[Tae H. Park] Korea still needs to reform its national pension system

The funding shortfall of South Korea’s national pension is a growing concern. According to the latest estimates, the fund is projected to run out by the mid-2050s unless additional contributions or funding are secured. With South Korea’s population declining and fewer workers entering the job market, the number of retirees is increasing, putting pressure on the pension system. This issue is one of the most urgent challenges the country must address to avoid future financial instability. Historic

April 1, 2025

[Vitit Muntarbhorn] Women’s rights and their role as bridge-builders

How is the situation of women’s rights and their role as bridge-builders today, connecting between the multilateral and local settings? A recent seminar at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted by its International Studies Center, elaborated upon the situation in a world witnessing tumultuous changes. Notably, there has never been a woman UN secretary-general, nor, for Thailand, a woman minister of foreign affairs. Less than 20 percent of key politicians at the national and local levels i

April 1, 2025

[Editorial] Devastating wildfires

South Korea needs to swiftly help people hit by wildfires, overhaul response system South Korea has suffered the worst wildfire disaster in its history in the past week, which has left a horrifying scar on the country’s southeastern region. The unprecedented destruction and the casualties not only saddened people across the nation but also raised serious questions about South Korea’s capacity to handle large-scale natural disasters like wildfires. The massive wildfires, which started March 22 an

March 31, 2025

[Yoo Choon-sik] Why it’s the right time to introduce extra budget

It was an immense relief to hear that South Korea’s worst wildfires in modern history were finally largely contained after raging across the country’s southeastern regions for more than a week. This devastating disaster left nearly 30 people dead, more injured and far more displaced or grappling with property damage, leaving the entire nation in mourning and shock. Now is the time for everyone in South Korea to come together to grieve the loss of loved ones, offer comfort to those affected, care

March 31, 2025

[Lee Byung-jong] Culture wars in the US and Korea

Anyone who grew up watching Disney’s classic animated film Snow White might find its recent live-action remake jarring. The fair-skinned Snow White of the original has been replaced by Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress with a darker complexion. The princess is no longer a passive damsel awaiting rescue by a prince but an assertive heroine who fights the Evil Queen and forges her own destiny. These changes have sparked a heated debate in the US. Some praise the remake for promoting racial diversity

March 28, 2025

[Editorial] Legal reprieve for Lee

Lee Jae-myung clears one legal hurdle, still confronts scrutiny of leadership Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, was acquitted on appeal of violating election law on Wednesday — a dramatic reversal of a lower court’s ruling that had threatened to derail his political ambitions. The Seoul High Court ruled that Lee’s public statements in 2021, previously deemed violations of the Public Official Election Act, did not constitute the dissemination of false informa

March 28, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Return of Han Duck-soo as acting president

The Constitutional Court's rejection of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment on Monday presents much to consider. That kind of deliberation on whether to confirm the impeachment of an acting president was unprecedented, and it is also linked to suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial. Some guidelines have been clearly established on the legal status of acting presidents, while others provide a glimpse into the Constitutional Court's perception of the case of Yoon. There is als

March 27, 2025

[Editorial] Response to tariffs

Hyundai unveils large US investment amid fears of investment, job loss in Korea Hyundai Motor Group was promised a tariff exemption in return for a large investment in the US. Alongside US President Donald Trump and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry at the White House on Monday, Hyundai Chairman Chung Euisun announced a plan to make an additional $21 billion investment in the US over the next four years. It would be the group's largest investment in the US to date. Hyundai has become the first Korean c

March 27, 2025

[Editorial] Tough challenges ahead

On his return to office, Han Duck-soo needs to tackle a host of national issues Prime Minister Han Duck-soo returned to office as acting president on Monday after the Constitutional Court dismissed his impeachment, a closely-watched ruling for its impact on state affairs of South Korea that has been mired in political turmoil, economic obstacles and social division. The Constitutional Court’s ruling on Han drew keen attention as it could offer a clue over the court’s forthcoming verdict on the i

March 26, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] What does South Korea need now?

Anyone who cares about South Korea would agree that the Korean people should pursue two things to overcome her current domestic disturbances and international crises. First, they should stop factional political brawls immediately and seek a third alternative instead. Second, they should see the future of South Korea in a global, not a provincial, perspective and act swiftly to make the nation safe and sound. Indeed, it is imperative for us to seek a third way to overcome the binary opposition me

March 26, 2025

[Grace Kao] How Germany’s Kraftwerk inspired K-pop

As a fan of popular music spanning from the British Invasion of the 1960s to contemporary K-pop, I ardently believe that pop music from seemingly unrelated genres and groups can, in fact, be linked. The association between Kraftwerk and aespa is one such example. Two weeks ago, I attended Kraftwerk’s concert in Boston. This year marks the 50th anniversary of their first US tour, so they are even older than me. Kraftwerk was formed in 1970 in Dusseldorf, Germany, and one of its original founders,

March 25, 2025

[Lim Woong] The price of perfection: South Korea’s early education crisis

Many young families in South Korea face a harsh reality: Immense financial and emotional pressures due to the unreasonably high costs of private education for their children. A recent report has it that nearly half of all young children are enrolled in private educational programs (hagwons), most notably English-language kindergartens. The competition is so fierce that people joke about toddlers taking entrance exams in diapers just to secure spots at prestigious kindergartens — viewed as essent

March 25, 2025

[Editorial] Keep up cooperation

Top diplomats from South Korea, China, Japan meet amid closer NK-Russia ties The top diplomats from South Korea, China and Japan met in Tokyo on Saturday. Their meeting came a year and four months after their last gathering in Busan, South Korea, in November 2023. It is noteworthy that they met a day after top Russian security official Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang, demonstrating the cozy relationship between Russia and North Korea. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said in a joint pre

March 25, 2025

[Editorial] Enough is enough

Opposition parties must rethink motion to impeach acting President Choi Sang-mok How many impeachment motions does South Korea need to stabilize its political turmoil? In the eyes of the opposition parties, filing a 30th impeachment motion seems to be okay — a questionable stance at a time when the country badly needs to address a protracted leadership vacuum in the face of challenges both at home and abroad. On Friday, the main opposition the Democratic Party of Korea and four minor opposition

March 24, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Low fertility: Reverse course or vanish

South Korea is the only international aid recipient that has become an aid donor. That is regularly noted when describing its postwar transformation into the 12th-largest economy in the world. But the widely praised “miracle” has been paid with a demographic IOU. Now the debt is due — and the penalty rate is escalating. The postwar 1950s was all about survival. The nation had to rebuild quickly. Grueling workweeks were required. In the following decades, South Korea urbanized and became a powerh

March 24, 2025