Correcting mistakes about Korea, one error at a time

What does the world still get wrong about Korea?

A number of things, from straightforward facts like South Korea’s official name, which is the Republic of Korea, to more sensitive historical or territorial issues, such as the East Sea naming dispute.

Such mistakes are not simply overlooked — for over a decade, volunteers have flagged, documented and reported them to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for correction.

Dubbed Friends of Korea, these volunteers have addressed more than 20,000 cases since the government-run program began in 2013 as a small-scale initiative that has since evolved into a more structured volunteer program with a dedicated website and app.

The Culture Ministry has addressed cases through its “Facts: Korea” service since 2016. Accessible through the website or mobile app, anyone can report errors about Korea found in overseas channels, such as websites, written publications or video content.

The service is offered in 11 languages, including Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and Indonesian.

What kinds of errors do Friends of Korea flag? The information must contain factual inaccuracies, overly generalized or exaggerated descriptions or misconceptions about Korean culture, history and traditions.

In the case of an Aug. 19, 2024, report by French media outlet Sortir à Paris, an incorrect image of the Taegeukgi, or the Korean national flag, was used. The circular red and blue taegeuk symbol in the middle of the flag was reversed, with the wrong sets of black trigrams placed in each corner. The flag even plainly featured the words “South Korea” in red on the background.

Another example is when a July 4, 2021, report from India’s Hindustan Times labeled South Korea as the “People’s Republic of Korea,” when the official name is the Republic of Korea.

A Russian news outlet on Jan. 30, 2018, wrote that the 1950-53 Korean War had ended in 1948 when, in fact, the two Koreas remain technically at war, as the three-year conflict ended in a cease-fire through an armistice agreement signed in 1953, not a peace treaty.

The goal of Friends of Korea is to promote an authentic understanding of Korea. Whether it be a wrong map, a mistranslated Korean name or a historical error posted online, once it’s spotted, they take action.

While some errors may appear trivial, such as a misspelled place name, officials and volunteers argue that repeated inaccuracies can negatively affect how international audiences perceive Korea — especially among those unfamiliar with the country.

“I think a service like Facts: Korea is quite useful among foreigners or even Koreans because it can help correct the misunderstanding and show a good side of Korea to the rest of the world and to those living here,” a non-Korean says to her friend, who was a Friends of Korea volunteer at the time, in a video released on the Facts: Korea official YouTube account last year.

The fact-checking process involves volunteers monitoring non-Korean content for factual inaccuracies about Korea. Upon discovery, members are required to file a report explaining the reason for the error and providing reliable sources to support the correction.

For instance, the Netflix thriller series “The 8 Show” (2024) came under fire for translating the East Sea as the “Sea of Japan” in its Spanish subtitles, prompting Friends of Korea to cite historical documents and maps supporting the use of the name “East Sea.”

Seoul has pushed for the concurrent use of the name East Sea to label the body of water east of the Korean Peninsula, which Tokyo calls the Sea of Japan, arguing that the name is a reminder of the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule over the peninsula and that historical documents show that "East Sea" has been in use for over 2,000 years.

The United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names advises that both names be used when no agreement has been reached, but the Sea of Japan has been widely used conventionally.

After each fact-checking case is submitted, the Culture Ministry reviews it and contacts the relevant party, often by sending an official letter requesting correction of the error.

A total of 824 people have participated in Friends of Korea across 21 cohorts so far. The program runs two cohorts a year, one in the first half and one in the second, each comprising 40 members. The ongoing 21st cohort is set to continue fact-checking activities through Dec. 31.

The program welcomes anyone aged 18 or older — regardless of nationality or where they live — as long as they are interested in and have adequate knowledge of Korea.

Applicants are required to submit a self-introductory video of around two minutes, along with a personal statement outlining what they hope to accomplish through the Friends of Korea program.

Friends of Korea has proven popular, drawing 94 applicants for the latest cohort and 154 for the previous one.

Foreign applicants must have sufficient Korean language proficiency to perform fact-checking. The program also favors applicants with academic or professional backgrounds in linguistics, media and journalism, international relations or trade, as well as prior experience in correcting misinformation, producing content or working for government or public institutions.

Active social media users and foreign students involved in international exchange activities are also preferred, especially those living overseas.

Members can receive credit for volunteer hours and certificates verifying their participation after each cohort has completed the five-and-a-half-month program. If evaluated for outstanding performance, members may also receive special awards and commendations from the Culture Ministry.

The Facts: Korea platform marks its 10th anniversary on Tuesday.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [[email protected]]