The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (), abbreviated VANK (), is an Internet-based South Korean organization funded by the Korean government and established in 1999, consisting of 120,000 South Korean members and 30,000 international members. They refer to themselves as the "Cyber Diplomatic Delegation Group", and are mainly involved in spreading information about Korea to the world. They are politically motivated in their activities and frequently promote the Korean government's claims in various Japan-Korea and China-Korea disputes. Park Ki-Tae, founder of VANK, has said "the project is aimed at isolating Japan". VANK's membership consists mainly of junior high and high school students, although university students also participate.
Activities
Examples of campaigns they have conducted include organizing a protests movement to pressure Google and Apple to label the Liancourt rocks as Dokto on their maps and spreading the story of the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, and about Jikji, the world's oldest extant book printed using movable metal type.
VANK publishes reading materials, postcards, maps, and videos. VANK's self-built online database and published books with information about Korea are acknowledged by overseas universities as recommended learning resources about Korea. As a way to exchange cultures and connect with foreigners, VANK also conducts surveys about their opinions of Korea, such as a notable survey about what aspects of Korea interest foreigners the most.
VANK disputes certain terms and information regarding Asian geographic names or about East Asian history. The head of the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea said the organization has corrected hundreds of mistaken statements by foreign governments about South Korea. VANK also raises awareness for Japanese war crimes and promotes the banning and removal of symbolism they associate with Imperial Japan.
In 2013, VANK launched a campaign against the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The campaign included a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) opposing the games because "Japan has no remorse for war crimes.”, the letter was also sent to major foreign media such as CNN and the New York Times. On January 6, 2020, a poster was put on a temporary fence on the site of the new Japanese embassy in Jong Chiyo Road, Nono District. In the posters, the Tokyo Games are contaminated by nuclear radiation, in one scene the Olympic Torch Relay is depicted with a man in a hazmat suit transporting radioactive material. They also produced stamps and coins with similar imagery.
In 2019, VANK launched a campaign against the expression Chinese New Year, recommending the term "lunar new year" instead.
In 2020, VANK urged Chinese netizens to stop cyberbullying Korean celebrity singer Lee Hyo-ri after her Instagram account received several complaints and criticisms. VANK posted an online petition titled "Stop China's cyber chauvinism which lynched a Korean celebrity!". It justified the petition on the basis "We oppose the chauvinistic attitude of attacking others in the name of nationalism, which includes interpreting even the smallest part of an expression in the most vicious and offensive way".
Funding
VANK is a non-governmental and private organization. According to VANK, they do not receive money from any organization or corporation, and are run by donations. In fact, they receive funds from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of South Korea, along with multiple corporate donors. The amount paid by the government has decreased, from 80 million won in 2006 ($1=W950 in 2006, around $84,000)to 30 million won in 2008 ($1=W1,300 in 2008, around $24,000).
Political position
VANK does not represent an official political position, but the organization is believed to be politically closer to a liberal-to-progressive camp than to a conservative camp one.
In South Korea, liberals and leftists tend to show more anti-imperialist and left-wing nationalist based diplomatic views than conservatives in diplomacy involving powerful countries, including China and Japan. Because of this tendency, conservatives support reducing VANK's government subsidies, while liberals and leftists support increasing VANK's government subsidies.