The emergence of “soft power” as a tool of the Republic of Korea's foreign policy

Matosian Agapi Elmarovna ORCID: 0000-0002-7390-4268 Postgraduate student; Department of Theory and History of International Relations; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba 117198, Russia, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 10k2 1142220025@pfur.ru

The historical formation of the Republic of Korea's soft power

As a result of the acceleration of socio-political transformation, there have been changes in the understanding of the nature of power and its manifestations in the field of international politics. The new geopolitical logic associated with the introduction of information technology and the emergence of an interconnected global society with access to huge amounts of information has not been ignored by many researchers and politicians who have tried to find the keys to this new scientific challenge. One example of this phenomenon is the concept of "soft power", which was introduced in the early 1990s by the American political scientist Joseph Nye.

Soft power, according to Joseph Nye, is the cultural and ideological attractiveness of a particular state, which is based on the ability to achieve goals through an attractive image, rather than coercion. J. Nye adds that "soft power is formed due to the attractiveness of culture, political ideals and foreign policy of the country. If domestic policy is perceived as legitimate in the eyes of the world community, soft power expands" ^{[1, pp. 3-5]}.

Another concept of the theory of international relations is connected with soft power. At the institutional level, soft power is part of the State's public diplomacy. The activities of ministries of foreign Affairs or other state institutions to promote politics, the images created by high—tech products of popular companies, the attractiveness of popular culture - all these are elements that form public diplomacy ^[2]. According to the author, soft power can be defined as a strategy for mobilizing the cultural, social, scientific, technical and economic resources of a country aimed at creating a positive or attractive image of a state.

Soft power strategies are especially important for medium-sized or regional powers, since most of them do not have significant material or power capabilities to influence international processes. Soft power allows not only to improve its global position, but also to extract economic benefits due to attractiveness ^[3]. As a result, soft power stimulates both political and economic capital.

Each state develops its own strategy taking into account cultural specifics, which we can see on the example of East Asian countries, in particular the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as Korea), which was able to enter the international arena through the successful implementation of a soft power strategy within the framework of public diplomacy.

The geopolitical position of Korea (approx. – The Republic of Korea) determines the first factor of the formation of soft power as one of the tools of foreign policy and image formation strategy. Being surrounded by Russia, China, and Japan, Korea had difficulties developing its military and economic power. The colonial period as part of the Japanese Empire, as well as the war of the two superpowers that unfolded on the territory of the Korean Peninsula, had a serious impact on the socio-economic and political sphere of the Republic.

Even before coming to power in 1961, General Park Chung-hee developed an ambitious industrialization plan inspired by the Meiji Restoration that Japan experienced in the 19th century. The strategy was based on promoting the export of heavy and chemical industries. To this end, financial repression was maintained and imports were limited. In his book titled "The Country, the Revolution and Me," the general noted that the two pillars of the Korean industrialization model would be development planning and the creation of large industrial conglomerates. To solve the first task, it was necessary to have a strong State capable of intervening in the allocation of resources and the definition of global development strategies. Industrialization with export priority became the basis of the new president's policy ^[4].

Despite the difficult relationship with Japan, Park Jong-hee saw it as an important strategic partner, also trying to improve relations with it. During this period, an active growth in the number of chaebols (financial and industrial groups) began, which President Park used for rapid economic growth. Such large conglomerates as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Lotte, together with government intervention, contributed to successful industrialization and economic modernization, which in turn formed the basis for future soft power strategies ("Miracle on the Hangan River")^{[4, C. 22-24]}.

Korea is currently a "fully functioning" democracy^[2], despite the fact that authoritarian methods of government prevailed in the period from the 1960s to the 1980s. However, since the mid-80s, the gradual democratization of society began; with the inauguration of the President, Roh Dae-woo promoted the establishment of new diplomatic relations, as well as the entry of the Republic of Korea into the United Nations^{[5, pp. 435-440]}.

Due to geopolitical, territorial (in terms of resource base) and historical factors, Korea did not have the opportunity to develop its hard power. That is why, after a successful democratic transit, soft power was taken as the basis for the formation of a new foreign policy.

Before moving directly to the components of Korean soft power, it is advisable to consider the development of soft power from an institutional point of view. Among the subjects implementing soft power, we will single out three of the most important: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Education with relevant representative bodies and organizations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the structure that has established public diplomacy as the third component of Korean diplomacy along with political and economic spheres. In addition, the Ministry also recognizes the value of soft power resources in the country's foreign policy. Thus, in 1991, two key institutions were established: the Korea Foundation, based on the former Korean International Cultural Association, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which unites Korean international cooperation projects and official development assistance abroad. Both institutions, which are still active, play a central role in establishing relations with societies abroad, each in its own field of activity ^[6].

The second key ministry of soft power in Korea is the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Especially in the context of the Hallyu phenomenon, it is important to channel the potential of South Korean popular culture and use it to achieve the foreign policy goals pursued by Korea. Of course, given the relevant fields of activity, this ministry has the opportunity to use the tool of public diplomacy not only in the form of cultural, but also sports diplomacy, which played an important role at different stages of the country's development ^{[7, pp. 27-28]}.

Finally, the third important ministry "for the development" of Korea's soft power is the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. In addition to using the tool of public diplomacy, the ministry also builds its soft power using the tool of "exchanges". In addition, the Ministry is responsible for promoting the image of the South Korean education system and its competitive quality at the international level ^[8].

The basis for the formation of a new image was the foreign policy course of President Kim Yong Sam in 1993, in which culture was used as one of the priority tools. Even before Kim Yong Himself came to power, he actively promoted the idea of integrating Korea into the international space. Such a strategic plan implied not only the modernization of the political and economic sphere, but also the education system and the cultural environment in order to achieve higher world positions ^{[9, C. 6-7]}. Several new institutions have been established for this purpose: The Cultural Industry Bureau (문화 산업국 (Cultural Industry Bureau)), to increase the export of Korean audiovisual products; the Committee on National Branding (국가 브랜드 홍보 (Comity for nation branding)), focused on the formation and promotion of image through the popularization of culture ^[10].

Korean President Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) believed that soft power was one of the main means to improve perceptions of the country abroad. The presidential administration, building relations with neighboring states, adopted the so-called "solar heat" policy, which has become a symbol of maintaining global values ^[11].

Normalization of relations with neighboring countries, including China and Japan, determined the growing popularity of Korean products and the entertainment industry. The Government of the Republic saw the popularization of culture as an important source of economic growth, and also recognized it as a fundamental tool for exporting a positive image of the country and a new soft power strategy.

Hallyu Diplomacy

The emergence of Korea as a cultural power on the world stage was facilitated by the phenomenon known as the "Korean wave" or "Hallyu". This phenomenon is characterized by the extensive spread of Korean popular culture, including music, television series and films, which subsequently played an important role in globalization, regionalization and localization. The term "Hallyu" was first used by Chinese journalists in 1999 to denote the growth of Korean culture and its influence on the lifestyle of young people ^[12]. After its initial success in Southeast Asian countries, Hallyu gained worldwide recognition through the media for developing soft power and improving Korea's position in the international arena.

The Hallyu phenomenon was originally an initiative of the private sector, but over time it received significant government support and led to the massive development of the Korean media and the expansion of the tools of cultural diplomacy and soft power ^[13]. J. Himself. Nye described the Hallyu phenomenon as the rise or growing popularity of everything related to Korea. The fundamental basis of the "Korean wave" is made up of TV series ("K-drama"), music ("K-pop"), films and video games, which have conquered the audience not only of neighboring countries, but also societies in Europe, the USA, Latin America, Russia and the Middle East. The promotion of Korean culture is a matter of national importance and pride of Korea ^{[14, pp. 348-350]}.

The Korean TV series and music industry found itself in an advantageous position during the coronavirus pandemic in 2019. The pandemic, marked by widespread closures, social distancing measures and increased anxiety, has caused people around the world to long deeply for escapism and solace. Researchers note that Korean TV series have become an important tool to combat the difficulties caused by the pandemic ^{[15, C. 162-164]}.

It is worth noting that the soft power of Korean culture goes beyond economic benefits: Korean performers and actors are actively involved in solving global problems and promoting important issues on the international agenda. In particular, BTS delivered speeches on Sustainable Development Goals at the UN General Assembly, BlackPink on climate change at the UN Climate Change Conference, and Seventeen on the importance of education at the UNESCO Youth Forum. The invitation of Korean artists highlights the growing role of artists in attracting young people to important issues of international discourse ^{[16, C. 264]}.

The phenomenon of the "Korean Wave" is an example of the extensive interaction between cultural institutions and society. Strategic planning and government support for the promotion of Hallyu, as evidenced by the initiatives of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, have led to various manifestations of the "Korean wave", each of which corresponds to different cultural and geopolitical contexts ^[17]. Korea is a vivid example of the effective use of culture as its soft power, showing that a global presence through creative products can significantly influence the economy and the international position of the state.

It is also worth noting that in recent years, in academic and political circles, there has been the use of such a term as "Hallyu diplomacy", implying the implementation of soft power through pop culture. The growing value of certain soft power resources forms the basis for the effective achievement of foreign policy goals ^{[18, pp. 25-28]}. It should be added that each element is connected in one way or another, and sometimes (in the context of Korea), one of the constituent components can use the other to solve the tasks set. J. Nye noted that Korea can expand and strengthen its international position, not limited to security issues, by including climate change issues, human rights human rights and the fight against pandemics. Korea can assume a more significant international role in terms of the production of global public goods, which is a "win-win situation for the country and the world community" ^{[19, pp. 135-137]}.

Global challenges and the geopolitical situation of Korea pose a number of difficult tasks for politicians and researchers in the field of socio-political sciences and put the diplomatic arsenal of the state to the test. First of all, North Korea poses a security threat due to the continuous development of nuclear weapons programs, which serves as an obstacle to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and harms the ultimate goal of reunification. In the context of the increasing complexity of relations and the growth of competition, soft power is becoming one of the starting points for a possible improvement in the situation between countries. For example, artists from the Republic of Korea hold concerts in Pyongyang; during the opening of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, the national teams of the Republic of Korea and the DPRK marched under the same flag ^[20].

Conclusion

Hallyu brought with it cultural and social consequences, especially for Asia, as Korea changed its role from a recipient to a donor of popular culture in the region; it also contributed, especially among the younger generation, to the formation of a new modern cultural identity and the creation of a universal Asian culture. The Korean government is aware of the attractiveness of Hallyu and therefore uses it in building its soft power to realize its national interests and create a new image of the country. In addition, the implementation of public diplomacy for foreign policy purposes was fundamental to the construction and development of this soft power. Given Korea's successful strategies, it can become an excellent example for states seeking to achieve goals in a more effective way ^{[21, C. 10-15.]}.

The mobilization of such resources as culture and public diplomacy allowed the Republic to present the image of a highly developed, technologically advanced, economic power with an influential and very rich culture. The implementation of effective public diplomacy will be beneficial in the long term, as it will help build relations between these countries in a positive way. In addition, using Halle it is easier to achieve positive participation in solving regional problems, as well as to promote universal values.