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Over the past two decades, South Korea has increasingly engaged in cultural public diplomacy; however, empirical research on its effectiveness in advancing foreign policy interests is lacking. Existing studies focus on how cultural public diplomacy shapes Korea's image and the attractiveness of Korean products among foreign consumers without addressing the ultimate diplomatic objective of influencing the actions of foreign governments. This study fills this research gap by examining the impact of the King Sejong Institute (KSI), a govemment-funded cultural institution, on Korea's foreign policy pursuits worldwide. Analyzing data from 2005-2021 spanning 192 countries (84 with KSI), our study reveals that the presence of KSI leads to increased political alignment in voting on United National General Assembly resolutions and greater de jure economic integration between the Korean and host governments. These results suggest that KSI can serve as a strategic tool to foster amicable bilateral relations.
KeyWords: Cultural Public Diplomacy, Foreign Policy Interests, King Sejong Institute
I. Introduction
The past decade has witnessed a growing interest in public diplomacy among scholars and practitioners alike. Public diplomacy efforts in practice revolve around engaging with foreign publics and cultivating positive perceptions of a country among them. Culture plays a pivotal role in this process, commonly known as "cultural public diplomacy" (Cummings 2003). Various methods, such as broadcasting, exchange programs, conferences, and language initiatives, are employed in cultural diplomacy. In orchestrating these efforts, national cultural institutes often play a significant role. Notable examples of flagship cultural institutes include the Goethe Institute of Germany, the Confucius Institute of China, and the British Council of the United Kingdom (UK).
South Korea, too, has established and expanded its own cultural institute-the King Sejong Institute (KSI). As of 2022, 243 KSIs had been operational in 84 countries worldwide. The Asia region leads with 139 institutes, followed by Europe with 57 institutes, America with 32 institutes, Africa with 12 institutes, and Oceania with four institutes, respectively. Operated by the Korean government and the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF), KSIs manage overseas Korean language education and extend Korean culture. According to KSIF (n.d.), "As a leading institute extending Korean and spreading Korean culture, King Sejong Institute enhances Korea's national image and accompanies people all around the world."1
Despite a growing body of literature describing...