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Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea

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Formed
  
January 22, 2009

Website
  
Official English Site

Headquarters
  
Seoul, South Korea

Agency executive
  
Lee Bae-yong, Chairperson

The Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea was established on January 22, 2009 by Executive Decree 21283 with the objective to promote Korea's global image; to right misconceptions about Korea, its culture, its products, and its people; and to raise respect for Korea so as to support Korean businesses and nationals abroad through governmental initiated strategies and policies. The council lies under the direct control and authority of the President of South Korea, Park Geun-hye.

Contents

The country has made significant gains since the launch of the council in 2009 and it was dismantled by the new administration in 2013 as South Korea achieved a nation brand above the OECD average, 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. South Korea's nation brand ranked 17th in 2012, on track to achieving the council's goal of 15th place by 2013.

Background and Objective

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." 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.

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.

Current Status of Korean National Brand

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. 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.

Vision and strategy

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.

Vision

As its main goal, the Presidential Council on Nation Branding aims in (1) achieving national brand at the OECD average level and (2) entry of the Korean national brand as world top 15 by 2013.

Strategy

Strategies to implement its goals include, (1) accumulating national capacity through cooperation amongst the people, corporations, and government, (2) managing national brand by establishing a master plan and developing brand index, (3) pursuing customized policies in accordance to the needs of different sectors, and (4) creating a national brand motivating force through the expansion of a common national response.

The Presidential Council on Nation Branding emphasizes on the following five strategic areas to increase national brand value: (1) Contribution to the international community, (2) embrace of multiculturalism and consideration for foreigners, (3) cultivation of global citizenship, (4) advertisement of modern technology and products, and (5) promotion of an attractive culture and tourism.

Functions

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.

(1) General control tower on nation branding related issues (2) Effective execution of nation branding policies and related projects: (3) Strengthening and expanding public-private partnerships as well as encouraging the participation of Korean nationals

Structure

The Council was led by its second Chairperson, Lee Bae-yong from September 28, 2010. 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. on 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.

Members of the Council include the following:

Members of the Council

  • Chair
  • Ms. Lee Bae-yong Presidential Council on Nation Branding
  • Ex-Officio Members
  • Mr. Ahn Byong-man Minister of Education, Science and Technology Mr. Cho Hwan-eik President & CEO of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency Mr. Choi See-joong Chairman of Korea Communications Commission Mr. Chung Jong-hwan Minister of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs Mr. Kim Kyung-han Minister of Justice Mr. Kwon Tae-shin Minister of the Prime Minister's Office Mr. Lee Dal-kon Minister of Public Administration and Security Mr. Lee Youn-ho Minister of Knowledge Economy Mr. Lee Cham President of the Korea Tourism Organization Mr. Oh Se-hoon Mayor of Seoul Mr. Park Hyung-jun  Senior Officer to the President for Public Relations Mr. Park Dae-won  President of Korea International Cooperation Agency Mr. Park Jae-wan  Senior Secretary to the President for State Affairs Planning Mr. Yoon Jeung-hyun  Minister of Strategy and Finance Mr. Yu Myung-hwan  Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Mr. Yu In-chon  Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism
  • Appointed Members
  • Mr. Cha Yoon=ho  Professor of Joongbu University Mr. Cheong Young-rok  Professor of Seoul National University Mr. Cho Byung-lyang  Professor of Hanyang University Mr. Cho Kuy-ha  President & CEO of CSK Investment Korea Ms. Choi Jung-hwa  Professor of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Mr. Chung Tae-young  President & CEO of Hyundai Capital & Card Mr. Han Choong-min  Professor of Hanyang University Mr. Jo Jung-yul  Professor of Sookmyung Women's University Mr. Kim Mun-cho  Professor of Korea University Mr. Kim Won-yong  Professor of Ewha Womans University Mr. Kim You-kyung  Professor of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Mr. Kim Jeong-tak  Professor of Sungkyunkwan University Mr. Kim Hyung-suk  Professor of Woosong University Mr. Kim Hyung-joon  Professor of Myongji University Mr. Samuel Koo  President & CEO of Seoul Tourism Marketing Mr. Lee Soon-dong  President of Samsung Volunteers Corps Mr. Lee Doo-hee  Professor of Korea University Mr. Lee Jong-hee  President & CEO of Korean Air Mr. Myung Seung-soo  Professor of Catholic University of Daegu Mr. Namgoong Yon  President of Studio FAT Mr. No Kyu-hyung  President of Research & Research Mr. Oh Mahn-seug  Professor of the Academy of Korean Studies Mr. Oh Nam-soo  President of Kumho Asiana Group Ms. Park Jae-ok  Professor of Hanyang University Ms. Park Soon-ae  Professor of Seoul National University Mr. Park Young=ho  President & CEO of SK Holdings Mr. Ryu Tae-geon  Professor of Bukyung University Amb. Suh Dae-won  Counselor of Hyundai Rotem Mr. Suh Koo-won  Professor of Hanyang Cyber University Mr. Yoon Eun-key  President of Seoul School of Integrated Sciences and Technologies
  • International Advisory Forum Members
  • Mr. Ahmed A. Al-Subaey  Representative Director and CEO, [S-OIL|S-OIL Corporation] Mr. James Bemowski  Vice Chairman and CEO, Doosan Corporation Mr. Simon Bureau  President and CEO, The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Korea Mr. Chun Taeksoo   Secretary General, Korean National Commission for UNESCO Mr. Kuk-Lok Chung  Vice President and CEO, Arirang TV Mr. Tom Coyner  Consultant, Soft Landing Consulting Mr. Roland Davies  Director, the British Council Korea Mr. Robert Dencher  Country Chairman, Shell Pacific Enterprise Mr. Ray Frawley  President, McDonald’s Korea Mr. Wei Han  Korea CEO, Bank of China Mr. Michael Hellback Managing Director, Deutsche Bank Seoul Brand Mr. Michael W. Hurt  Digital Media Producer, Turtle Boat Media Mr. Lucio Izzo  Director, Italian Cultural Institute in Seoul Ms. Amy Jackson  President, American Chamber of Commerce in Korea Ms. Laure Coudret Laut Cultural Counselor of French Embassy, Director of the French Cultural Center Mr. Joon Ho Lee  President, Traffic Broadcasting System Mr. Kwon Lee  Attorney, Kim & Chang Mr. Frank R. Little  President, 3M Korea Mr. N’Kumu Frey Lungula  Saemaul Consultant Ms. Linda Myers  Head of Global Talent Management Office, Vice President of SK Holdings Ms. Suzanna Samstag Oh  Vice President, Friends of Korea Ms. Dong Eun Park  Executive Director, Korean Committee for UNICEF Mr. John Early Petersen  Distinguished Visiting Professor, Yonsei University Mr. Philip Raskin  President, Burson-Marsteller Korea Mr. Werner Sasse  Professor, Hanyang University Mr. Koji Shibata  President and CEO, Marubeni Korea Corporation Ms. Taeko Takahashi  Minister, Public Information and Cultural Center Mr. Alan Timblick  Head, the Seoul Global Center Mr. Peter Walshaw  President and General Manager, Grand Hyatt Seoul Mr. Raimund Wördmann  Director, the Goethe-Institut Korea Mr. Sung Joon Yim  President, Korea Foundation

    Activities

    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 (2) Campus World : Global Korea Scholarship, Campus Asia (3) Korean Supporters "World Friends Korea" (4) Global Korean Network (5) Promoting the Korean language (6) Promoting Taekwondo (7) Global citizenship (8) Advanced Technology & Design Korea: (9) Rainbow Korea (10) Friendly Digital Korea (11) Korea Brand Index

    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.

    Funding

    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)

    Challenges

    "Because governments around the world have embraced nation branding only within the past few years, as yet few if any templates or models of best practice exist for other nations to follow. Korea may establish such best practice through its current initiatives if the present momentum can be sustained."

    "One of the major challenges that Korean policymakers have set for themselves is to reduce or even eliminate the so-called Korea discount, which refers to the belief that the "Made in Korea" marquee carries less prestige and status than other countries of origin such as "Made in Japan" or "Made in Germany"."

    References

    Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea Wikipedia