Wikimedia Korea holds annual strategy meeting in May

Every May, Wikimedia Korea holds a strategic planning meeting to review the year’s mission and strategies and to establish long-term plans for the coming year. This year, we held a two-day, one-night strategic planning meeting in Suwon from May 30 to 31. A total of 13 people, including association executives and members, gathered for this meeting to review the association’s mission and strategies and to engage in in-depth discussions on key issues facing the movement.

Deriving New Directions for Our Work Through SWOT Analysis

This year’s strategy meeting began with a SWOT analysis. We comprehensively reviewed the association’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the external opportunities and threats surrounding the Wikimedia movement, to lay the foundation for our future strategic direction.

S trength

The Korean-language Wikimedia community is recognized for having a particularly strong bond with the Korean chapter compared to other language communities. Since active members are concentrated in Seoul, most users who participate in offline activities do so through the Association.

W eakness

It remains challenging to establish partnerships with various civil society organizations, such as youth groups, women’s groups, and LGBTQ+ groups. Expanding Wikimedia participation among social minorities and addressing the lack of new users also remain significant challenges.

O pportunity

Wikipedia’s page views have decreased by approximately 10% compared to the previous year, and the role of Wikipedia is evolving due to the proliferation of AI search. Additionally, the aging of the existing community and the decline in new user acquisition pose serious challenges in the medium to long term.

T hreats

Even amid these challenges, new possibilities have emerged. There is an opportunity to leverage AI to enhance the productivity of Korean-language Wikimedia projects while repositioning Wikipedia as a knowledge platform that compensates for AI hallucinations. Furthermore, strengthening communication with young users and establishing a dedicated youth community could serve as a breakthrough solution to the issue of community aging.

Sharing Youth Programs and ESEAP Trends

Following the association’s SWOT analysis to establish next year’s business plan, discussions continued regarding this year’s key initiatives. Building on last year’s presentation on Wikibolt features and feedback, this year featured presentations on the association’s newly launched youth club program and the latest trends from the ESEAP Youth User Group. In addition, we analyzed the current status of the Hub and the ESEAP community based on insights gained from the ESEAP Conference, and discussed new partnerships and localized project ideas. We also had a productive session discussing the groundwork for hosting future regional conferences. We will provide more details in due course.