Cyber diplomacy organization VANK said on the 30th that it will run a policy campaign to reflect independence activists and the spirit of independence in Korea's passport.
This campaign is the first project of VANK's "We are AI members of the National Assembly" campaign, under which anyone can propose policies like a lawmaker ahead of the "9th nationwide local elections" on June 3.
Because the preamble to the Constitution states that Korea succeeds to the legal tradition of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, the campaign aims to embed the history and spirit of the independence movement in the visa pages, interior pages, and security designs of the passport, which is the representative national document most frequently used by the public.
VANK also cited as grounds that many countries with histories of independence and founding, such as Ho Chi Minh on Vietnam's banknotes and Mahatma Gandhi on India's banknotes, reflect historic leaders and symbols of independence in their currency and national symbols. It also argued that the approach of repeatedly spotlighting only a few famous figures should be avoided.
It said a balanced representation of diverse independence activists—women, youth, overseas, and regional—should be reflected, and that not only portraits but also signatures, notable sayings, elements of the Taegeukgi, records of the Declaration of Independence, and symbols of the Provisional Government should be woven into the design in various ways. To realize this, it proposed that the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs form a consultative body with historians, security and design experts, and civil society to review the direction.
It also called for promoting, in parallel, a public-participation contest and deliberation process on the theme of "independence activists and the spirit of independence we want to include in the passport."
Director General Park Ki-tae said, "Passports are Korea's official symbol most frequently encountered by countries around the world," adding, "Including independence activists and the spirit of independence can serve as public diplomacy that informs the world of Korea's roots and values, as well as everyday-style history education."