South Korea’s Public Diplomacy and Historical Memory in 1970s Japan

What is it about?

he article looks at how South Korea tried to shape its image in Japan during a major crisis in relations between the two countries in the mid-1970s. It focuses on a Japanese-language magazine published by the South Korean government as part of its public diplomacy efforts. At the time, South Korea depended heavily on Japan for economic aid and technology, and officially wanted to promote cooperation and partnership. Yet the magazine’s message was often dominated by historical grievances against Japan and claims about Korea’s cultural superiority. The article argues that this was not simply a contradiction or policy failure. Rather, it reflected the powerful influence of long-established national narratives about history and identity, which limited how the government could present itself to Japanese audiences. More broadly, the study suggests that official state messaging does not always fully reflect policy goals, because governments themselves are constrained by deeper historical and political narratives.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This article is the first attempt in English language academia to explore South Korea's public diplomacy initiatives during the Cold War. Moreover, the article speaks to a broader question in international politics: how much control governments actually have over the narratives they promote abroad. The findings suggest that official messaging is often constrained by deeply embedded national narratives and identities, meaning that states cannot always communicate in a purely strategic or instrumental way. This has implications not only for Korea–Japan relations, but also for how we understand public diplomacy and strategic communication more generally.