Images of 2014

Top 10 national and world news topics of the year selected by The Korea Herald editors

World

01. IS influence increases in Iraq, Syria

Islamic State, a radical Islamist group controlling parts of Syria and Iraq, has sparked fear and outrage worldwide over its mass killings and abductions of soldiers and journalists.

02. U.S., Cuba restore ties

Ending five decades of Cold War hostility, the U.S. and Cuba agreed in December to revive diplomatic ties and to ease a crippling U.S. trade embargo.

03.  Abe’s rightist push on defense, history

Japan approved its right to fight in overseas wars in July through a constitutional reinterpretation that lifted a decades-old ban on exercising collective self-defense,overturning its strictly defensive postwar security policy despite stiff protests at home and global concerns over its unabated revisionist push.

04. Russia’s annexation of Crimea

Russia in March annexed Crimea, which had been part of Ukraine, creating a new Cold War rivalry and triggering economic sanctions from the U.S. and the European Union.

05. Ebola outbreak in West Africa

An Ebola outbreak hit nations in West Africa hard, stoking fears and panic worldwide. The WHO recently announced that more than 7,000 people, mostly Africans, were killed by the virus.

06. Racial conflicts in U.S.

Racial conflict in the U.S. deepened after police officers were not charged in the deaths of unarmed black men in Missouri and New York, triggering nationwide protests.

07. End of QE, fall in oil prices

The U.S. Federal Reserve called time in October on its quantitative easing stimulus program, six years after the Fed introduced it. The measure, as well as falling oil prices, is expected to affect the global economy.

08. Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza

Enraged by Palestinians’ killing of Israeli teens in June, Israel conducted massive airstrikes on Gaza, leaving 2,100 people dead. The 50-day Gaza war ended with a cease-fire.

09. Missing and downed Malaysian planes

A Malaysian Airlines plane carrying 238 people went missing while flying over the Indian Ocean in March. In July, another plane was downed in Ukraine by a missile attack, killing 295 people. 

10. Military coup in Thailand

Thai Army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power through a coup in May to end months of political turmoil. His government promised to hold a general election in October 2015.


National

01. Sewol tragedy

The Sewol ferry sank in waters off Jindo Island, South Jeolla Province, on April 16. A total of 295 people, mostly teenage students on a field trip to a resort island, have been confirmed dead with nine still missing as of Dec. 26, making it the country’s worst maritime disaster.

02. Dissolution of UPP

The left-wing Unified Progressive Party was dissolved on Dec. 19 following a historic ruling by the Constitutional Court. The court ruled that the UPP’s aim was to establish a socialist state modeled on North Korea through violence, violating the Constitution.

03. Scandal over Park’s ex-aide

A major scandal broke through a news report of a leaked presidential document at the end of President Park Geun-hye’s second year in office, alleging her former aide Chung Yoon-hoi was intervening in state affairs by running a secretive group.

04. Korean Air ‘nut rage’

Korean Air Lines heiress Heather Cho aroused a global uproar when she made a commercial flight return to the gate to deplane a cabin crew member on Dec. 5.

05. Holy visit

Pope Francis visited Korea from Aug. 14-18. He beatified martyrs, led a special Mass for Korean reunification and consoled people on the margins of society, particularly the families of the victims of the April 16 ferry disaster.

06. Samsung chairman Lee collapses

The power transition picked up pace at Samsung Group after its chairman Lee Kun-hee was hospitalized in May after suffering a heart attack.

07. Corporate earnings shock amid sluggish economy

South Korean firms suffered blows to their earnings as the economy continued to slump. Samsung Electronics’ third-quarter earnings halved to 4.06 trillion won.

08. Military under fire for abusive culture

From suicides to a shooting spree, a series of shocking military incidents involving enlisted soldiers, particularly at frontline units, has revealed the deeprooted abusive culture at barracks. Amid public criticism, the Defense Ministry in August launched a panel to reform military culture.

09. Nomination debacle ails President Park

Prime Minister Chung Hong-won offered to resign in April amid public outrage over the government’s bungled response to the fatal ferry sinking. But his resignation was turned down after two potential successors handpicked by President Park Geun-hye quit amid a series of scandals, dealing a heavy blow to Park’s leadership.

10. Surprise visit by N.K. official

North Korea’s top three officials made a surprise visit to the South in October chiefly to attend the closing ceremony of the Asian Games. The visit raised hopes for a thaw in crossborder ties, but these were dashed shortly after by an exchange of fire over the launch of anti-Pyongyang leaflets.