Korea Strengthens Global Standing as Nation Brand Ranks 4th and Competitiveness 17th

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The Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness (IPSNC) announced that Korea ranked 4th among 39 countries in nation brand power and 17th among 62 countries in national competitiveness, rising one position from the previous year and reaffirming its growing global standing. These results were officially announced at the National Competitiveness and Nation Brand Conference 2025, held on December 30 at the National Assembly Library in Seoul.

The conference was jointly organized by the Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness and the Institute for Nation Brand Promotion (NBP), in cooperation with the Institute for Industrial Policy Studies (IPS). Since 2000, IPS and IPSNC have conducted national competitiveness assessments for 26 consecutive years, establishing one of the longest-running and most systematic frameworks for evaluating national competitiveness and policy capacity worldwide.

In the 2025 assessment, Korea advanced to 17th place in national competitiveness, maintaining a steady upward trajectory, while retaining its 4th-place ranking in Nation brand power, following the United States, China, and Germany. These results reaffirm Korea’s position among the world’s leading nations in terms of reputation, policy capability, and overall strategic capacity.

Beyond the announcement of rankings, the conference focused on analyzing structural patterns of national competitiveness and identifying strategic pathways for sustainable development. A featured case study on Thailand illustrated how countries can strengthen competitiveness by leveraging agricultural and manufacturing foundations, human capital, and competitive business environments, supported by benchmarking and strategic prioritization. The discussion underscored that national competitiveness is shaped not merely by economic scale, but by consistent policy choices and effective implementation.

In his opening remarks, Dong-Sung Cho, Chair of IPS and Dean of the Corps of Honorary Consuls in Korea, emphasized that national competitiveness and Nation brand are core strategic assets encompassing economic, diplomatic, and cultural dimensions. He noted that these assets can be systematically strengthened when governments set clear objectives and collaborate closely with citizens, businesses, and social institutions.

The conference brought together members of the diplomatic corps in Korea, including ambassadors from 116 countries and honorary consuls representing 88 countries. High-level panel sessions involving ambassadors and honorary consuls were formally introduced, expanding academic discussions into the sphere of diplomatic practice and policy implementation.

Sessions chaired by Hwy-Chang Moon, Chair of IPSNC, and Geon-Cheol Shin, Vice President of Seoul School of Integrated Sciences and Technologies (aSSIST University), explored opportunities for cooperation between Korea and partner countries in areas such as advanced technologies, defense industries, energy, fintech, and future mobility. Participants shared the view that national competitiveness and brand strength are built through long-term policy consistency and accumulated trust rather than short-term outcomes.

Looking ahead, the organizers announced plans to elevate the conference into a world-class international forum beginning next year. The forum will serve as a global platform where government leaders and policy decision-makers can exchange strategies for strengthening national competitiveness and nation brand, learn from one another, and deepen international cooperation. Through this initiative, Korea aims to position itself as a hub for global policy dialogue and collaboration, leading international discussions on competitiveness and nation brand strategy.

The event also marked the 10th anniversary of the Nation Brand Awards, which recognize individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to enhancing Korea’s global reputation and competitiveness.

Among this year’s honorees were former Deputy Prime Minister Oh Myung, recognized for his role in building Korea’s digital industrial foundation and advancing the space industry; Dr. Soon-Kwon Kim, Chair of the International Corn Foundation, who has been nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to combating hunger in Africa through the development of high-yield corn varieties; badminton star An Se-young, who recorded an 11-match winning streak in 2025; and Olympic fencing champion Oh Sang-uk, who won three gold medals across the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. Actress and global cultural figure Yoona (Im Yoon-ah) was also honored for enhancing Korea’s global cultural presence through music and television.

In the institutional category, CJ Olive Young, the National Museum of Korea, the Daegu International Vocal Music Competition, MOFAC Studios, and YONG MA Electronics were recognized for their contributions to strengthening Korea’s international image across culture, arts, and industry.

The award ceremony was attended by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young and National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee Chair Kim Kyo-heung, along with members of the National Assembly, the diplomatic corps, and representatives from academia and policy communities. More than 1,600 participants joined the event both in person and online, reflecting strong domestic and international interest.

The organizers expressed their expectation that the conference will continue to evolve beyond a one-time evaluation exercise into a sustainable global platform for policy dialogue and strategic cooperation, contributing to the advancement of national competitiveness and nation brand development worldwide.

About IPSNC

IPSNC (The Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness) was established in 2006 as an organization under the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It inherited the IPS National Competitiveness Ranking research project initiated by the Institute for Industrial Policy Studies (IPS) in 2000. Since 2020, the WURI has been publishing rankings that evaluate the innovativeness of the world's major universities. In 2023 rankings, Minerva University, Arizona State University, University of Pennsylvania, MIT, and Stanford University ranked first through fifth, respectively, among 423 universities evaluated.

Website: https://www.ipsncr.org/