Senior diplomats from South Korea and the United States discussed efforts to strengthen their alliance through public diplomacy on April 1. They explored joint initiatives including digital communication and people-to-people exchanges, and signed a memorandum for the US 250th independence anniversary. The US expressed concerns over South Korea's recent online misinformation law revision.
South Korea's foreign ministry said senior diplomats Lim Sang-woo, ambassador for public diplomacy, and Sarah Rogers, US under secretary of state for public diplomacy, met in Seoul on April 1 to discuss cooperation. They agreed public diplomacy is essential for advancing alliance priorities and pledged to promote the partnership's value through strategic messaging, digital communication, and people-to-people cultural exchanges.
At the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on commemorating the 250th anniversary of US independence this year. They also exchanged views on a recent revision to South Korea's Information and Communications Network Act, which requires platforms like Google, X and Meta to remove false and manipulated content starting in July.
Rogers conveyed US concerns that the law could excessively restrict freedom of expression, a position she had voiced earlier on social media, according to sources familiar with the matter. Lim explained the law aims to hold creators of false information accountable, not to limit free speech.
The US State Department noted discussions on public diplomacy's role in shipbuilding and maritime workforce development, recognizing South Korea's leadership. They highlighted youth initiatives on global challenges like artificial intelligence, energy and economic security, and shared the US approach to countering foreign propaganda through counterspeech without censorship.
