ASEAN, India join public diplomacy program in Korea

Aspiring leaders from ASEAN, India and Korea are visiting Seoul and Busan from Aug. 18 to 23 as part of Korea’s effort to enhance relations with Southeast and Southwest Asia.

Titled “Public Diplomacy Camp,” the event is organized by the Korea Foundation (KF) to bolster the government’s efforts to communicate with people in other countries and serve the KF’s goal of public diplomacy under the wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The second annual camp is taking place is in line with President Moon Jae-in’s signature New Southern Policy aimed at deepening relations with the countries located south of Korea.

The camp is also being held on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-Korea relations.

Twenty-eight participants in their 20s and 30s are joining the program, including 15 from nine of the 10 ASEAN countries and India.

Excluding Brunei, the nine are Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The majority of the participants are university students.

“The people-to-people exchange between Korea and Southeast Southwest Asia is becoming as important as economic cooperation,” the KF said in a press release last week.

The foundation referred to three pillars of the New Southern Policy, known as the 3Ps — peace, prosperity and people.

“And we hope our program offers chances for young people from different countries to communicate and understand one other better,” the KF added.

The programs are designed to familiarize the participants with the concept of public diplomacy, learn about the countries through advanced public diplomacy, plan relevant projects on their own and share feedback.