From Hallyu to strategy: S. Korea’s public diplomacy in the soft power era

Описание: 소프트 파워의 전략화: 한국 공공외교의 새 방향

Welcome to Within The Frame where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus, I'm Kim Mok-yeon.
Today, influence is built not only on economic or military strength, but on culture, credibility, and connection.
As K-pop, K-dramas, and Korean culture continue to expand their global reach, the question is no longer whether Korea has soft power—but how that power is strategically translated into diplomatic influence.

On Within The Frame tonight, we speak to Ambassador Lim Sang-woo to discuss the rising importance of public diplomacy and how cultural momentum can become national strategy.
Drawing from his experiences in Madagascar and India, we explore the impact of youth engagement, local cultural understanding, and digital outreach and examine the future direction of Korea’s public diplomacy in a rapidly changing world.

Welcome to the Program Ambassador Lim.

1. Ambassador, since November, you’ve been serving as the Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy at the Foreign Ministry.
In this era of soft power, how would you define the importance of public diplomacy?

2. Following up on that, what do you believe are the most essential qualities and the fundamental mission of your new position?

3. Now, with the global spread of K-culture, Korea’s national image has risen significantly.
From your perspective, how is the Korean Wave being leveraged as a tangible asset for public diplomacy?
And would you say that Hallyu is Korea’s greatest strength when it comes to public diplomacy?

4. Let’s look at your experience on the ground, from 2018 to 2020 you served as the first Ambassador of Korea to Madagascar.
Looking back, what would you consider the most meaningful achievement in public diplomacy then?

5. In particular, you launched the youth supporter group “Tsingu De la Coree,” bringing together fans of Korean culture to serve as a bridge between the two countries.
In your view, what is the power and significance of youth-driven public diplomacy?

6. Alongside that, when you served at the Korean Embassy in India, we hear you personally produced a dance cover video, to a theme song from a well-known Indian film.
The video received widespread attention in India, and was also recognized from Prime Minister Modi.
Drawing from that experience, how did a deep understanding of local culture impact your public diplomacy efforts?

7. You also took a rather unconventional step, becoming the first sitting head of mission to personally operate a YouTube channel.
What motivated you to take that step?
And more broadly, how do you assess the potential and the limitations of using digital platforms in public diplomacy?

8. Which leads to a bigger question, Soft power phenomena like Hallyu are often born in the private sector, while public diplomacy requires strategic direction from the government.
In your view, what is the most effective model of partnership between the two?

9. Finally looking ahead, as Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, what are your goals moving forward?
And what direction do you believe Korea’s public diplomacy should take in the years ahead?


We'll have to leave our discussion right here, many thanks to Ambassador Lim, we appreciate it.

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2026-02-27, 20:30 (KST)