[Kim Seong-kon] South Korea, where to now?

At last, the Constitutional Court’s verdict on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol has been released. Now, Yoon is impeached, thus removed from office and deprived of all presidential privileges. Before the Court’s ruling, many Koreans were against the impeachment. To our relief, however, they seem to have decided to completely go along with the result. Now we should put an end to the rambunctious socio-political mayhem that has disrupted and divided our country for the past four months a

April 9, 2025

[Editorial] Trade war intensifies

China takes retaliatory steps against US tariffs; Extra budget, elaborate strategies needed China will impose a reciprocal 34 percent tariff on all imports from the US from April 10. It also placed export restrictions on rare earth elements. These moves are being made in retaliation for US tariffs on all Chinese goods imported into the US. Then, US President Donald Trump said, "China has been hit much harder than the USA, and told Americans to "hang tough, though it won't be easy." China and the

April 8, 2025

[Grace Kao] Seventeen cinema tour in the US

Can concert films serve as a proxy for an actual concert? Seventeen is one of the most popular K-pop groups today. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry identified Seventeen as the third biggest-selling global artists of 2024, just behind Taylor Swift and Drake. The group's most recent tour began on Oct. 12, 2024 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and concluded on Feb. 16 in Bangkok. For those of us who couldn’t make it to the live shows, or if one wanted to relive the experience,

April 8, 2025

[Ahmet Davutoglu] Trump aims to dismantle postwar US-led order

At the beginning of Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, I argued that this would be no ordinary US presidency. The international order, already beset by fundamental weaknesses and disputes over its core values and institutions, was now facing a seismic shift. With the beginning of Trump’s second term marked by even greater chaos, what once seemed like an isolated shock has evolved into a full-blown “systemic earthquake.” Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric, often unhinged executive orders, a

April 8, 2025

[Editorial] Post-impeachment tasks

South Korea enters a new phase after court upholds impeachment of Yoon South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously decided to uphold the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, marking an end to his trouble-laden presidency less than three years after it began. The landmark ruling not only wrapped up a disturbing chapter of executive overreach but also reaffirmed the enduring strength of South Korean democracy. But the country still confronts a slew of challenges in the comin

April 7, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Right the ship and reboot democracy

The Constitutional Court ended a long nightmare on Friday while the nation delivered a triumph of peaceful civic activism. Yet it is too early to fully celebrate the resilience of Korea’s democracy. The unanimous court decision to uphold the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol only marks the first step toward repairing the country’s wounded democracy and healing the scars from his audacious declaration of martial law last December. The president who embraced extreme right-wing conspiracy theories has l

April 7, 2025

[Editorial] Do not fan the flames

Political tensions surge ahead of ruling on impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol As South Korea’s Constitutional Court prepares to deliver its ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, the nation stands at a precarious crossroads. Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec 14, following his attempt to impose martial law on Dec. 3 — a move that threw the country into political upheaval. He was detained on Jan. 15 on charges of insurrection but released on March 8 d

April 4, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Benefits of 'Seoul Future Heritage'

In mid-March, I went to Washington for the first time since the pandemic. On one of the days, I went to the Renwick Gallery near the White House, and as I walked past the White House, I remembered that the large yellow letters saying “Black Lives Matter” nearby were going to be erased. After Donald Trump became president again, Republican lawmakers threatened to cut the city’s federal funding over the letters and the mayor decided to erase them. When I got to the site, I felt saddened to see tha

April 4, 2025

[Editorial] Build up strength

Concerns about possible US-NK talks and USFK role adjustment US President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of restarting talks with North Korea. Asked by a reporter at the White House on Monday about whether he plans to reach out to North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, Trump said, “Well, I do.” Trump said there is communication with North Korea. He called North Korea a “big nuclear nation.” Though Trump did not elaborate on the communication, it is quite obvious that Washington wil

April 3, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Six points to remember before impeachment verdict

The Constitutional Court of Korea is set to deliver its historic verdict on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday. Citizens on both sides — those who support the impeachment and those who oppose it — are holding their breath. The outcome is about more than just Yoon's removal or reinstatement; it will define the future of South Korean democracy and the everyday life of people in Korea. Regardless of the verdict, in the short term, the Republic of Korea will likely experience more

April 3, 2025

[Editorial] No time to waste

Parties must hammer out bipartisan deal to pass supplementary budget in April South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties are wrangling over the details of a supplementary budget proposal, raising many eyebrows amid concerns that such arguments are only delaying the relief efforts needed to recover from the massive wildfires that ravaged the country’s southeastern region. The South Korean government proposed a supplementary budget worth at least 10 trillion won ($6.8 billion) on Sunday. Previous

April 2, 2025

[Antara Haldar] How Aristotle can save us

In a 1995 speech outlining his “Visions for the 21st Century,” the renowned astrophysicist Carl Sagan called attention to the fragility of human civilization, given our infinitesimally small presence within the cosmos. Our future, he warned, depends entirely on our learning to live wisely and humbly together. Clearly, we didn’t get the message. Three decades on, our “pale blue dot” is riven by geopolitical turmoil, and the late 20th-century hope for an ascendant global liberalism has faded. Face

April 2, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] Watching Korea’s early education fever

South Korea is a country well known for cutthroat children’s competitions and surprisingly early education. Indeed, many Korean parents send their children to a private English academy when they are as young as 4. When the child turns 5 or 6, the parents want him or her to enter an advanced-level private English academy that requires an entrance exam. Young Korean kids are therefore obliged to take the notoriously difficult exam for private education. The difficulty of the entrance exam for 5 or

April 2, 2025

[Editorial] Intensifying turmoil

Opposition warns it will impeach all ministers; ruling party vows to file complaint South Korea's rival parties have ratcheted up the political strife as the Constitutional Court continues to delay the announcement of its verdict over whether it will uphold suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment for his Dec. 3 martial law declaration -- now almost four months ago. Rep. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, put pressure on Prime Minister and acting

April 1, 2025

[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