Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon demonstrates the power of diplomacy through sports-related ‘small talk’

Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon demonstrates the power of diplomacy through sports-related ‘small talk’

Published: 2024-10-20 23:44 Updated: 2024-10-20 23:44

Gyeonggi Governor Kim Dong-yeon

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon recently used ‘small talk’ to communicate with leading American politicians during a 7-day, 5-night sales diplomacy with the United States.

Small talk refers to everyday casual conversation, but it can play an important role as the language of diplomacy. Governor Kim’s small talk topics were mainly sports.

Baseball was the topic of discussion at the meeting with New York Governor Cathy Hocal. Governor Kim said, “I enjoyed watching the championship series in New York yesterday. “I’m a little sad that the Mets lost,” he said, leading the conversation naturally. Governor Hocal responded positively, saying, “Sports talk before politics is just our style.”

Basketball was the topic of discussion during the meeting with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. When Governor Kim mentioned Governor Youngkin’s career as a basketball player in high school, Governor Youngkin looked surprised. The two continued to talk about sports after the meeting.

At the meeting with Goudifying IDB President, the conversation started by mentioning the ‘soccer emperor’ Pele. When he saw Pele’s autographed T-shirt in the governor’s office, he asked, “Is it really Pele’s autograph?” This led to a natural conversation. Most of Governor Kim’s small talks were conducted in fluent English. This goes beyond simply softening the atmosphere of the conference room and is seen as ‘diplomatic good faith’, resulting in a greater effect.

The characteristic of Governor Kim’s small talk is the quickness displayed on the spot along with prior preparation for the other person.

Through this visit to the United States, Governor Kim once again proved the importance and effectiveness of Small Talk. This shows that communication that begins with light conversation can become an important tool for diplomacy. When Governor Kim met with Utah Governor James Cox before his visit to the United States, he started the conversation by mentioning the team of Utah NBA basketball stars Karl Malone and John Stockton. He said, “The University of Michigan, where I studied in the 90s, was the home of the Detroit Pistons, but I was a big fan of the Utah Jazz’s Karl Malone and John Stockton, the best pick-and-roll duo in NBA history,” drawing cheers from the Utah visiting team. I received it.

Governor Kim’s small talk diplomacy can be seen as the result of a combination of deep understanding of the other party, preparation, and quick response beyond simple conversation skills. The strategy of narrowing the distance with the other party through the universal topic of sports and naturally leading to a full-scale diplomatic discussion based on this appears to have worked effectively.

Suwon = Reporter Kim Dong-seong [email protected]