It starts with a small, nagging feeling: you’re reading an article about Korea, and something is wrong. Maybe the flag has the wrong colors in the wrong places. Maybe the country’s official name has been mangled. Maybe a historical event has been placed in the wrong decade entirely. For people who know Korea well, these mistakes can feel jarring. But for the rest of the world, they can quietly become the truth. That is why, for more than a decade, a group of dedicated volunteers has been doing something about it. The program is called Friends of Korea, and since 2013, its members have flagged and helped correct more than 20,000 pieces of misinformation about Korea in overseas media and online content. What began as a small government-led effort has grown into a structured volunteer operation with its own website, mobile app, and global network of participants. The 21st cohort of volunteers celebrated its kickoff ceremony on Aug. 6, ready to continue the painstaking work of catching errors that most people would scroll past without a second thought.
The range of mistakes is surprisingly broad. Some are basic factual errors, such as getting the official name of South Korea wrong. In July 2021, India’s Hindustan Times referred to South Korea as the “People’s Republic of Korea,” even though the country’s official name is the Republic of Korea. Others are more visual and glaring. In August 2024, French media outlet Sortir à Paris published a report featuring an incorrect image of the Taegeukgi, the Korean national flag. The red-and-blue taegeuk circle in the center was reversed, the black trigrams in the corners were placed incorrectly, and the flag even had the words “South Korea” written in red across the background. A Russian news outlet claimed in January 2018 that the 1950-53 Korean War had ended in 1948, when in fact the conflict ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, which means the two Koreas remain technically at war to this day. These are not just obscure details. They are the pieces of information — and misinformation — that shape how millions of people around the world understand Korea, its culture, and its history. To address this, the Culture Ministry’s “Facts: Korea” service, launched in 2016, invites anyone to report errors found in overseas websites, publications, and video content. The platform is available in eleven languages, including Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian, making it accessible to people across the globe who want to help set the record straight.
The process behind a correction is more rigorous than one might expect. Volunteers do not simply point out a mistake and move on. They monitor non-Korean content for factual inaccuracies, overly generalized descriptions, or misconceptions about Korean culture, history, and traditions. Once they find an issue, they must file a detailed report explaining why the information is wrong and providing reliable sources to support the correction. After that, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reviews the case and contacts the relevant party, often sending an official letter requesting that the error be fixed. One notable case involved the Netflix series “The 8 Show,” which came under fire in 2024 for translating the name of the sea east of the Korean Peninsula as “Sea of Japan” in its Spanish subtitles. Friends of Korea volunteers responded by citing historical documents and maps that support the use of the name “East Sea.” This is part of a long-standing naming dispute: Seoul argues that “East Sea” has been used for over 2,000 years and that the name “Sea of Japan” is a reminder of Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula. Tokyo, meanwhile, calls the body of water the Sea of Japan. The United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names has advised using both names when no agreement can be reached, but the conventional use of “Sea of Japan” remains widespread. For the volunteers, correcting this kind of error is not about erasing history but about making sure history is told accurately and fairly.
Behind the corrections are real people with different backgrounds and nationalities. Since the program began, 824 individuals have participated across 21 cohorts. The program runs twice a year, with each cohort made up of 40 members, meaning the current 21st cohort will continue its fact-checking activities until Dec. 31. Any person aged 18 or older can apply, regardless of nationality or where they live, as long as they have a genuine interest in Korea and enough knowledge to identify what needs correcting. Applicants are asked to submit a two-minute self-introduction video and a personal statement explaining what they hope to achieve through the program. It has become a surprisingly popular opportunity: the latest cohort drew 94 applicants, and the previous one attracted 154. Foreign applicants must demonstrate sufficient Korean language proficiency to perform fact-checking work, and the program tends to favor those with academic or professional experience in linguistics, media and journalism, international relations, or trade. People who have previously been involved in correcting misinformation, producing content, or working for government or public institutions are also welcomed. Active social media users and foreign students engaged in international exchange activities are especially encouraged to apply, particularly if they live overseas. In return, members receive volunteer hours and certificates after completing the five-and-a-half-month program, and those who perform exceptionally can receive special awards and commendations from the Culture Ministry.
What makes this work so meaningful is the spirit behind it. The volunteers are not trying to police every comment section or embarrass foreign outlets. Their goal is to promote an authentic understanding of Korea, one correction at a time. Even small mistakes, such as a misspelled place name or a slightly off map, can accumulate over the years and create a distorted image of the country in the minds of international audiences, especially those who have never visited. This is why the volunteers treat every case seriously. In a video released on the official Facts: Korea YouTube account, a non-Korean speaking to a friend who volunteered in the program put it well: “I think a service like Facts: Korea is quite useful among foreigners or even Koreans because it can help correct the misunderstanding and show a good side of Korea to the rest of the world and to those living here.” That sentiment captures the heart of the program. It is not about being perfect or catching every mistake. It is about showing care and respect for a country and its people, and helping the rest of the world see it for what it truly is. In an age where misinformation travels faster than ever, this kind of patient, evidence-based advocacy feels more necessary than ever.
As the Facts: Korea platform marks its 10th anniversary, the work is still far from finished. New films, new articles, new travel guides, and new social media posts are published every day, and each one carries the potential for another misunderstanding about Korea to slip through. But the past decade has proven that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. More than 20,000 corrections may seem like just a number, but each one represents a moment when someone noticed an error, took the time to investigate it, and worked to make sure the truth was told. The volunteers of Friends of Korea come from all walks of life, yet they share a common belief: that accuracy is a form of kindness, and that getting a country’s name, flag, or history right is a way of honoring its people. The next time you come across a fact about Korea that seems a little off, you might think twice. Somewhere out there, a volunteer is probably already on it. And if not, the program is always open to new people who care enough to help. For anyone who has ever felt the urge to correct a small falsehood and wondered whether it would matter — the Friends of Korea program is proof that it does.