The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) will hold the launch ceremony of the “20th Korea Correct Information Ambassadors” on February 10 at the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) Center (10th floor, Korea Press Center). The group comprises Korean and international members aged 18 and above.

Launched in 2013 as “Friends of Korea,” the “Ambassadors” is a civilian public relations group with a cumulative total of 744 members to date who have been dedicated to correcting errors about Korea in overseas media and promoting accurate information about the country. Previously, the group selected 35 members twice a year, for a total of 70 participants annually. Starting this year, 40 members will be chosen per cohort, bringing the yearly total to 80, allowing more young people to participate in promoting accurate information about Korea.

The recruitment for the 20th cohort attracted 154 applicants, resulting in a competition ratio of 3.8:1. A final selection of 40 young people (30 Koreans, 10 non-Koreans) from 8 countries, including Brazil, Türkiye, and Russia, was made based on their deep understanding of Korea and outstanding foreign language proficiency.

The members’ passion and ambitions for the initiative are exceptional. Daniella Pereira Doudement Santana, a Brazilian national who has served for three consecutive cohorts from the 18th to the 20th, shared, “Even though I live on the other side of the globe, my work as an Ambassador has made me feel much closer to Korea. I want to continue contributing to sharing the Korean culture I love more accurately.” Baek Jong-hyeon, returning for a second consecutive term from the 19th cohort, expressed his commitment, saying, “Through my previous activities, I realized the importance of correcting misinformation. Building on the information analysis and verification experience I gained in the 19th cohort, I will do my best to prevent the spread of inaccurate information about Korea.”

Additionally, Cookim, a Korean cuisine content creator with 2.44 million Instagram followers, will attend the launch ceremony as a guest speaker to share the appeal of Korean food and content creation tips while encouraging the members as they begin their activities.

Transforming “Misunderstanding” into “Understanding” of Korea in Line with the Global Rise of K-Content, Proactively Responding to the Evolving Media Landscape

The 20th Ambassadors will carry out promotional activities for approximately five months through the “FACTS: KOREA” service (www.factsaboutkorea.go.kr) operated by the MCST, reporting inaccurate information about Korea and disseminating correct information. In particular, in line with the global popularity of “K-Content,” the group plans to diversify its activities to ensure that interest in Korean culture leads to an accurate understanding. The Ambassadors will identify misinformation about Korea appearing in generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms such as ChatGPT, as well as over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, and provide accurate information to global audiences, thereby proactively responding to the evolving media landscape.