In 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation, Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK is launching a campaign using AI to enhance Korea’s global image.
As of 2024, Korean culture—spanning dramas, music, and films—has gained immense popularity worldwide, amassing 225 million global fans. However, despite this attention, inaccurate portrayals of Korea’s history and culture persist in many international textbooks, encyclopedias, and websites. These inaccuracies often stem from perspectives shaped by Japan’s imperialist propaganda during its colonial rule over Korea, which justified its invasion by depicting Korea as historically dependent on China and lacking independent creativity.
Further complicating matters, the “Sea of Japan” label continues to replace “East Sea,” and biased narratives about Dokdo often dominate. Meanwhile, China’s distortions, from the Northeast Project to claims over Korean heritage like Hanbok, Bibimbap, and Kimchi as Chinese minority culture, remain widespread. Even the Great Wall is now being symbolically expanded into Korean territory.
The rise of generative AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, has created new challenges. Many AI tools rely on data influenced by these distortions, leading to responses like identifying the East Sea as the Sea of Japan or providing inaccurate depictions of Korea’s heritage sites like Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Recognizing the critical role AI plays in shaping global perceptions, VANK aims to take proactive measures. Rather than responding reactively to distortions, VANK will harness AI to ensure the accurate dissemination of Korea’s history and culture. This campaign not only seeks to counter Chinese and Japanese misinformation but also to establish Korea’s rightful place in the global consciousness.
VANK’s initiative emphasizes that AI’s growing influence demands accurate data to preserve Korea’s historical, cultural, and territorial integrity in the digital age.