National reputation as an intangible asset: a case study of the King Sejong Institute in Korea

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore whether language and culture education in foreign countries is strategically designated to enhance soft power in public diplomacy and enhance national brand images using a case of the King Sejong Institute (KSI), an educational institute established by the Korean government to promote and support Korean language and culture to the worldwide public. A logistic regression analysis using the data from 214 countries confirms that KSI tends to be established in a country which receives a large amount of the Official Development Assistance (ODA), is an ally of North Korea, has a larger flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) to and from Korea, and is more democratic. This finding implies that KSIs are placed where Korea most needs to yield soft power through language and culture education, as well as where there is an audience that is likely to be receptive and utilize their services.

KEYWORDS:

• Reputation
• national brand marketing
• strategic designation
• King Sejong Institute
• soft power
• public diplomacy

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Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Incheon National University International Cooperative Research Grant [2014].

Notes on contributors

Young Ho Eom

Young Ho Eom is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Public Administration, Yonsei University. His research focuses on Public Management, Organizational Institutionalism, Public value and Social Innovation, and local government studies.

Dohyeong Kim

Dohyeong Kim is an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Political Economy and Geospatial Information Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is also a managing director of the Geospatial Health Research Group. His major areas of research include interdisciplinary public policy and planning aspects with emphasis on health and environmental policy analysis.

Sung Min Roh

Sung Min Roh is senior research fellow in Dept. of Research & Performance Evaluation at the Evaluation Institute of Regional Public Corporation, with expertise in public enterprise performance evaluation. His research focuses on several aspects of public management, including inter-organizational management, managerial behavior, and local governance.

Chang Kil Lee

Chang Kil Lee is professor in the Department of Urban Policy and Administration at the Incheon National University, where he has been teaching since 2008. His research focuses on several aspects of public administration, including public human resource management, strategic planning, performance management, crisis management, and urban studies.