A Study on the Cultural Development of Korea towards Thailand through the New Southern Policy

Authors

Kamon Butsaban

Publication Date

2020-01-01

Abstract

Korea's current administration introduced the New Southern Policy in 2017, with the aim of creating a "people-centered community of peace and prosperity" between Korea and the ASEAN countries. Thailand is a central hub for Korea to strengthen and expand its regional soft power, and is the largest market for Korean culture, as represented by the Korean Wave or Hallyu. However, despite these close ties between Thailand and Korea, economic cooperation between the two countries has remained stagnant compared to other ASEAN countries. In this context, this paper analyzes the New Southern Policy in Thailand and its cultural implications. Specifically, it hypothesizes that the New Southern Policy is an effective policy to enable cultural development of Korea and Thailand and highlights the policy's importance for strengthening cooperation and economic development of both countries based on assessments made by the Korean government. Under the New Southern Policy, Korea has been seeking to strengthen its soft power and promote mutual prosperity through bilateral cultural exchange, rather than a one-way expansion of Hallyu. It is possible to anticipate that prioritizing the co-prosperity of Korea and Thailand through active cultural and people-to-people exchanges will foster the cultural and economic development of the two countries in the long term.

DOI

10.58837/CHULA.JLETTERS.49.1.7

First Page

126

Last Page

145

Recommended Citation

Butsaban, Kamon (2020) "A Study on the Cultural Development of Korea towards Thailand through the New Southern Policy," Journal of Letters: Vol. 49: Iss. 1, Article 8.
DOI: 10.58837/CHULA.JLETTERS.49.1.7
Available at: https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/jletters/vol49/iss1/8