“The frequent confusion between South and North Korea and global coverage on the North often undermine efforts to enhance our brand awareness,” Lee Bae-yong, chair of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding (PCNB), told an international forum in Seoul.

Hallyu, or the Korean Wave phenomenon, has helped put South Korea on the map as a modern Asian nation with much to offer culturally. But has it brought economic gains to the nation?

It's not an exaggeration to say that all eyes will be fixed on Seoul in November with Korea hosting the G20 Summit. Ahead of the global meeting the Presidential Council on Nation Branding organized a conference on how the summit will affect Korea's national brand.

The Hungarian government last week bestowed the Officer’s Cross Order of Merit to the former president of the Korea Foundation for his work in improving cultural and educational ties between the two countries.

Many images of South Korea in hit American television series have been “distorted,” raising concerns over their detrimental impact on the country’s overall image, a ruling party lawmaker pointed out Thursday.

North Korean propaganda has emerged on popular Internet social media sites. It is not for domestic consumption as virtually no North Korean has Internet access. Rather it is targeted at other countries, especially South Korea.

There’s no doubt that South Korea has set its sights on becoming a major contemporary cultural hub in Asia, whether it’s through its increasingly prominent movie industry, rapidly growing design market, or proliferating modern art facilities.

World leaders, who will visit Seoul for the G20 summit to be held in November, are likely to receive a very special gift from the presidential office at the end of the two-day session. A fancy book on Korean cuisine, tentatively titled “Nature of Korean Food by Kim Yoon-ok,” is part of the first lady’s pet project targeting foreign dignitaries that will be here.