Paradigm Shift in Diplomacy: A Conceptual Model for Korea’s “New Public Diplomacy”

The first decade of the new millennium witnessed the rising importance of public diplomacy across the globe. The elevation of public diplomacy has a dual dimension, as a new field of diplomatic practice and a new field of academic research. What should be the Korean model of public diplomacy? How can Korea shift to the emerging paradigm of diplomacy? To address these simple but fundamental questions, this paper provides a conceptual model of Korea’s public diplomacy within a five-phase framework, emphasizing the production of diverse soft power assets based on competitive advantage and the development of knowledge diplomacy as a complementary alternative to a narrow cultural diplomacy. Given Korea’s “middle power” status in the international society, we argue that the new model should combine universal values with Korea’s historical experience in such a way that Korea could play a role in bridge-building between advanced and developing nations. We also suggest adopting a geographic-thematic approach in combination with a modular approach, taking into consideration the needs and demands of object nations and groups. Networking of subjects and objects is another crucial element of the new model, while new digital media should provide the necessary instruments for networking and other activities throughout nearly the entire process of public diplomacy.