Young Generation Rising as Key Actors in Public Diplomacy.

With the rapid transformation of the global digital environment, not only governments and related institutions but also individual citizens are now emerging as important actors in shaping national images by directly sharing their country's content. This shift is clearly reflected in the Korean government’s 2nd Basic Plan for Public Diplomacy (2023–2027), which emphasizes the expansion and reinforcement of public diplomacy participation by youth, local governments, overseas Koreans, and the private sector to create an innovative public diplomacy ecosystem.

The Korea Foundation (KF), the designated public diplomacy organization of ROK affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been actively working to enhance youth and civic engagement in public diplomacy since 2018 through a range of programs such as the “KF Public Diplomacy Academy” and the“Public Diplomacy Project.” Going forward, KF plans to continue supporting initiatives that organically link public diplomacy education with real-world practice. This session aims to review the outcomes of existing programs and explore future directions for revitalizing youth-driven public diplomacy.

By bringing together university faculties, a government official, and a youth leader who have been involved in planning and implementing public diplomacy programs, the session will assess the achievements and challenges of youth engagement in diplomacy and propose new strategies for the future.
Also it seeks to redefine the direction of KF’s youth public diplomacy initiatives and establish a foundation for young people to participate in public diplomacy activities more proactively and creatively—growing into responsible global citizens in the process.