Repositioning the Korea Brand to a Global Audience: Challenges, Pitfalls, and Current Strategy
During the past decade there has been growing academic interest in the field of nation branding. It is increasingly common for governments to adopt the techniques of brand management in order to raise their country’s profile or to correct image defi cits that may be detrimental to the nation’s standing in the world. Korea has been at the forefront of this surge of interest in the potential of nation branding. Driven largely by a desire to reposition the Korea brand away from negative association with North Korean brinkmanship and lingering images of the Korean War, the government of South Korea has committed signifi cant resources and energy to position the Korea brand as a vibrant dynamic democracy, creative and open to the world. Whether this attempted repositioning of the Korea brand will be successful remains to be seen. The current raft of nation-branding activities initiated and coordinated by the recently established Presidential Council on Nation Branding will need to deliver tangible outcomes within the next two to three years; otherwise the initial enthusiasm will dissipate, political support will dwindle, and inertia will set in.