1. On November 17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Embassy in the ROK hosted a talk concert commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, in which diplomats from both countries met in person with young people and shared vivid stories. The event featured the Deputy Director-General for Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lim Hyong-tae, and the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in the ROK, Joy M. Sakurai, as speakers, who had conversations with around 50 participants in youth programs operated by the two institutions. Young people who took part in the event, the Foreign Ministry’s KOREAZ Honorary Reporters and students from the U.S. Embassy’s American Diplomacy House Academy (ADHA), visited the Diplomatic Archives before the start of the talk concert and reflected on the history of Korea’s diplomacy.

2. The participants showed a keen interest in the competencies required as diplomats, the life as a diplomat, the two countries’ public diplomacy activities, and the future direction of the Korea-U.S. relations. Deputy Director-General Lim and Deputy Chief of Mission Sakurai, who participated as speakers, candidly shared their experiences and opinions.

3. Particularly, Deputy Director-General Lim recalled that this year is a meaningful one celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, and asked the participants to play a leading role in shaping the future of the alliance. He stated that the strong relationship between the two countries over a long period of 70 years has been possible thanks to the people of both countries sharing values and enhancing people-to-people exchanges and friendship, and emphasized that the networks among these people will bring the bilateral relations closer in the future.

4. This event was significant as diplomats from both Korea and the U.S. directly communicated with the next generation of young people from home and abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to actively pursue public diplomacy events that enhance the interest and understanding of the young generation regarding Korea's foreign policies.