Continuously Inspired to Develop Thought Leadership Pieces through Forums like Salzburg Global

In an era marked by geopolitical uncertainty, technological acceleration, and shifting centers of economic influence, culture is no longer merely decorative to diplomacy. It can open doors where formal politics stalls, sustain relationships when official channels are tense, and help societies speak to one another through memory, identity, emotion, and imagination.

Korea and Austria offer two contrasting models of cultural influence: one associated with the explosive global rise of contemporary popular culture, the other with centuries of classical heritage and institutional prestige. Together, they illuminate how culture travels, adapts, and becomes diplomatic power.

In this joint interview, Dae-jong Yoo, former Korean ambassador to France, and Martin Weiss, former Austrian Ambassador to the United States, reflect on cultural diplomacy from the perspectives of Korea, Austria, and the wider world. Their conversation moves from K-pop and webtoons to Mozart and the Vienna Philharmonic, from the National Museum of Korea to Salzburg Global, and from soft power to the rule of law in a fractured international order.