Evaluations of people, affection, and recommendation for a host country: A study of Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) recipients

Extant research has examined the significance of interpersonal relationships in affecting public diplomacy outcomes. Relational public diplomacy is a long-term approach to public diplomacy which posits the importance of people-to-people exchange programs that facilitate two-way interactions between people from two different countries. Using survey data (n = 385) collected from alumni of the Global Korea Scholarship in 2018, this study found that respondents' perceptions of treatment by South Korean people influenced their comparisons of people from South Korea and their home countries. Moreover, the more highly they evaluated South Koreans compared to people in their home countries, the more likely it was that they would develop an affection and make positive recommendations toward South Korea as a destination for study and tourism. The empirical findings in this article have policy implications for scholarship programs as a public diplomacy tool beyond South Korea. Related Articles in this Special Issue: Ayhan, Kadir Jun, and Nancy Snow. 2021. “Introduction to the Special Issue—Global Korea Scholarship: Empirical Evaluation of a non-Western Scholarship Program from a Public Diplomacy Perspective.” Politics & Policy 49(6): 1282–1291. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12440. Jon, Jae-Eun, and Kadir Jun Ayhan. 2021. “Satisfied or Dissatisfied: The Determinants of Global Korea Scholarship Recipients’ Satisfaction with Lifein Korea.” Politics & Policy 49(6): 1391–1414. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12437. Lee, Hyelim, and Nancy Snow. 2021. “Gendered Experience in Student Mobility Programs—Global Korea Scholarship Recipients’ Evaluation of Korea’s Country Image.” Politics & Policy 49(6): 1343–1358. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12441.