1. The “2017 Asian Cultural Young Leaders’ Camp” began with a “cultural diplomacy forum” on June 26 and will continue through June 30.

o The cultural diplomacy forum consisted of the Foreign Ministry’s briefing on cultural diplomacy policy, the Cultural Diplomacy Open Talk session in which participants made presentations and engaged in discussions about each country’s “social media and IT trends,” and a special lecture delivered by President of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Moon Seung-hyeon under the theme “4th industrial revolution and Asia’s soft power.”

2. In his welcoming remarks at the cultural diplomacy forum, Director-General for Cultural Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Lee Eun-yong stressed the significance of exchanges between future generations, saying that exchanges between youngsters are important as they set the direction of future cooperation in Asia, and hoping that the camp will serve as a bridge for mutual understanding between Asia’s future generations.

3. Following the cultural diplomacy forum, participants went to Pyeongchang. On June 27, they made a tour of major facilities there, including the Pyeongchang Mountain Cluster, and attended a briefing on preparations for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics by the organizing committee for the Olympics. In the afternoon, they had an opportunity to understand traditional Korean culture, visiting Ojukheon House and Seongyojang House in Gangneung.

4. On June 28-29, participants will also experience IT and Hallyu or the “Korean Wave,” as well as traditional Korean culture, visiting Woljeongsa Temple in Pyeongchang, an electronics museum, and the National Museum of Korea, and watching a hologram musical. Participants from abroad will return to their countries on June 30.

5. The “2017 Asian Cultural Young Leaders’ Camp” is co-hosted by the Foreign Ministry and the Korea Foundation, and co-organized by Arirang TV and the International Student Fellowship (ISF). A documentary film will be shot throughout the camp, and two participants from abroad will join the recording of Arirang TV’s Heart to Heart, a TV talk show. The documentary and talk show will be broadcast on Arirang TV in July.

6. The Foreign Ministry will continue to actively carry out cultural diplomacy programs for young people that support exchanges among youth of countries around the world, who are next generation leaders, through cultural diplomacy using soft power.


* unofficial translation