This undated file photo shows the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Sejong, central South Korea. Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said that the survey showed that “cultural content” was the single most influential factor shaping positive views of South Korea, cited by 45.2% of respondents.
Other key drivers included lifestyle and culture at 31.9 percent, followed by Korean products and brands at 28.7 percent, underscoring the broad impact of South Korea’s cultural and economic footprint abroad.
Overall, 82.3 percent of foreigners surveyed held a positive perception of South Korea in 2025, an increase of 3.3 percentage points from the previous year and the highest level recorded since the survey began in 2018, the ministry said.
By country, the United Arab Emirates topped the rankings with a 94.8 percent favourability rate, followed closely by Egypt at 94 percent. The Philippines ranked third at 91.4 percent, followed by Turkey at 90.2 percent, India at 89 percent, and South Africa at 88.8 percent.
The poll also recorded sharp year-on-year gains in several countries, notably Britain and Thailand. Britain’s positive perception rose to 87.4 percent, up 9.2 percentage points, while Thailand reached 86.2 percent, an increase of 9.4 points.
The survey was conducted between 1 and 31 October, covering 13,000 respondents aged 16 and above across 26 countries. Although South Koreans were included in the sample, their responses were excluded from the final foreign perception results.
Officials attributed the strong results to the global reach of Korean cultural exports, particularly music, television, and film, alongside growing recognition of South Korea’s modern lifestyle and globally competitive brands, which together continue to shape the country’s international image.
The survey results come against the backdrop of a November visit to Egypt by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, which highlighted the growing depth of political and economic ties between Cairo and Seoul.
During the visit, President Lee held talks with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, focusing on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, and technology, as well as strengthening cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The two sides underscored Egypt’s role as a regional hub for South Korean engagement in Africa and the Middle East, with officials describing the visit as a milestone in elevating bilateral relations.
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