Nation Branding of Korea

Abstract

Globalization casts manifold issues over various fields in contemporary society. It is often perceived as a phenomenon that reinforces transnational interrelatedness and the exchange of economical, societal, technological, and cultural activities beyond national borders (Beck 2000). While the overall consensus would be that globalization constrains roles of nation states (Steger 1998), there exist different perspectives: there is the view that sees globalization as eventually leading nation states into being absorbed into the larger structure of a transnational state (Robinson 2001) to the argument that, in spite of globalizing forces, the existing patterns of institutions for governing nation state and its economy will still remain powerful (Giddens 2003). This chapter points out that nation states are devising strategies to deal with globalizing forces in various ways and discusses the rise of nation branding policy in South Korea within this context. The chapter views nation branding as part of the country’s active strategies to manage and survive the forces of economic globalization. Through cultivating a distinct message and impression of the country and improving its prestige in the international arena, nation branding could function as a tool to strengthen the country’s business competitiveness in the global market. Despite a strong economic agenda, Korea’s nation branding has very strong cultural aspects to the degree that it should be seen as an extension of cultural policy.