- Launch ceremony for the 16th Korea.net Honorary Reporters to be held on May 12, marking the start of their Korea promotion activities

- Global promoters to introduce diverse aspects of Korea from their own perspectives

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) will hold the “Launch Ceremony of the 16th Class of Korea.net[1] Honorary Reporters” on May 12 (Tuesday) at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), Seoul. Members residing overseas will participate online. Composed of foreign nationals living in Korea and abroad, the Honorary Reporters serve as global promoters of Korean culture.

Under this year’s slogan, “Shape Your Korea!,” they will introduce diverse aspects of Korea as seen from their own perspectives. The launch ceremony will feature the presentation of certificates of appointment, celebratory performances, and networking programs.

This year’s recruitment drew strong interest, with 3,647 applicants from 122 countries. Following a comprehensive evaluation of their understanding of Korean culture and writing skills, 1,543 individuals from 106 countries were ultimately selected.

Notably, the number of participating countries increased by five from the previous year, while applicants from Europe and Africa accounted for 51% of the total, enabling Korean stories to be shared from an even wider range of countries beyond Asia.

Launched in 2011 and now in its 16th year, the Honorary Reporters program has engaged more than 19,000 participants to date. They have promoted Korean culture worldwide by writing articles on cultural events in Korea and abroad, as well as various Korea-related topics. Outstanding articles are published on “Korea.net,” the government’s flagship multilingual portal, and shared globally. Last year, 1,716 articles by Honorary Reporters were published on the platform.

The MCST plans to actively provide training, experiential trips, and opportunities to collaborate with professional media outlets so that this year’s Honorary Reporters can grow into skilled promoters with professional expertise.