[Park In-jo] Discover, develop science talent early

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, South Korea ranked eighth in the world. The outstanding achievements of Korean athletes can be attributed in some part to the athletic specialist system established in the 1960s and to corporate support for athletes since the 1980s. Why not apply the early discovery and training system for athletic talent and corporate support for athletes to develop scientific talent? Individuals make career decisions based on their interests and on expectations of wealth a

Dec. 26, 2024

[Kim Seong-kon] I am dreaming of a colorful Christmas

Every Christmas Day, I like to reminisce about the fabulous, colorful Christmas trees I saw on Michigan Avenue in Chicago in 1978. The sparkling electric light bulbs and multicolored ornaments on the trees in the streets and inside shop windows were dazzling and fabulous. If you have ever had the experience of looking down upon Los Angeles from a descending airplane at night, you must have felt the same awe and adoration that I felt when I saw those Christmas trees. LA’s colorful night scenery i

Dec. 25, 2024

[Wondong Lee, Joseph Yi] South Korea’s democracy at a crossroads: Rhetoric, polarization and institutional erosion.

South Korea’s impeachment votes against President Yoon Suk Yeol, unsuccessfully on Dec. 7 and successfully on Dec. 14, following his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, highlight the deep fractures within the country’s political landscape and the erosion of democratic norms that have long underpinned its institutions. Rather than serving as a moment of democratic reaffirmation, the impeachment attempts devolved into another proxy battlefield in the polarized war between progressives and conservative

Dec. 24, 2024

[Lim Woong] Democracy in crisis: A test of true citizenship

South Korea’s democracy has faced an extraordinary test. President Yoon Suk Yeol has been impeached by the National Assembly following his abrupt and short-lived declaration of martial law -- an act that was withdrawn within hours. The justifications for this extreme measure were dubious at best, failing to meet constitutional conditions and drawing accusations of treasonous overreach. However, this event, though shocking, did not occur in isolation. It was the culmination of a series of misstep

Dec. 24, 2024

[Joey S. Kim] South Korea, the United States and the fragility of democracy

On Dec 3, when President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law in South Korea, I was stunned. I recalled the last time martial law was declared in South Korea in 1980 in an attempted coup by military dictator Chun Doo-hwan. On May 18, 1980, over 200,000 South Koreans led by students went out into the streets and protested Chun’s attempt in the famous Gwangju Democratic Uprising. Civilians were shot, beaten, stabbed, tear-gassed and killed, and the country entered 8 years under Chun’s brut

Dec. 24, 2024

[Karishma Vaswani] Trump-Xi bromance has a chance

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump's bromance could be rekindled in 2025, if both sides play their cards right. This is positive and would help create the right environment for an improvement in ties between the two superpowers, but timing and tone are everything. The economic rivals will need to give and take to prevent the relationship from getting worse. There are potential signs of a rapprochement. It was a smart move by the US president-elect to invite Xi to his inauguration in January (the Chines

Dec. 23, 2024

[Yoo Choon-sik] Warnings on South Korea’s plunging potential growth

South Korea’s political landscape has plunged into one of its worst crises in years following the sitting president’s sudden declaration of martial law and attempt to incapacitate the National Assembly. His efforts have all failed, resulting in his impeachment by the parliament and likely removal from power before the natural end of his term. The severe political deadlock has pushed the country’s economy, already under pressure from various domestic and external challenges, deeper into a tailspi

Dec. 23, 2024

[Lee Byung-jong] The perils of political leadership

Following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s recent declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment, many South Koreans find themselves in a state of profound shock and sorrow. Their pride in being citizens of a young yet vibrant democracy has been shattered, replaced by a deep sense of shame. However, they may draw some consolation by looking beyond their borders, where democracies -- whether old or seemingly robust -- are being challenged and undermined one by one. Across the globe, a ser

Dec. 20, 2024

[Jiyoung Moon] Clash of traumas: Generational divides behind impeachment

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in front of the National Assembly building in Yeouido, their eyes fixed on a large screen showing Woo Won-shik, speaker of the National Assembly. It was the moment he was about to announce the results of the impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol. When Woo finally declared that the impeachment vote had passed, the crowd burst into jubilant cheers, hugging one another, waving banners and K-pop glow sticks in celebration. At the same time, a con

Dec. 19, 2024

[Wang Son-taek] Why did we elect him as president?

In December 2024, the Republic of Korea is experiencing an embarrassing absurdity. A person who rose to the presidency, the pinnacle of political power, declared emergency martial law, an act that constituted political suicide. Although the situation is being settled as the National Assembly adopted a resolution demanding the immediate lifting of martial law and passed a presidential impeachment motion, people are still shocked by the unexpected massive disturbance. In particular, President Yoon

Dec. 19, 2024

[Kim Seong-kon] The yo-yo phenomenon in Korea's political climate

On Saturday, the National Assembly of South Korea passed a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. Supporters of his impeachment cheered in front of the National Assembly, while those who opposed it were despondent at Gwanghwamun Square. The world is now anxiously watching for signs of South Korea’s future, wondering, “What’s next?” According to foreign press, Korea will have to face “uncertainty” for a while. The pro

Dec. 18, 2024

[Eric Posner] Trump’s pro-corporate populism

The outpouring of joy on social media after the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson suggests that America’s populist moment is evolving into something larger and more significant than just a backlash against the political establishment. If so, it is also becoming something Americans have seen before. In the late 19th century, the People’s Party, also known as the Populists, targeted big business as well as establishment politicians, blaming large enterprises for both dest

Dec. 18, 2024

[Contribution] Leadership vacuum exposes vulnerability to Trump

By Kim Heung-kyu Director of the US-China Policy Institute at Ajou University, President of the Plaza Project President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed attempt at martial law poses a colossal challenge to Korea-US relations. The Yoon government has most actively accepted the dichotomous foreign policies of democracy versus authoritarianism that the Biden administration proposed in its early period. President Yoon has emphasized freedom and democracy in his speeches whenever he had the opportunity.

Dec. 17, 2024

[Simon Hutagalung] Post-impeachment impact and implications

The impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol signifies a major shift in both domestic and international contexts. This event has disrupted South Korea’s political landscape and has implications for global geopolitical dynamics. Domestically, it has raised concerns over confidence in democratic institutions and intensified political polarization. Internationally, South Korea’s alliances and strategic partnerships may need reevaluation. Yoon’s removal underscores the

Dec. 17, 2024

[Lee Kyong-hee] Martial law and human acts, Seoul 2024

It is remarkable how historic events converge at times into a deep sense of irony. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s self-coup via martial law order was not only ill-conceived, it eclipsed what should have been a week of joyous national celebration of Han Kang, the first Korean to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. Yoon’s rash gambit on Dec. 3 echoed the strong-arming of democracy on another December night 45 years ago when Gen. Chun Doo-hwan and his Army cohorts staged a coup d’et

Dec. 16, 2024