Voluntary Agency Network of Korea

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Cyber Diplomatic Delegation Group
Hangul
사이버 외교사절단
Hanja
--- 外交使節團
Revised RomanizationSaibeo oegyosajeoldan
McCune–ReischauerSaibŏ oegyosajŏltan
VANK
Hangul
반크
Revised Romanizationbankeu
McCune–Reischauerpank'ŭ

The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (Korean: 사이버 외교사절단), abbreviated VANK (반크), is an Internet-based South Korean organization funded by the Korean government and established in 1999, consisting of 120,000 South Korean members and 30,000 international members. They refer to themselves as the "Cyber Diplomatic Delegation Group", and are mainly involved in spreading information about Korea to the world. They are politically motivated in their activities and frequently promote the Korean government's claims in various Japan-Korea and China-Korea disputes. Park Ki-Tae, founder of VANK, has said "the project is aimed at isolating Japan".[1] VANK's membership consists mainly of junior high and high school students, although university students also participate.[2]

Activities[edit]

Examples of campaigns they have conducted include organizing a protests movement to pressure Google and Apple to label the Liancourt rocks as Dokto on their maps[3] and spreading the story of the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, and about Jikji, the world's oldest extant book printed using movable metal type.[4]

VANK publishes reading materials, postcards, maps, and videos. VANK's self-built online database and published books with information about Korea are acknowledged by overseas universities as recommended learning resources about Korea.[5][6][7][8] As a way to exchange cultures and connect with foreigners, VANK also conducts surveys about their opinions of Korea, such as a notable survey about what aspects of Korea interest foreigners the most.[9][10][11]

VANK disputes certain terms and information regarding Asian geographic names or about East Asian history.[12][13][14] The head of the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea said the organization has corrected hundreds of mistaken statements by foreign governments about South Korea.[15] VANK also raises awareness for Japanese war crimes[16] and promotes the banning and removal of symbolism they associate with Imperial Japan.[17][18][19]

In 2013, VANK launched a campaign against the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The campaign included a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) opposing the games because "Japan has no remorse for war crimes.”, the letter was also sent to major foreign media such as CNN and the New York Times. On January 6, 2020, a poster was put on a temporary fence on the site of the new Japanese embassy in Jong Chiyo Road, Nono District. In the posters, the Tokyo Games are contaminated by nuclear radiation, in one scene the Olympic Torch Relay is depicted with a man in a hazmat suit transporting radioactive material.[20] Stamps and coins bearing similar imagery were also produced.[21]

In 2019, VANK launched a campaign against the expression Chinese New Year, recommending the term "lunar new year" instead.[22]

In 2020, VANK urged Chinese netizens to stop cyberbullying Korean celebrity singer Lee Hyo-ri after her Instagram account received several complaints and criticisms. VANK posted an online petition titled "Stop China's cyber chauvinism which lynched a Korean celebrity!". It justified the petition on the basis "We oppose the chauvinistic attitude of attacking others in the name of nationalism, which includes interpreting even the smallest part of an expression in the most vicious and offensive way".[23]

Funding[edit]

VANK is a non-governmental and private organization. According to VANK, they do not receive money from any organization or corporation, and are run by donations.[24][25] In fact, they receive funds from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of South Korea,[26] along with multiple corporate donors.[21] The amount paid by the government has decreased, from 80 million won in 2006 ($1=W950 in 2006, around $84,000) to 30 million won in 2008 ($1=W1,300 in 2008, around $24,000).[27][28]

Political position[edit]

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VANK does not represent an official political position, but the organization is believed to be politically closer to a liberal-to-progressive camp than to a conservative camp one.

In South Korea, liberals and leftists tend to show more anti-imperialist and left-wing nationalist based diplomatic views than conservatives in diplomacy involving powerful countries, including China and Japan. Because of this tendency, conservatives support reducing VANK's government subsidies, while liberals and leftists support increasing VANK's government subsidies.[29][30]

Criticism[edit]

VANK organizes young Korean students as "cyber diplomats" to lobby foreign organizations and webmasters about what it perceives as errors in matters related to Korea.[31] The Government of Korea endorses such "cyber vigilantism", subsidising a competition in which participants try to censor foreign websites for "incorrect" content about Korea. Park Jung-yul, an official of The Korean Information Service (KOIS) said "KOIS is resolved to monitor the contents of Korea-related Web sites and provide correct information on the Net in order to help generate an accurate image of the country." In Asia Times Online, it was reported that the South Korean government is offering rewards to students who participate in the activities of VANK, most of which are centered on the issues of the Sea of Japan.[32]

VANK lists current targets for "correction" on its website for members to send a form letter of protest.[31][33] Some of its requests for correction are justifiable, such as referring to a simple mistake mixing up North and South Korea. However, in relation to more highly contentious issues it does not accept any non-Korean interpretations.[34] In a Foreign Policy article, VANK was described as being seen as "self-styled cyber fact-checkers" to those favourable to their cause but for others they are seen as "hyper-nationalistic spammers".[34]

Although official foreign government agencies tend to endure its cyber harassment, numerous private organisations and websites surrender to silence VANK's clamour.[31][33] An About.com spokesman, relating his company's decision to use the name "East Sea" to refer to the body of water otherwise known as the Sea of Japan, stated that they chose to use the name "not necessarily because it agreed with the South Korean geography activists but because the e-mail bombardment was annoying." In the About.com case, it received more than 20 e-mails per day for more than a year before it finally changed the name.[35][32] Likewise, the National Geographic Society and other websites have changed their naming policies as a result of similar "e-mail and letter writing campaigns".[33][36]

VANK has been accused of promoting Korea while attacking Japan. Critics claim that VANK has attempted to bully and discount Japan and Japanese culture, manipulate history during and after World War II and have other countries believe in distorted perspectives related to Japanese-Korean history that have a bias favoring Korea.[1][37][21] VANK has also been accused of attacking China and Chinese culture.[38][39][40]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b 왕, 길환 (2013-05-03). "반크, '아시아서 일본 왕따시키기' 전략 펼친다". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-08-02.
  2. ^ "About VANK". Bring Korea to the U.S classroom!. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  3. ^ Herald, Korea (2012-11-14). "VANK to take on Apple, Google over Dokdo". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  4. ^ "반크(VANK), 직지세계화에 나선다", The Chosun Ilbo, 2006-09-25, retrieved 2006-09-25
  5. ^ "Resources // East Asian Languages and Cultures // University of Notre Dame". 2012-12-14. Archived from the original on 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  6. ^ "Services > Multicultural Activities > Multicultural Resource Library". 2012-05-26. Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  7. ^ Korean studies for Global Understanding George Mason University
  8. ^ Center for Korean Studies UCLA
  9. ^ Korean cooking classes available for expats October 26, 2010 Korea Herald
  10. ^ Korea’s Cyber Vigilantes foreignpolicy
  11. ^ About VANK VANK
  12. ^ "CIA gets its Korea facts wrong", The Inquirer, 2006-12-13, archived from the original on September 18, 2009, retrieved 2007-10-06{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ^ Northeast Asia's intra-mural mural wars By David Scofield Dec 23, 2003, Asiatimes
  14. ^ "VANK urges UN to add 'East Sea' on its map". The Korea Times. 2021-11-07. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  15. ^ Organization corrects South Korea errors UPI, 15-DEC-06
  16. ^ "VANK to highlight war crimes committed by Japan's Unit 731". 30 July 2020.
  17. ^ Herald, Korea (2013-02-18). "Korean Americans run in N.Y. to ban Rising Sun Flag". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  18. ^ "Netflix's 'Umbrella Academy' featuring Rising Sun design causes stir". The Korea Times. 2022-07-11. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  19. ^ Sae-byul, Lee (2020-08-07). "NGO urges online retailers to ban sale of Rising Sun Flag". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  20. ^ "Olympics minister denounces South Korean posters of Tokyo 2020 torch runner in a hazmat suit". The Japan Time. Feb 14, 2020. Retrieved Oct 12, 2022.
  21. ^ a b c Fumiaki Yamazaki (March 7, 2020). "The identity of VANK". Asukashinsya  [ja] / Hanada-plus. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  22. ^ ""Say Lunar New Year, not Chinese New Year"".
  23. ^ Park Ji-won (2020-09-04). "Civic group launches campaign urging Chinese netizens to stop 'cyberbullying' Korean celeb". The Korea Times.
  24. ^ Interview of VANK(in Korean) dcnews, 2008-12-01
  25. ^ History Distortion, Do not Move! hanyangian.com
  26. ^ "Official Support for 'Cyber Diplomats' to Continue", The Chosun Ilbo, 2008-10-22, retrieved 2008-10-28
  27. ^ "반크 정부 지원예산 삭감에 네티즌 반발 거세", Asia Today, 2008-10-21, retrieved 2008-10-21
  28. ^ "VANK支援問題：李大統領、予算配分を直接指示", The Chosun Ilbo, 2008-10-25, archived from the original on 2008-10-26, retrieved 2008-10-25
  29. ^ "이재명, 독도의 날 국가기념일 지정 검토…일, 시대착오적 행위 정신 차려야". 22 February 2022.
  30. ^ "'반크' 예산지원 전액삭감에 네티즌 '공분'". 21 October 2008.
  31. ^ a b c Campbell, Emma Louise Gordon (2011). "Uri nara, our nation: Unification, identity and the emergence of a new nationalism amongst South Korean young people". The Australian National University OPEN RESEARCH Library: 121. doi:10.25911/5d78d9f37a17f. hdl:1885/9750. Retrieved 23 July 2021. An interesting participant in these controversial issues is VANK, the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea … It is strongly nationalist in its tone and encourages so-called "cyberdiplomats" to write letters and emails on controversial issues. Historical issues currently listed on their website for action … Where other institutions have failed to achieve the so-called "correction of errors produced abroad", VANK claims to have been successful. It has attracted sufficient numbers of school and university students to act as cyberdiplomats, bombarding organisations with emails and letters until they meet the demands of VANK.
  32. ^ a b Scofield, David (2003-12-23), "Northeast Asia's intra-mural mural wars", Asia Times, archived from the original on 2012-07-18, retrieved 2007-10-06{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  33. ^ a b c Monmonier, Mark (15 September 2008). From Squaw Tit to Whorehouse Meadow: How Maps Name, Claim, and Inflame. University of Chicago Press. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-226-53464-0. Map publishers who found the Korean argument persuasive were no doubt influenced by the persistent letter-writing campaign orchestrated by the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK). Mike Rosenberg, the geography "guide" (editor) for the About.com Web site, reported e-mails from Korean students who parroted a VANK form letter … Federal agencies are less vulnerable to electronic harassment. At last glance the Board on Geographic Names, which controls usage by the CIA, is holding the line on Sea of Japan.
  34. ^ a b Card, James. "Korea's Cyber Vigilantes". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  35. ^ Sea of Japan vs. East Sea, About.com: Geography, February 24, 2002
  36. ^ JIMMY NORRIS; HWANG HAE-RYM (18 October 2007). "Group seeks changes in USFK pamphlet". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  37. ^ "반크,'일본 디스카운트' 운동". Munhwa Ilbo (in Korean). 2005-03-25. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
  38. ^ "사이버 외교사절 박기태 반크단장". 13 January 2008.
  39. ^ "韩民间团体设网站应对中方歪曲韩国文化历史 | 韩联社". 15 September 2021.
  40. ^ "반크, 간도 역사 알리기 나선다". 13 July 2008.

External links[edit]

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