2023, Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK and Ulleung County signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote the global recognition of Ulleungdo and Dokdo.

Historically, Ulleung County administers Dokdo, the easternmost island of the Korean Peninsula. The county and VANK recognized the potential of Ulleungdo and Dokdo as ecological tourism destinations with unique natural heritage and global appeal, especially in light of the increasing number of global Hallyu fans. The MOU aims to raise international awareness of Ulleung County and its iconic islands.

The agreement outlines several key initiatives, including:

– a global promotion campaign for Ulleungdo and Dokdo, alongside the creation and distribution of promotional materials and digital outreach
– highlighting and promoting Ulleung County’s value as an ecological tourism city
– offering ambassador training for local middle and high school students about Ulleungdo and Dokdo
– acquiring and utilizing historical photos, videos, and documents related to Ulleungdo and Dokdo to promote these islands as world-class tourist destinations

Ulleung County has been developing its infrastructure for eco-tourism, having completed the Ulleungdo Circular Road in 2019, introduced a new passenger ferry in 2021, and is set to host the “4th Island Day” national event on August 8, 2023. By 2025, Ulleung County plans to open its first airport.

The county is also continuously developing attractions and activities, such as exploring the marine space, natural heritage, and offering various experiences for tourists.

VANK has long been committed to promoting the correct names and history of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. The organization has distributed over 1.88 million copies of 137 historical documents and maps to educate the world on the accurate information about these islands. VANK is also addressing and correcting misrepresentations of Ulleungdo and Dokdo in foreign materials, while campaigning against Japan’s unjust claims and historical distortions regarding Dokdo.

Ulleung County Mayor Nam Han-gwon stated, “Ulleung County is rich in ecological, geological, and geographical values, from rare plants and animals to primeval forests, rocks, and volcanic landscapes. We will work with VANK to showcase these attractions to the world and help Ulleung residents and students reach a global audience.”

Park Ki-tae, Director of VANK, added, “Ulleungdo, the island that embraces Dokdo, boasts countless coastal sceneries like Daepunggam, Elephant Rock, and Songgot Mountain, along with pristine waters. We will promote these attractions to make Ulleungdo an internationally beloved island, beyond Korea.”

VANK ✖️ KTA ✖️ TPS

VANK has unveiled an ambitious plan to promote and globalize Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art.

On June 27, 2023, VANK announced a partnership with Korea Taekkyeon Association and the Taekgyeon Preservation Society to push forward with this initiative. The key points of the agreement include promoting and educating the public about Taekkyeon’s global appeal and using social media platforms to spread Taekkyeon culture worldwide.

VANK has long been dedicated to training young Koreans as diplomats and global ambassadors, while also educating the world about Korea’s rich history and culture. The Taekgyeon Preservation Society, led by Living National Treasure Jeong Gyeong-hwa, is the only organization in Korea recognized under cultural heritage laws for preserving and passing down Taekkyeon techniques.

The Korea Taekkyeon Association, based in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, has been actively working to expand the reach of Taekkyeon. The association played a key role in the successful UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listing of Taekkyeon in 2011.

Park Ki-tae, Director of VANK, remarked, “Taekkyeon is a hidden Hallyu star in our history. We are determined to promote it to a global audience through a range of exciting projects.”

Moon Dae-sik, President of the Korea Taekkyeon Association, emphasized, “Together with VANK and the Taekgyeon Preservation Society, we will work to showcase Chungju, the birthplace of Taekkyeon, to the world.”

VANK ✖️ GGHDA

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.

VANK ✖️ KGS

On June 7, 2023, VANK (Director Park Ki-tae) and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) (President Kim Chun-jin) signed an MOU at the aT Center in Yangjae, Seoul, to globalize Korean food (K-Food) and promote a culture of global carbon neutrality.

Through this partnership, the two organizations will:
✅ Promote the excellence of Kimchi and Korean cuisine worldwide
✅ Advocate for the establishment of “Kimchi Day” in more countries to enhance Korea’s global food brand
✅ Expand the “Green Food Day” campaign to encourage sustainable, low-carbon dietary habits

Since its founding in 1999, VANK has actively corrected misinformation about Korea and promoted Korean culture. It has led various K-Food campaigns, including the global distribution of Korean food postcards (2015) and the Correct Korean Food Name Campaign (2018).

aT, as Korea’s leading food trade agency, has been spearheading efforts to establish “Kimchi Day” globally. The initiative has already succeeded in California, Virginia, New York, Washington D.C., and is currently under review in the U.S. Congress. Additionally, on May 12, the São Paulo City Council in Brazil passed a resolution to designate “Kimchi Day,” pending the mayor’s approval.

Furthermore, aT leads the Green Food Day campaign in collaboration with 500 institutions across 25 countries, advocating for lower greenhouse gas emissions throughout the food supply chain, contributing to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives and global carbon neutrality efforts.

VANK Director Park Ki-tae stated, “With over 170 million Hallyu fans worldwide, interest in Korea is at an all-time high. Through this MOU, we aim to elevate global awareness of K-Food while also contributing to environmental sustainability through the low-carbon food movement. Since food is central to identity, promoting Korean cuisine and Kimchi Day will also unite 7.5 million overseas Koreans.”

aT President Kim Chun-jin emphasized, “This agreement solidifies Korea’s status as the origin of Kimchi and strengthens global efforts toward carbon neutrality. Together, we will showcase the excellence of Korean food worldwide and address urgent global issues like climate change and food security.”

Moving forward, VANK and aT will collaborate on expanding K-Food’s global brand, advocating for carbon-neutral lifestyles, and launching worldwide awareness campaigns.

VANK ✖️ UT PLUS

On May 31, 2023, VANK and UT Plus Interactive (CEO Yoo Tae-yeon) signed an MOU at VANK’s office in Bomun-dong, Seoul, to collaborate on building and expanding a metaverse platform that enables Korean youth to promote Korea’s history and culture on a global scale.

Through this partnership, the two organizations will:

✅ Develop a metaverse platform for education, promotion, exhibitions, and cultural exchange related to Korea
✅ Provide training programs for youth to manage and expand Korean-themed metaverse spaces internationally
✅ Equip young Koreans with the skills to become digital ambassadors in metaverse environments

VANK has been at the forefront of digital diplomacy, signing an MOU with Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December 2022. Since then, it has trained 83 Digital Metaverse Diplomats in its first cohort and is currently training a second group. These youth ambassadors create virtual exhibitions and digital content to introduce Korea’s history and culture to the world while also participating in global advocacy initiatives through www.bridgeasia.net.

UT Plus Interactive, which launched the global metaverse platform “DitoLand” in April 2021, allows users to create and share their own digital spaces and content.

With this collaboration, VANK and UT Plus will develop a metaverse platform focusing on Korean history, culture, Hallyu, Dokdo, the East Sea, and independence activists. This initiative will empower Korean youth to engage with the international community, promote Korea accurately, and contribute to solving global issues.

VANK emphasized, “With over 170 million Hallyu fans worldwide, interest in Korea is at an all-time high. This MOU will further amplify global awareness of Korea’s history and culture through the metaverse.”

VANK ✖️ KTF

On May 18, 2023, VANK announced its commitment to promoting the global recognition of Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Taekkyon Federation.

The MOU formalizes VANK’s plan to actively publicize and globalize Taekkyeon, marking the official launch of related projects. The agreement was signed at the Korea Sports Council meeting room in Olympic Parktel, Songpa-gu, Seoul.

The two organizations agreed on four key areas of collaboration: promoting and educating the public about Taekkyeon’s global recognition, expanding Taekkyeon’s cultural presence through social media, promoting both Taekkyeon and Korean history and culture globally, and other necessary cooperation as deemed essential. Specific details for these projects will be further discussed through working meetings.

VANK emphasized the importance of preserving and correctly promoting Taekkyeon, especially as it is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The traditional martial art’s deep ties to Korean culture—such as its training attire (which is a variant of Hanbok) and the use of pure Korean terminology—make it an ideal vehicle for global promotion of Korea. VANK believes this offers a unique opportunity to showcase Taekkyeon to the world.

Park Ki-tae, Director of VANK, expressed excitement, saying, “This is the best opportunity in history to promote Taekkyeon. With VANK’s capabilities, we will promote it to the world. Like the saying that with a huge lever, you can lift the earth, we will be the lever for Taekkyeon’s global success.”

Jang Kyung-tae, Vice President of the Korea Taekkyon Federation, shared his enthusiasm: “VANK has been successfully promoting Korea’s true history to the world through campaigns about Dokdo, the East Sea, Kimchi, and Hanbok. Now, VANK has started a global Taekkyeon promotion campaign, and I am excited to share the dream of Taekkyeon’s global recognition.”

As part of the collaboration, VANK’s ongoing “Global Taekkyeon Promotion Campaign” will intensify. The campaign includes creating digital promotional materials about Taekkyeon’s significance, distributing them on social media, and organizing tailored events for global and local audiences. Additionally, short-form and multilingual videos featuring Taekkyeon will be shared, targeting Hallyu fans, including the ARMY fanbase of BTS.

VANK has also posted a petition on its platform “Woollim” requesting government support for policies promoting Taekkyeon worldwide, and registered a global petition on its digital diplomacy platform “Bridge Asia.”

At the event, Kim Young-chan, World Champion in the Individual Martial Arts Division of the World Martial Arts Masterships, and Seong Yi-ju, a national champion from Yongin University, showcased a Taekkyeon demonstration to great applause.

VANK ✖️ MCST

VANK has partnered with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST) to correctly promote K-Culture and Korean history to global audiences.

On March 27, 2023, at the Culture Station Seoul 284 in Jung-gu, Seoul, VANK signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with MCST.

With over 160 million global Hallyu fans and a growing enthusiasm for K-pop, K-dramas, and other K-content, the global fascination with Korean culture is undeniable. However, Korean history and culture remain relatively underrepresented and often misunderstood.

Both VANK and MCST and recognize this issue and are taking steps to address it. They will collaborate on initiatives aimed at presenting K-Culture and Korean history in more engaging and creative ways for Hallyu fans and the broader international community.

As part of this effort, they will create bilingual (Korean and English) materials that easily explain aspects of traditional Korean culture, such as Hanbok, Hangeul, Kimchi, Taekwondo, traditional music, and dance. These materials will be distributed to over 26,000 global Korean cultural ambassadors from VANK and 7,000 overseas cultural activists from the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOCIS), including honorary reporters and K-Influencers. The goal is to ensure that Korea’s culture and history are accurately and widely shared worldwide.

Efforts will also be made to correct misinformation about Korean culture. The two organizations will focus on identifying and addressing inaccuracies in the information provided by major museums and cultural institutions abroad regarding Korea.

Additionally, collaboration will extend to 33 Korean Cultural Centers in 28 countries, 32 overseas branches of the Korea Tourism Organization in 22 countries, and 10 overseas business centers of the Korea Content Agency in nine countries to further promote K-Culture.

Yoon Seong-cheon, Director-General of the Cultural Arts Policy Bureau at MCST, commented, “The collaboration with VANK will be a crucial factor in spreading the charm of Korea’s unique culture, which is the foundation of K-content, to the world. With VANK’s 20 years of experience as a private diplomatic mission, this partnership will help elevate the global standing of K-Culture.”

2022

On December 20, 2022, VANK and the Incheon Metropolitan City Office of Education signed an MOU at the education office in Namdong-gu, Incheon. This marks the first-ever partnership between VANK and a regional education office to train digital diplomats among Korean youth.

Under this agreement, the two organizations will launch various projects to equip students and teachers in Incheon’s elementary, middle, and high schools with the skills to promote Incheon’s history and culture—and Korea as a whole—through digital international exchanges. These initiatives will also foster global citizenship and encourage youth to engage in solving international issues.

Key areas of cooperation include:

✅ Training digital diplomats through educational programs
✅ Expanding digital Hallyu through social media campaigns
✅ Developing educational content for global citizenship education

Superintendent Do Seong-hoon emphasized, “This partnership with VANK is a significant step in allowing Incheon’s students to engage in global citizenship education and public diplomacy. We will actively support them in growing into leaders who contribute to global peace and cooperation while promoting Korea accurately to the world as cyber diplomats.”

VANK Director Park Ki-tae stated, “Just as Incheon serves as Korea’s gateway to the world, we will support its youth in becoming global representatives who actively introduce Incheon and Korea to the world through digital exchanges.”

For over 20 years, VANK has trained young Koreans as cyber diplomats and global ambassadors to promote Korea’s history and culture worldwide.

Incheon itself holds historical significance as Korea’s first port city to adopt Western influences and the starting point of the first overseas Korean migration 120 years ago. Today, Incheon International Airport serves as Korea’s main gateway, handling over 70.58 million international passengers annually, ranking 5th globally in transit volume as of 2019.

Through this initiative, VANK aims to empower Incheon’s youth to lead digital diplomacy, foster Asian peace, and contribute to solving global issues while promoting their city and country worldwide.

VANK ✖️ MOFA

On December 6, 2022, the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance digital public diplomacy through public-private cooperation.

Foreign Minister Park Jin and VANK founder Park Ki-tae formalized the agreement at the MOFA’s Citizen Diplomacy Center, marking a decade of collaboration between the two organizations.

VANK is dedicated to promoting Korea globally through initiatives like training cyber diplomats, correcting historical distortions, enhancing Korea’s national brand, and addressing global challenges.

According to MOFA, the updated MOU reflects the growing potential of digital and metaverse spaces and the critical role of public-private partnerships in diplomacy. The revision aligns with the government’s Second Five-Year Public Diplomacy Plan (2023–2027), which emphasizes empowering youth in digital public diplomacy.

The partnership outlines key areas of cooperation, including the training and management of digital diplomats and expanding digital Hallyu through social media platforms. Both organizations recognize the power of imagination in digital and metaverse environments to broaden Korea’s diplomatic outreach.

Starting next year, the two will launch the “Youth Digital Diplomat Program,” targeting middle and high school students with an interest in digital diplomacy. The program will assign quarterly projects to about 100 participants and feature lectures from current and former diplomats and subject-matter experts.

This strengthened alliance aims to inspire a new generation of digital diplomats, advancing Korea’s presence on the global stage through innovative and collaborative efforts.

2021