US Follows Chinese Media Outlets in Regulating 'Gongja Hakwon'

Designated as Diplomatic Mission... Obligation to Notify Personnel and Real Estate Ownership Status

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The United States has designated the 'Confucius Institutes' in the U.S., funded by China, as diplomatic missions. With this designation, they will be required to report their personnel and property ownership status to the State Department, just like embassies.

On the 13th (local time), Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated in a press release, "We designate the Confucius Institutes' U.S. centers as diplomatic missions of the Chinese Communist Party," defining the organization as a group advancing China's international propaganda and malicious influence operations at American universities and K-12 schools.

David Stilwell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, also said in a press briefing that while Confucius Institutes will not be expelled from the U.S., American universities will thoroughly scrutinize their activities, emphasizing that academic exchanges need to occur without government interference.

The Confucius Institute was first established in Seoul in 2004 to promote Chinese language and culture, and it is known to have 541 branches in 162 countries worldwide. As of June, there are reportedly 75 Confucius Institutes in the U.S., including 66 at universities.

The U.S. government had previously designated Chinese media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television (CCTV), People's Daily, and Global Times as diplomatic missions and regulated their activities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.