Analysis: South Korea's public diplomacy strategy rethink

South Korea's global cultural success has attracted scrutiny of social dysfunction forcing a public diplomacy rethink

Event or Trend: The awarding of the Nobel Prize for Literature to South Korean author Han Kang demonstrates South Korea’s growing cultural influence, and the commensurate increase in global attention to its social challenges.

Significance: As South Korea’s global cultural presence expands through K-pop, K-dramas, literature, and other cultural exports, its national image has significantly improved. However, this global attention has also magnified scrutiny of the country's internal issues, including youth unemployment, gender imbalances, workplace inequality, and mental health crises.

South Korea’s public diplomacy over the last five years has promoted South Korea as a model of rapid modernization and economic success - the “Korea Development Model”. Heightened global awareness reduces the effectiveness of this strategy and will require South Korea to develop a new strategic approach to public diplomacy. This opens opportunities for providers and partners and remains significant for off…