[THE INVESTOR] The Federation of Korean Industries has been thrown into its deepest crisis since its establishment in 1961. The growing calls for its disbandment -- from outside and inside -- testify to the depth of the crisis facing the corporate lobby. The crisis was prompted by the scandal surrounding two nonprofit organizations which opposition members claim were established by and for people close to President Park Geun-hye.Park and her aides deny their involvement in the Mir and K-Sports f

Oct. 10, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Take a broad look at what’s happening in all sectors of Korean society and you will be convinced this country is in big trouble. You will also agree that lack of efficient and trusted leadership is primarily to blame for the current dismal state of the nation. For starters, politics is in utter disarray. The National Assembly has been paralyzed for more than one week since the opposition unilaterally passed a no-confidence vote against Agriculture Minister Kim Jae-soo. The action

Oct. 4, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Judges retiring from public service -- like other civil servants -- are subject to restrictions when they seek reemployment in the private sector, including at law firms and commercial companies. The regulation is necessary to prevent a revolving door between the court and private sector, which breeds corrupt ties between judges and their former colleagues. Korea’s anti-revolving door rule under the Public Service Ethics Act stipulates that high-ranking public officials, including

Aug. 12, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The confrontation between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government over the municipality’s cash subsidy program for young jobless people offer a few things to ponder. First, would it be effective to improve the life of the nation’s young people who are struggling with the toughest job market in decades? The answer should be negative. The plan devised by Mayor Park Won-soon calls for the city government to provide a monthly cash subsidy of 500,000 won ($450) to

Aug. 8, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Not many had expected that South Korea could deploy the U.S. advanced missile defense system as easily as it brings in an American-made automobile. But the allies’ decision to deploy it here is facing increasingly formidable challenges. There are two major fronts the Park Geun-hye administration is confronting regarding the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system – opposition from China and within South Korea. China’s protests had long been anticipated, but th

Aug. 8, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Every U.S. presidential election matters to the world. This year’s election matters much more than any previous election – due mainly to a man who is calling for drastic changes to American policies, not least those on security and free trade. By now, the whole world knows that the “America First” slogan of Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is a euphemism for neo-isolationism and protectionism. The populist tycoon-turned-politician firmly believes that the U.S. loses more th

July 25, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] It is obvious that President Park Geun-hye is under siege. She faces hostility on many fronts -- the media, opposition parties and even ruling party members as well as residents from a region that had previously been loyal to her. First, the controversy over one of her most trusted Blue House aides is threatening to erode public trust in the presidential office and the civil service as a whole. It is ironic that a conservative newspaper -- which usually supports Park -- started th

July 22, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Obesity has become a social concern that needs the attention of government officials, politicians, as well as individuals. One does not need the authorities to explain why being overweight is becoming a global phenomenon: People are consuming more calories, sugar and fat. They live in an increasingly stressful society and engage in little physical activity. Koreans are no exception. Figures back up the trend. A research center affiliated with the National Agricultural Cooperative

July 22, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The latest developments surrounding the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in South Korea are exposing problems this country faces whenever it confronts an issue like this: incompetent government, populist politicians and selfish residents.The primary blame for the U.S. antimissile system becoming another contentious issue should go to the Park administration. The way President Park Geun-hye, her ministers and aides are handling the issue shows how incomp

July 19, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] Last week the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank posted a job vacancy announcements on its website. It included openings for vice president for finance and director-general for risk management.The announcement confirmed that the bank is seeking a replacement for Hong Ky-ttack, the South Korean vice president for risk management who is on a leave of absence. Also evident is that the vice presidency that had been held by Hong went to the finance officer and the post of the risk ma

July 13, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] As expected, the decision to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea has many ramifications that pose hard challenges to the country -- specifically to President Park Geun-hye. First of all, Park -- as the commander-in-chief -- needs to make sure the South Korean military prevents or deals properly with any provocations from North Korea, which is reacting fiercely to the planned deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. In its first reaction to the announc

July 13, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The government has proclaimed “Creative Korea” as the new national brand. This, like many of its predecessors, is another brainchild of the stupidity of the Korean bureaucracy. Officials said they collected ideas and suggestions from the public and experts to find words best represent the country. Three words came up in the shortlist: “creativity,” “passion” and “harmony.”But few would agree that the three words best portray the most unique and distinctive image of Korea and its p

July 7, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] These days, many people make a habit of checking the levels of fine dust in the air, as the country is often swept by a blanket of hazardous particulate materials. The air pollution problem has become a headache for President Park Geun-hye as people struggling with hazy air filled with harmful pollutants vent their anger against the government. Park called for a package of “extraordinary” measures to address the problem, and officials announced some measures -- they called them “a

July 4, 2016