In a year of explosive turmoil on the global stage, the Republic of Korea (South) effectively orchestrated a Public Diplomacy campaign of note.

The size of New Jersey, South Korea has effectively presented to the world their cultural and tourism assets along with the economic miracle of their economy.  The Korean Embassies, Korea Tourism Organization, Asiana Airlines, Multi-National Corporations, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports and the Korean People themselves have come together under the public diplomacy banner we initiated in the late 90’s as Public Relations-Marketing Manager for Korea Tourism Organization, New York Office, TEAM-KOREA.

South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak, has been responsible for presenting Korea: Her People, Land and Culture to the global audience in an unprecedented manner making Korea the hotspot for global tourism, culture and business.

Inevitably we will hear from people in the U.S. with the M.A.S.H. mentality.  The fact is that the U.S. is the only place on earth that still believes Korea to be in the state it was in the 1950’s ! 

This is as much an outcome from the U.S. education system and the blatantly biased and less than professional reporting by the U.S. media.

Excerpts from Korea Tourism Organization Website:

Royal Korean Cuisine-Culture:

“Royal cuisine has long enjoyed a deeply rooted presence in Korean tradition. Representative foods such as sinseollo (fancy hot pot) and gujeolpan (nine-sectioned dish) that were once served in an eleborate and elegant manner throughout history are still savored today. Experienced chefs of the royal court prepared elaborate dishes using only the best quality agricultural produce and seafood that had been presented to the king from all corners of the country. Royal court foods were not much different from those outside the court because they influenced each other with little regard toward social standing. The only difference was that royal dishes were less salty and/or spicy.”

Korea Resources:

Address to Nation by President Lee on Korea’s Emerging as a Hub for Free Trade

KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION

ASIANA AIRLINES

K2 GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS LLC: Partner Greg Kelly is a combat veteran having served in the United States Army with the rank of Sergeant in the Elite U.S. Paratrooper unit of the 82nd Airborne Division (Grenada) and the 2nd Infantry Division (Korea).

His professional experience includes specializing in public relations, international relations, public/government affairs, corporate communications, and relationship building from the local-to-international level. He has worked as a U.S. Congress Assistant. He is also the former Manager of Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising for the Korea National Tourism Organization where his duties included speech writing for senior Korean government officials and establishing and maintaining working relationships with various foreign and domestic companies, government agencies and media outlets.

ALL-AMERICAN Member 82nd Airborne Division Association;

Mr. Kelly graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York at Potsdam where he majored in political science and minored in communications.

Mr. Kelly resides in the Hudson Valley, married with one daughter.