[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[Joseph Yi, Wondong Lee] Korea’s crisis: Sacrificing for the greater good

The current political climate in South Korea is increasingly defined by a politics of elimination -- the idea that democratic enemies must be sacrificed for the greater good. However, this approach is neither grounded in empirical reality nor conducive to a stable and functioning government capable of addressing crises at home and abroad. In the second season of Netflix's hit series “Squid Game” (spoiler alert), the protagonist sacrifices innocent players to eliminate the true enemy. A similar d

Jan. 7, 2025

[Grace Kao] Talk of death motivates living life to its fullest

As many of my friends and family members know, I talk a lot about death. Sometimes about my own, but I also remind others of their mortality. I even work it into my classes when I talk about life tables and life expectancies. This topic is not welcome by anyone I know, but I can’t help myself. Still, I believe that thinking about our individual mortality can be useful to our lives, even if it is morbid. During the past week, there has been so much news of death, so this topic is on my mind even

Jan. 7, 2025

[Lim Woong] Why privacy matters in digital age

In today’s world, data drives nearly every aspect of AI-powered technology. From recognizing patterns to making predictions and decisions, data forms the foundation of this digital era. While data enables remarkable advancements, it also brings significant risks -- especially when it involves personal information. Every tap on a smartphone, silly text message or Google search for questions too embarrassing to ask aloud contributes to an ever-expanding digital footprint. This data, paired with ad

Jan. 7, 2025

[Adam Nelson, May Butoy] China takes aim at Philippine democracy

In April 2024, a spokesperson for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte suggested that the Philippines and China had entered into an undisclosed “gentleman’s agreement” between 2016 and 2022. China would not challenge the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, and the Philippines would send only basic supplies to its personnel and facilities on the Ayungin Shoal. But now, the Philippines is emerging as an essential player in resisting China’s strategic ambitions in the region, with Preside

Jan. 6, 2025