U.S.-Republic of Korea Public Diplomacy Dialogue Held in Seoul

On April 1, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers and Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Ambassador Lim Sang-woo held the second U.S.-ROK Public Diplomacy Dialogue in Seoul.  The officials discussed the essential role of public diplomacy in a modernized, forward-looking U.S.-ROK Alliance and how to advance commitments by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and ROK President Lee Jae-myung in the November 2025 U.S.-ROK Joint Fact Sheet by cooperating on shared messaging, cultural diplomacy, and joint responses to global information and security challenges.  The dialogue highlighted the extraordinarily close ties between the American and Korean peoples and the essential role they play in sustaining our Alliance.

Under Secretary Rogers reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to freedom of expression and privacy and discussed the importance of a digital ecosystem, built on trusted and secure infrastructure, that supports innovation and genuine debate.  The Under Secretary and the Deputy Minister exchanged views on digital regulations, including on the Network Act amendment implementation.  They also discussed the global information environment, and Under Secretary Rogers outlined the State Department’s approach to countering anti-American foreign propaganda and influence operations, which emphasizes counterspeech, excludes censorship, and aims to empower members of the public to make their own judgements.  She underscored her interest in continued close consultation with the ROK to confront shared challenges.

The Under Secretary and the Deputy Minister discussed the role of public diplomacy in supporting shipbuilding and maritime workforce development, recognizing the ROK’s global leadership in advanced shipbuilding.  They also highlighted youth initiatives—including the U.S.-Japan-ROK Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) program—as critical investments in the next generation, fostering shared understanding of global challenges such as AI, energy, and economic security.

To advance U.S.-ROK cooperation on commemorations celebrating America’s 250^th anniversary that will highlight the U.S.-ROK Alliance’s enduring strength and future-oriented vision, Under Secretary Rogers and Deputy Minister Lim signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on “Freedom 250” collaboration.  At the conclusion of the Dialogue, they agreed to maintain close coordination in the coming year and welcomed plans for the United States to host the next U.S.-ROK Public Diplomacy Dialogue in Washington.