YONHAP NEWS

(LEAD) Seoul to introduce new gov't logo and national slogan

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, while also pushing 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 to images of mineral water among foreigners.

   Meanwhile, the government plans to carry its ads in September on the U.S. cable news channel CNN to promote the national image to the world before leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) advanced and emerging countries meet for summit talks in Pittsburg.

   The advertisement, to be aired for a week by the channel, will mainly feature South Korea's global prowess in technology and design to the world leaders, it added. The G-20 meeting is the third of its kind since it was first held in the U.S. last November in response to global financial turmoil.

   bdk@yna.co.kr
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