Presidential Council on Nation Branding

According to the Simon Anholt Report, nation branding refers to "how a country is seen by others". Other conceptualizations define nation branding as "strategic self-presentation of a country with the aim of creating reputational capital through economic, political, and social interest promotion at home and abroad."[3] National brand today reflects the image of a country (soft power) more than its military or economic influence (hard power) in the international world. Strong national brand translates into high respect and acceptance of that country by the international community. To assess Korea’s current positioning and seek ways to improve and strengthen national brand in and out of Korea, governmental efforts continue.

The so-called "Korea discount" phenomenon seems to reoccur amid some foreign media's distrust and distorted reports about the Korean economy. Now it is appropriate for the government to embark on a nation branding campaign to upgrade Korea's brand value in proportion to its economic power.[4]

The goal of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding is to raise Korea's brand from near the bottom of the member states of the OECD to the middle of the bloc (13 out of 31 countries) by 2013.

Mainly positive view of South Korea (2013 BBC Poll);[5] % change 2010 [6]
Indonesia	58%	15%
Ghana	55%	14%
Nigeria	48%	17%
United States	47%	1%
Australia	45%	10%
China	44%	14%
Spain	43%	21%
United Kingdom	41%	12%
Chile	40%	5%
Central America (2010)	39%	NR
Canada	38%	1%
France	37%	7%
Kenya	34%	3%
Russia	34%	6%
Peru	31%	NA
Poland	31%	NA
Brazil	30%	8%
Turkey	30%	13%
Pakistan	29%	16%
Mexico	24%	16%
Italy (2010)	23%	NR
Azerbaijan (2010)	20%	NR
Egypt	20%	7%
Greece	18%	NA
Germany	17%	11%
India	19%
Japan	19%	17%
NA = Data not available in 2010 NR = Country not ranked in 2013

South Korea has been making substantial gains since the launch of the council, moving up to 26th in 2011 in the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index from a rank of 29th in 2010 and 32nd in 2008.[7] The index does not publish results for South Korea since 2012.

In a similar nation brand index that the Presidential Council on Nation Branding developed with Samsung Economic Research Institute, South Korea moved up to 17th in 2012 from 19th in 2010 and 20th in 2009. Backed by the world's most watched YouTube video in history, Gangnam Style and hit products from Samsung, the world's largest information technology company, for the first time, the country surpassed the average of the OECD in 2012, overtaking countries like Spain, Finland and Ireland, while approaching that of New Zealand with Norway and Italy to be surpassed in the next couple of years.[8]

Under the general motto "Korea, A Loving Embrace" the South Korean government aims in developing its country as a contributing nation with respected people and global corporations, and a caring society that promotes togetherness.

Three main functions of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding include: (1) General control tower on nation branding related issues of the South Korean government, (2) Effective execution of nation branding policies and related projects, and (3) Strengthening and expanding public-private partnerships as well as encouraging the participation of Korean nationals in nation branding activities.[9]

(1) General control tower on nation branding related issues

- Proposing mid- to long-term visions and strategies

- Establishing mid- to long-term goals and setting up annual plans, reviews, and modifications in achieving those goals

(2) Effective execution of nation branding policies and related projects:

- Preventing misuse of government budget through appropriate arbitration of related national projects

- Analytical review of related activities and projects to better the national branding system

(3) Strengthening and expanding public-private partnerships as well as encouraging the participation of Korean nationals

- Developing new ideas and policies through suggestions made by Korean nationals

- Locating and awarding model cases that have contributed to the increase of national brand

The council was led by its second chairperson, Lee Bae-yong from September 28, 2010.[10] She was the President of Ewha Womans University. The first was Yoon-Dae Euh who had to leave the post after becoming the Chairman of KB Financial Group Inc. in June 2010. The former Chairperson Euh was former President of Korea University (2003~2006), Vice Chair of the National Economic Advisory Council, Chairman of advisory board of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Policy Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Trade (1993~2004).

Under the chairperson, the Head of the Secretariat plans and carries out the activities of the council, which is supported by five teams including international cooperation, corporate and information technology, culture and tourism, the global community and overall coordination. A 19-member working-level body will assist the panel.

The council consists of 47 members (34 appointed members and 13 ex officio members) as well as an international advisory forum of 34 members. The 34 appointed members are experts and CEOs of some of Korea’s corporate icons (Samsung, SK Group, Korean Air, and Hyundai). The secretariat of the council carries out administrative related tasks to support the activities of the council.

There are ten main activities promoted by the Presidential Council on Nation Branding: (1) Shaping the Future with Korea, (2) Campus World: Global Korea Scholarship, Campus Asia, (3) Korean Supporters, (4) Global Korean Network, (5) Promoting Korean and Taekwondo, (6) Global Citizenship,(7) Advanced Technology & Design Korea, (8) Rainbow Korea, (9) Friendly Digital Korea, (10) Korea Brand Index.

(1) Shaping the Future with Korea

This project includes strategic economic cooperation with developing and underdeveloped countries by passing down the Korean development experience. The project aims in expanding the Economic Hallyu (or Korean movement) worldwide.

(2) Campus World : Global Korea Scholarship, Campus Asia

This project supports international students with scholarships to establish a group of scholars amicable to Korea. The project also promotes student exchange programs between Asian universities to promote mutual understanding and interaction amongst future leaders in the Asian region.

(3) Korean Supporters "World Friends Korea"

The government of Korea unified the government initiated international volunteer services under a new brand, World Friends Korea. The synergy increase is expected through strategic linkage between governmental agencies and departments. Korean Supporters aims at raising global outstanding individuals and national awareness through strengthening volunteer services capacity and enhancing national participation.

The program will dispatch over 3,000 volunteers overseas every year, the second largest after some 8,000 from the United States.

Korea’s foreign assistance policy is World Friends Korea, roughly equivalent to the U.S. Peace Corps. The Presidential Council on Nation Branding will play a coordinating role through its oversight of the various volunteer programs that government agencies have traditionally operated. Volunteers will be tasked with promoting Korea’s culture and food around the world as well as working in areas such as information technology, education, and the environment.[11]

(4) Global Korean Network

This project aims in binding 7 million overseas Koreans into a single network. Capacity building of overseas Koreans and strengthening ties with their mother country, Korea may possibly bring in contributions to increasing brand value of Korea.

(5) Promoting the Korean language

This project includes establishing a Korean language e-learning system and increase knowledge of the Korean language through unifying Korean learning institutes as a single brand.

In October 2009, the Korean administration announced its plan to set up 150 Korean-language schools, called the King Sejong Institute, overseas by 2015 as part of efforts to promote cultural exchanges. The schools will play a central role in globalizing the Korean alphabet or Hangul, as well as providing information about the country.[12]

(6) Promoting Taekwondo

This project aims in branding Taekwondo as a prestigious and internationally recognized sport. Through Taekwondo, the council wishes to introduce Korean culture and spiritual value and develop cultural contents and tourist products. The council will also assist in systemizing Taekwondo academies abroad.

(7) Global citizenship

This project is a hospitality campaign towards foreigners either living or visiting Korea. The project will assist Korean nationals in raising global etiquette and internet ethics.

(8) Advanced Technology & Design Korea:

This project includes positioning the best quality products made in Korea as “Premium Korea” and publicize Korean luxuries through these products.

(9) Rainbow Korea

This project aims in assisting multicultural families to become healthy members of the Korean society. Infrastructure and economic assistance toward multicultural families in Korea are to be provided through this project.

(10) Friendly Digital Korea

Friendly Digital Korea is a project utilizing broadcasting technology and infrastructure to enhance communication with the international world. Through this project, the council aims in creating an accessible image of Korea by the international community and communicate better with the international world through various contents.

(11) Korea Brand Index

Managing a general national brand index by developing indexes of brand related activities from each government agency.

The future works of the Council include establishing general vision and strategies in implementing and managing its activities, establishing a feedback system to have proper knowledge of each activity’s implementation process, enhance public-private partnership and encourage participation of Korean nationals, and suggest and cooperate in revising policies and laws related to branding activities.

Advanced Technology and Design Korea

Project Advanced Technology and Design Korea, sponsored by KOTRA, the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, this project aims itself to be the go to place in order to find information about Korea’s most innovative technology, design and business. Its mission is to break past stereotypes and shed the old image that the world may have of Korea and uncover the colorful and future-forward quality of the advancements that are hidden within this nation.

The total amount of money spent annually on global branding by separate organizations will reach 100 billion won ($74 million) fund branding campaigns at home and abroad. The council itself has an annual budget of 8 billion won ($5.8 million)

• Korean wave
• Euh Yoon-dae
• World Friends Korea
• VANK

• 국가브랜드위원회
• Presidential Council on Nation Branding
• Presidential Council on Nation Branding Opens, Korea Times, January 22, 2009
• Promotion of Korea's Nation Brand, JoongAng Ilbo, March 24, 2009
• South Korea's non-stop Nation Banding Programme, Nation Branding
• KEI's Academic Paper Series, Korea Economic Institute
• Korea Focus
• Nation Branding: Everything about Nation Branding and Country Brands