A public diplomacy perspective on corporations: South Korea’s chaebols in Vietnam

Paper Abstract: Since the mid-2000s, growing concern over international reputation and image has made public diplomacy an increasingly important tool for the South Korean government to garner sympathy for its foreign policy agenda. In the public diplomacy field, South Korean conglomerates (chaebols) have become relevant stakeholders due to their influence on policymakers, the degree of economic and technological resources, and strategies of engagement. By building upon the concept of corporate diplomacy, the research attempts to move from a discourse centred on ‘resource diplomacy’ to explore new functions of the chaebols in the broader context of South Korea's foreign relations. To better understand this dynamic, this study examines the South Korean public-private partnerships that have been established in Vietnam, particularly in relation to the ‘New Southern Policy (Plus)’ initiative, which was one of former president Moon Jae-in’s signature foreign policies. Aside from its implications for the field of public diplomacy, this article aims at contributing to the debate on the evolving state-business relationship in South Korea in light of the chaebols' controversial concentration of privileges and the public’s calls for more transparency and accountability in the country’s overseas activities.