[Lee Byung-jong] Rising Trump risks for Seoul

The impending leadership changes in South Korea and the United States have cast a cloud of uncertainty over the future of Seoul-Washington relations. With President Trump set to be sworn in Monday and the potential confirmation of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment in South Korea, the stage is set for significant political and diplomatic shifts. If a liberal administration takes power in Seoul, a likely backlash against Yoon’s conservative policies, the relatively warm relationship between Yo

Jan. 17, 2025

[Tunchinmang Langel] A new year of political uncertainty

South Korea, which was celebrated and appreciated for its democratic resilience, now confronts an unparalleled challenge as political unrest persists into the new year. The impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol in December, initially seen as a victory against authoritarianism, has devolved into a turbulent power struggle, with both ruling and opposition factions facing allegations of compromising democratic principles and leading the country to a democratic crossroads. While the impeachment of

Jan. 16, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] A brief history of 'white skull squads'

Koreans face yet another shock, as the controversy over the white skull squad suddenly erupted amid considerable tension over the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol. On Jan. 9, a right-wing youth organization calling itself "Baekgoldan," or literally the "White Skull Squad," held an official press conference in the briefing room of the National Assembly, escorted by a member of the People Power Party. They said they opposed the arrest of Yoon by law enforcement and emphasized their determination

Jan. 16, 2025

[Mihir Sharma] Indians not so special in US

Indians have long been proud of what they see as their overperformance in the information technology sector. Companies such as Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services dominate IT-enabled services, bringing home billions of dollars in profits. US technology giants including Google parent Alphabet, Microsoft and IBM have Indian-origin CEOs. India-trained engineers labor in the trenches of Silicon Valley and invisibly help Western companies adapt to the digital age. It turns out that others have noti

Jan. 15, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] What we can learn from “The 100”

What are the most troublesome issues we are now facing in the global village? In fact, a plethora of problems have threatened human existence for the past few years. One of the most compelling crises we are confronting at this moment is the environmental and ecological crisis, such as global climate change, wars and nuclear threats that could devastate the Earth eventually. Equally important things are the extreme polarity in human society, hate and antagonism between political factions and terr

Jan. 15, 2025

[Editorial] Atrocities of war

South Korea must seek ways to ensure rights of North Korean soldiers in Russia-Ukraine war South Korea’s National Intelligence Service on Monday confirmed the shocking facts and atrocities involving North Korean soldiers who were dispatched to fight Ukraine. It is hard to fathom what those soldiers might have felt when they were ordered to fight on the battlefield. What’s certain is that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is playing a horribly dangerous game with North Korean people through the ong

Jan. 15, 2025

[Simon Hutagalung] Can Korea’s democracy survive Yoon's shadow?

South Korea has long been lauded as a beacon of democracy and the rule of law in Asia, but recent developments surrounding President Yoon Suk Yeol have placed the country’s democratic foundations under scrutiny. The global community is observing closely how South Korea navigates these challenges, which could shape its political trajectory and influence other emerging democracies. South Korea’s democracy faces significant tests related to judicial independence, political accountability and the ba

Jan. 14, 2025

[Editorial] Soften economic impact

Credit rating agencies warn of impact if political turmoil over Yoon continues The political uncertainty initiated by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law last month has remained heightened for weeks, raising concerns about South Korea’s sovereign credit rating. On Sunday, Yoon’s legal team said the impeached president will not attend the first hearing in his impeachment trial that begins Tuesday, citing worries about personal safety and security. Yoon’s latest positio

Jan. 13, 2025

[Karishma Vaswani] Korea should move on from this crisis

South Korea’s prolonged political crisis appears to have no end in sight. It’s just over a month since President Yoon Suk Yeol declared, then lifted, martial law and since then, the domestic and regional challenges have been multiplying. To manage the chaos, citizens need to set aside their differences and find a way out of the impasse. That won’t be easy. Animosity between factions runs deep. Attempts to arrest Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14, have so far ended in vain. His supporters have m

Jan. 13, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Grass roots turn the wheel of history

In “Harbin,” a new thriller based on true events, Japanese official Ito Hirobumi is told that he is targeted for assassination. But the four-time prime minister and first resident-general in Korea refuses to alter his travel plans to Harbin, China, for negotiations. Dismissing the threat, he mutters, “Korea is a country that has been ruled by foolish kings and corrupt Confucian scholars for hundreds of years, but the people of that country are the greatest annoyance for me. Though having receive

Jan. 13, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Benefits of a two-round voting system

In the days after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law declaration, discussions on the problems with the current presidential system began to appear frequently in the media. The discussions are not new, but the shock of martial law followed by another presidential impeachment has given them new urgency. What are the complaints? The current presidential system dates from 1987, when the Constitution was amended extensively to allow for the direct election of the president while streng

Jan. 10, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] ‘Kisses democracy’ will prevail

The "Kisses Squad" has come to South Korea. The term refers to young people who have joined rallies in the street to demand the carrying out of the warrant to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. Draped in emergency silver foil blankets and resembling a bunch of Hershey's Kisses chocolates, they huddled together in the street in front of the presidential residence for several subzero, snowy nights at the beginning of the new year. They are the protagonists of what are being called the "ligh

Jan. 9, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] We should start ‘a new beginning every day’

Today, I believe we are living in an extremely polarized world divided by two mutually antagonizing groups, such as the left and the right, the rich and the poor, or the young and the old. Like a chronic disease, I argue the enmity between each of these contrasting groups plagues our society that seems to edge towards civil war as a result. Although polarization has become a global phenomenon these days, it seems to be especially persistent and acute in the Korean political climate. Recently, I

Jan. 8, 2025

[Peter Singer] Australia’s social-media experiment

Late last year, Australia’s parliament, reacting to concerns about the effect of social media on children’s mental health, amended the Online Safety Act to require users to be at least 16 years old to open an account on social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and X. The amendment is expected to come into effect by the end of 2025. The law received widespread support in Australia, both in parliament and among the public, but it has also been criticized. Some dispute the link be

Jan. 8, 2025

[Editorial] Race against 'China tech'

South Korea confronts slow AI advance; China continues to achieve rapid progress China stands as one of South Korea’s most significant trading partners while also emerging as a formidable rival in domains where Korean firms have traditionally excelled in technological prowess and market competitiveness. This rivalry is vividly on display at this year's CES technology trade show, running from Tuesday to Friday in Las Vegas, where Chinese companies are showcasing their rapid strides in the global

Jan. 8, 2025