Seoul to introduce new gov't logo and national slogan

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from President Lee in paras 9-10)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will soon introduce an integrated
government logo to be shared by all ministries and agencies and will also push to
create a new national slogan, the Presidential Council on Nation Branding said
Wednesday.

Currently, each government office uses their own individual logos that are "very
diverse and have no common theme or concept," the council said in a press
release.
"Efforts will be made to integrate the logos of ministries with a common design
and an overarching theme," it said.
Officials said the images currently under consideration included those of the
Korean Peninsula and the rose of Sharon, or Mugunghwa, the country's national
flower.
The council also plans to conduct a survey until the end of the year on the
country's current slogan "Dynamic Korea" and the more commercially used "Korea
Sparkling," a move that could lead to the creation of a new slogan.
Euh Yoon-dae, chairman of the presidential council, earlier said that depending
on their interpretations the two slogans were often associated with negative
stereotypes.
"Dynamic Korea is meant to reflect the characteristics of the fast-growing and
diverse Asian nation. But some say the slogan induces images of violent
demonstrations," Euh said last week in a lecture at the National Assembly.
He noted "Korea Sparkling" frequently led foreigners to think of mineral water.
President Lee Myung-bak said the council has much work to do ahead, and that the
reputation of South Korea -- the world's 15th largest economy -- is improving in
the international community faster than many had imagined.
"But I believe it is also important for every one of our citizens to realize that
whatever they say or do has a great impact on the image of the nation as a
whole," the president said at a council meeting held at the National Museum in
Yongsan, central Seoul.
The government plans to air advertisements on the U.S. cable news channel CNN to
promote the country's national image ahead of the G-20 Economic Summit to be held
in Pittsburgh in September, according to the Ministry of Knowledge and Economy.
The advertisement, which will be aired for a week, will highlight South Korea's
prowess in technology and design. The G-20 meeting is the third of its kind since
it was first held in the U.S. last November in response to the ongoing global
financial turmoil.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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