On December 1 in Seoul, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Liz Allen, and Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Ambassador Hong Seok-in, launched the first U.S.-ROK Public Diplomacy Dialogue. This inaugural dialogue highlights the growth of the U.S.-ROK Alliance over the past 70 years from a security alliance into a vital and vibrant global partnership. The dialogue further advances the extraordinarily close ties between the American and Korean peoples and the essential role they play in sustaining our Alliance.
During the dialogue, the Under Secretary and the Deputy Minister discussed the role of our bilateral people-to-people exchanges in strengthening peace, security, and prosperity in both our countries, the Indo-Pacific region, and beyond. They also explored ways to promote connections between Korean and American leaders at the sub-national level, who can share their expertise on solving global challenges, including climate change, that impact their communities. Under Secretary Allen and Deputy Minister Hong also discussed opportunities for the United States and the Republic of Korea to increase cooperation on public diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region. They noted that U.S. and ROK youth initiatives – including the U.S. Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative and ROK’s Youth Camp for ASEAN & Friends’ Engagement – are investments in future generations that build common understanding on global challenges such as energy, climate change, and health.
The Under Secretary and the Deputy Minister also discussed enhancing cooperation on countering foreign information manipulation, an increasing threat in the region, and globally. At the conclusion of the dialogue, Under Secretary Allen and Deputy Minister Hong signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will serve as a strong foundation for both countries to work together against this threat.
Official news published at https://www.state.gov/under-secretary-of-state-for-public-diplomacy-and-public-affairs-elizabeth-m-allen-launches-inaugural-u-s-rok-public-diplomacy-dialogue/
