1. The Foreign Ministry will hold the “Public Diplomacy Academy 2017” event on May 19 and June 30. The event, part of the “public diplomacy implemented with the people” project co-conducted by the Foreign Ministry and the Korea Foundation, has been organized to help some 400 people participating in public diplomacy in 2017 raise their awareness and learn more about public diplomacy, and step up communication among themselves.

° The “Public Diplomacy Academy 2017” event, the second of its kind to come after the well-received first round in 2016, will feature lectures by experts in such areas as public diplomacy, communication and contents production, as well as relevant discussions. Also included will be a mentoring session for the public diplomacy participants who will carry out activities at home and abroad.

* Included in the approximately 400 people are the 72 dispatched to overseas diplomatic missions as public diplomacy “interns”; the 100 junior participants; the 113 in the 12 teams for public diplomacy projects; the 91 global cultural hopefuls in the 10 teams; and the 37 senior participants.

2. On May 19, professor Choi Jung-hwa, the Republic of Korea’s first-ever interpreter for international conferences, will deliver a lecture on ways to communicate with people around the world and on civic awareness. Ilya Belyakov, a foreign entertainer in the ROK, will then share with the participants his living and cultural experiences in the ROK as well as his opinions on cross-border cultural exchanges and co-existence.

3. On June 30, character designer Kwon soon-ho will share anecdotes regarding contents production and present ways to use contents in communicating with the public. An athlete to compete in the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games will give a speech on the role that civilian diplomats play through sports at paralympic games and other international events.

4. Not only the participants in public diplomacy but also the general public is eligible to attend the “Public Diplomacy Academy 2017” event. Those interested in participating can apply at the Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy portal at www.publicdiplomacy.go.kr from May 12 till 6:00 pm, May 16. Out of those applicants, 300 people will be recruited on a first-come, first-served basis. The event will be broadcast live on Live MOFA, the Foreign Ministry’s social live broadcast medium.

5. Going forward, the Foreign Ministry will actively implement cultural diplomacy along with ROK people in a bid to enhance the ROK’s image as a charming Korea and its standing in the international community.


* unofficial translation