[Editorial] Up to the court

Justice appointment will legitimize procedure for impeachment ruling Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Tuesday appointed two justices of the Constitutional Court. They are Jung Gye-seon nominated by the opposition Democratic Party of Korea and Cho Han-chang nominated by the ruling People Power Party. Choi deferred the appointment of Ma Eun-hyeok, another Democratic Party nominee, until the rival parties agree on the third nominee. The ruling party argued that one of three nominees should be a pe

Jan. 2, 2025

[Mariana Mazzucato] Good growth requires right public-private partnerships

The United Kingdom’s Labour government has given serious thought to the public investment needed to get the economy back on track after 14 years of austerity, neglect of social infrastructure, and capital flight triggered by Brexit and uncertain economic conditions. It understands that the situation demands a new strategy to tackle big problems like child poverty, health inequities, a weak industrial base and struggling public infrastructure. What should this look like? The UK Department for Bus

Dec. 31, 2024

[Editorial] Investigate thoroughly

Complex factors behind Jeju Air crash; Bird habitats raise questions about location Sunday's tragic Jeju Air jet crash at Muan International Airport was caused by complex factors. A bird strike is blamed as the primary cause, while aircraft and runway problems are suspected as well. Also, fundamental questions are being raised about whether the location of the airport was proper in the first place. A thorough investigation of the incident is required. According to the Land Ministry, controllers

Dec. 31, 2024

[Yvette Wohn] No funeral wreaths for the living

As someone who researches hate speech, I have seen my share of creative ways in which people try to abuse and insult others, but I was completely shocked when I saw funeral wreaths being used in Korea as a way to protest against celebrities and believe it is a form of toxic fan culture that needs to stop. For those who are not familiar, a funeral wreath in Korea is a tall, free-standing floral arrangement, much like a one-sided Christmas tree, composed of white flowers. This floral tower is sent

Dec. 31, 2024

[Editorial] Another impeachment

Rival parties must stop partisan fight, start exploring compromise on justices For many foreign observers, South Korea has become a nation of impeachment -- a truly shameful image forged by the irresponsible lawmakers and political parties. In less than two weeks after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the opposition-led National Assembly for his short-lived martial law declaration, acting President Han Duck-soo was also impeached Friday in a 192-0 vote at the National Assembly. The rulin

Dec. 30, 2024

[Meredith Sumpter] Alaska’s successful election system

At the end of a bitter and closely divided election season, there’s a genuine bright spot for democracy from our 49th state: Alaskans decided to keep the state’s system of open primaries and ranked choice voting because it is working. This is good news not only for Alaska, but for all of us ready for a government that works together to get things done for voters. Alaska’s new system has only been in place for two years. Yet, voters protected it from a repeal effort driven from the extremes becau

Dec. 30, 2024

[Lee Kyong-hee] Warmongers, shamans and plastic surgery

South Koreans obviously will remember December 2024 for the rapid quashing of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law decree and his impeachment. But if allegations surrounding his self-coup prove true, the back story will not take a backseat when judging how sinisterly Yoon behaved. The allegations paint a picture of a leader who not only put his nation’s democracy at risk but also its security to gain traction on his stalled policy goals. The imminent question before the Constitutional Court is

Dec. 30, 2024

[Room Tone] Live TV in an on-demand world

Korean television broadcasting officially began in the aftermath of the Korean War, as the nation sought to rebuild and modernize. The first television station, HLKZ-TV Channel 9, was established in 1956, marking a significant milestone in Korean media history. Broadcasting in black and white, HLKZ-TV primarily aired educational programs, cultural content and news, reflecting the developmental aspirations of the time. In July of that same year, HLKZ-TV made history by airing “Heaven’s Gate,” Kor

Dec. 27, 2024

[Editorial] ‘Superaged’ Korea

South Korea needs to explore a redesign of policies for the growing elderly population South Korea has formally become a “superaged” society at a faster pace than previously expected, with policymakers and the public unprepared to tackle a host of tricky social and economic issues caused by a growing elderly population. As of Monday, the number of South Koreans aged 65 or older stood at 10.24 million, accounting for 20 percent of the country's total population of 51.22 million, according to the

Dec. 27, 2024

[Robert J. Fouser] 2025, a challenging year ahead

The end of 2024 also marks the beginning of the second half of the 2020s. Decades often develop a distinct image that reflects historical events and cultural trends. After two decades that are hard to classify, the 2020s have so far been the decade of rotating crises. The decade opened with the worst pandemic in a hundred years. That was followed in 2022 by the first major war in Europe since World War II as Russia invaded Ukraine. Then, in 2023, the Middle East exploded after Hamas’ attack on I

Dec. 27, 2024

[Career Compass] Expectation-setting meeting to jump-start work relationship

How do you jump-start working with your new team members and become an effective manager? One of my mentees working in Singapore is getting promoted in January, leading a team of five people. She was determined to become “the best boss on earth,” but, as this was her first time managing others, she sought my advice on crafting a thoughtful and effective approach. A suggestion I offered was to hold an “expectation-setting meeting” within the first month with each of her direct reports. It is stra

Dec. 26, 2024

[Wang Son-taek] Misconception of People Power Party

Three weeks have passed since the insurrection by President Yoon Suk Yeol in the name of martial law declaration. Many things have happened and are happening. President Yoon was impeached at the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court began deliberation on Yoon’s impeachment. Law enforcement is investigating the insurrection charge. However, people do not feel comfortable watching the impeachment trial or investigations. The international community is also paying close attention to Korea

Dec. 26, 2024

[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

[Editorial] Boost domestic demand

Consumer sentiment fall largest in Dec.; retail sales decrease 10 straight quarters Consumer sentiment is plunging amid the fallout from the presidential impeachment. To make matters worse, weak domestic demand has overlapped with sluggish exports and prolonged Korean currency depreciation. If this continues, no one can rule out the possibility of the national economy entering long-term stagnation and falling far short of its potential growth rate next year. The consumer sentiment index fell to

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