[Joan Flores-Villalobos] Panama Canal built at dear price

“The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts,” said President Donald Trump in his second inaugural address, on Jan. 20, as he cited his foreign policy initiatives. The Gulf of Mexico would be changed to the Gulf of America and Denali peak renamed as Mt. McKinley. But he paid special attention to the Panama Canal, which he saw as “foolishly” returned to Panama under former President Jimmy Carter. Part of his justification for American ownership of the Panama Canal is that the US “spent

Feb. 5, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] What to do with the polarity in our society

We are now living in a polarized society sharply divided into two antagonizing groups, where there is no middle ground. In such a society, the two extreme factions easily become hostile monsters trying to eliminate each other. The inevitable outcome is the total annihilation of society. Recently, I watched a 2020 American film, “The Hunt.” At first, I thought that the movie was just another man-hunting thriller, evoking Richard Connell’s classic story, “The Most Dangerous Game.” Soon, however, i

Feb. 5, 2025

[Lim Woong] Reimagining education beyond old myths

At any point in history, a prevailing current -- or paradigm -- tends to set the tone for how people think and behave. Often, this paradigm’s influence remains surprisingly enduring, so much so that even when a new paradigm arises, the old mindset continues to linger, stubbornly resisting change. Consider, for instance, the long-standing belief that expectant mothers should only entertain pure thoughts and immerse themselves in classical music, or that top university grads are expected to be peo

Feb. 4, 2025

[Grace Kao] The expense of buying BTS’ J-Hope concert tickets

It is no secret that I am a fan of BTS, and J-Hope is my bias. I was excited to learn that he was planning a worldwide tour this Spring and that he would be coming to the United States. However, as most K-pop fans (especially BTS fans, also known as Army) know, buying tickets for BTS is extremely complicated and expensive, and nearly impossible anyway. In fact, it is so complex that I was unable to correctly follow each step. Still, I managed to get tickets! Let me explain what the process was l

Feb. 4, 2025

[Yoo Choon-sik] DeepSeek’s advice for South Korea’s AI ambitions

Time passes regardless of what we do -- whether we study, work, pause for rest or sleep after a long day of hard work. Most of us were enjoying an extended Lunar New Year holiday in South Korea when the world was rocked by the debut of a groundbreaking generative AI model developed by a Chinese startup. Global capital markets experienced significant turbulence following the introduction by China’s DeepSeek of a generative AI model with the same name. Developed at a fraction of the cost of its Am

Feb. 3, 2025

[Lee Byung-jong] Is Davos Man back?

The wealthy business executives and global elites who gathered last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, are facing an uncertain future. On the one hand, Donald Trump’s return to the White House, coupled with his neoliberal, business-friendly agenda, offers the prospect of continued globalization to bolster their wealth. Tax cuts, deregulation and corporate-friendly policies align with their interests. On the other hand, Trump’s protectionist rhetoric -- marked by threats of h

Jan. 31, 2025

[Elizabeth Shackelford] Donald Trump’s first week signals a coercive, not cooperative foreign policy

Donald Trump has already issued a slew of dramatic proclamations, but it isn’t yet clear how many will come to fruition. In foreign policy, at least, the message is crystal clear, even if the impact isn’t yet. That message is: Do what I demand or face the consequences. Trump has demonstrated that he intends to threaten his way to his foreign policy goals. Rather than directing his ire at recognized adversaries like Russia, North Korea or China, he has focused mostly on strongarming our friends.

Jan. 27, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Emerging stronger from martial law debacle

With the Constitutional Court review of his impeachment and the criminal investigation on his insurrection charges separately underway, the next chapter in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s life is being decided. We may not see the text for months, but given the gravity of his botched martial law order on Dec. 3, Yoon is unlikely to return to office. Thus, he would be added to Korea’s infamous roster of presidents fallen in disgrace. While history will remember how Yoon rattled the nation’s hard-won dem

Jan. 27, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Young people reject polarization

Recent polls in South Korea have puzzled political pundits. In the days after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, Yoon’s popularity hit record lows as support for impeachment surged. The opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s support rose and its leader, Lee Jae-myung, was heads and shoulders above all possible opponents in an election to replace Yoon. Then, in late December, the trends started to reverse. What happened? And what does it mean? A poll conducted in mid-January by Gallup

Jan. 24, 2025

[Stephen L. Carter] Trump’s TikTok ban reprieve

As US TikTok users rejoice at the site’s return from its 14-hour hiatus, curmudgeonly critics -- me included -- wonder whether President Donald Trump can really get around the congressional statute aimed at banning it. The short answer: of course he can. True, as a legal matter, a president can’t simply suspend the operation of a duly enacted law. As a practical matter, however, Trump will stand in a long line of chief executives who have used prosecutorial discretion to achieve the same end. Fr

Jan. 23, 2025

[Park Ki-deok] A call for allied partnership in energy transition era

As the global community accelerates its transition toward clean energy, the security of critical mineral supply chains has emerged as a cornerstone of both economic prosperity and national security. The current reality, where a single nation controls 80-90 percent of the battery precursor market and dominates critical mineral processing, presents significant challenges that require coordinated solutions among allied nations. In recent years, the vulnerability of global supply chains has been exp

Jan. 23, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Fake truth for deniers

About 50 days have passed since President Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection on Dec. 3, and we are still facing absurdities and impudence. President Yoon appeared at his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court and denied he ordered the troops to drag lawmakers out from the National Assembly. What he said was totally different from the statements of the military commanders who had participated in the insurrection. Several days ago, hundreds of his supporters had vandalized the Seoul Western Distr

Jan. 23, 2025

[Kim Kyuseok] Martial law and international education in South Korea

In December 2024, South Korea experienced a period of unprecedented political instability when President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. This decision sent shockwaves through both domestic and international communities. However, the declaration was met with immediate and widespread opposition, resulting in a unanimous vote by the National Assembly to rescind it. Despite its brevity, President Yoon’s martial law declaration has unleashed a series of repercussions that continue to unfold, part

Jan. 22, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] Korea in eyes of foreigners these days

In the past, the Korean people were very sensitive about how foreigners saw their country. However, Koreans these days no longer seem to care about how they look in foreigners’ eyes. Of course, we do not need to be overly conscious of foreigners’ views or assessments of us. Nevertheless, we should pay heed to foreigners’ perceptions of Korea because it fosters the image of Korea overseas. Therefore, if we want to promote a good image of Korea, we should act accordingly. Many in the foreign press

Jan. 22, 2025

[Grace Kao] Koreans’ love of MBTI

As a non-Korean, I am puzzled by Koreans’ fascination with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator psychological types. I noticed that not only do K-pop idols and other Korean celebrities talk about it, but it can even arise in other situations. Some use it to determine the compatibility of a potential romantic partner. Others may use it in job interviews or determining task assignments at work. In the US, many people are aware of Myers-Briggs, but I’ve never heard of someone choosing a partner based on

Jan. 21, 2025