Students from the School of International Studies at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) recently served as co-moderators with Chung-Ang University at the 15th Korea-Germany Network (ADeKo) Conference, held at the Busan Port International Exhibition & Convention Center. They jointly led the session 'Transformations and Expansions in Public Diplomacy: Roles and Perspectives of the Next and Future Generations' and presented their academic work on the international stage.

The conference, under the theme 'Beyond Uncertainty: Rethinking Germany-Korea Crossroads and Unification,' brought together academics, diplomats, and industry representatives from both Korea and Germany to discuss directions for cooperation and exchange. Among them, JBNU School of International Studies students, affiliated with the 'KF Public Diplomacy Capacity-Building Project Group' supported by the Korea Foundation (KF), attracted attention for research presentations that combined public diplomacy theory learned in the classroom with field experience.

JBNU student 리쉬이 (School of International Studies; exchange student at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, China) delivered a presentation titled 'Public Diplomacy in the Digital Era.' They introduced cases in which young people from the United States and China maintain informal exchanges via the 'RedNote' platform, exploring the potential of citizen-centered diplomacy in the digital age. Following this, 샤이크 사우러브 (School of International Studies) presented 'Korea’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) as a Tool of Public Diplomacy in Bangladesh,' analyzing how Korea's ODA functions locally as a means of building trust and spreading soft power, thereby demonstrating the tangible effects of public diplomacy.

Additionally, 신솔 (School of International Studies) explained, based on interpreting and event-management experience at the 'Asia Challenge' archery competition, how sports can serve as a public diplomacy platform that promotes mutual understanding beyond language and culture. Kim Dong-in (School of International Studies) shared the practical meaning of diplomacy learned through the university's field-learning programs, including field trips to international organizations.

Former Ambassador to Slovakia 정병화, who moderated the session discussion, commented, 'I was impressed that JBNU students connected the essence of public diplomacy to actual cases,' adding, 'They are precisely a generation with the potential to develop into problem-solving diplomatic talent.'

Kim Hyo-jun, Chairman of ADeKo, also stated, 'Youth are at the center of public diplomacy,' and remarked, 'The presentations by JBNU students demonstrated well how the younger generation can communicate and cooperate with the world.'

Professor Shin Bo-ram of the JBNU School of International Studies said, 'It is meaningful that students put theory into practice at an international event and built academic confidence on the global stage,' and added, 'We plan to continue expanding practice-oriented education to cultivate global leaders, centered on the School of International Studies.'