Most Popular
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President Yoon Suk Yeol defiant as impeachment momentum grows
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Ruling party leader says impeachment against Yoon now only solution
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Yoon’s martial law defense fans impeachment calls from his party
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Assembly vote on Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment set for 4 p.m. Saturday
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Cho Kuk sentenced 2 years, loses seat, shot at presidency
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Full text of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's address to the nation on Thursday
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Foreign spies and compromised election system: Yoon seeks to rally the right
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Diverging exec shakeups: Samsung backs veterans; Hyundai rings changes
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Two Korean business leaders make Forbes list of 'most powerful women'
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Opposition leader urges ruling party lawmakers to vote for Yoon Suk Yeol impeachment
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[Editorial] Yoon refuses to step down
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has come under fiery attack since his ill-advised coup attempt on Dec. 3, defended the martial law declaration as an “act of governance” and denied insurrection charges on Thursday. Yoon also pledged to “fight until the last moment” against impeachment or a martial law probe, revealing his intention to defy calls to step down. The president claimed in a televised address that sending troops to the National Assembly under martial law did not co
EditorialDec. 13, 2024
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[Kim Seong-kon] How foreigners see Korea’s martial law incident
These days, those of us old enough to remember our history might be forgiven for having a terrible feeling of deja vu. The last time martial law terrified the South Korean people was in 1980, when General Chun Doo-hwan seized power through Korea’s second military coup and crushed the resisting people ruthlessly. Those of us who are over 50 now vividly remember those nightmare days when curfew was imposed, people were arrested without warrant and military tanks and armored vehicles were lou
ViewpointsDec. 12, 2024
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[Editorial] Ceaseless offensive
People are worried about turmoil in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law. They expect politicians to play a leading role in disentangling the chaos, but such efforts are barely visible, especially in the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. The party reported a motion to impeach Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency Cho Ji-ho during a plenary session of the National Assembly on Tuesday. It p
EditorialDec. 12, 2024
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[Shang-Jin Wei] Institutional reforms China needs
The Chinese stock market has rallied recently in anticipation of another round of government stimulus. This is understandable, as the authorities have rolled out multiple monetary and fiscal stimulus packages to stave off deflation and boost GDP growth. But with public debt already well above historical norms, there is limited room for further fiscal intervention without risking a future debt crisis. Given this constraint, China should focus on policies that stimulate entrepreneurship, investmen
ViewpointsDec. 11, 2024
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[Editorial] Economic impact
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s aborted martial law declaration is now hitting the South Korean economy, with local experts churning out dire warnings about the market in general and the sharp depreciation of the Korean currency in particular. Top financial officials are scrambling to reassure investors but the outlook appears to be murky, if not outright disturbing, as long as the political deadlock over the fate of Yoon continues in a way that increases uncertainties about rudderless political
EditorialDec. 11, 2024
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[Grace Kao] Legacies of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
December 2024 marks the 40th Anniversary of the charity single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” a well-known Christmas song written by Sir Bob Geldof (Boomtown Rats) and Midge Ure (Ultravox). To celebrate it, its producers have recorded a new version of the single. Along with it has come renewed critiques of this song. The 1984 single prominently featured a who’s who of famous (mostly) British New Wave musicians of that era during the height of MTV. I remember anxiously wa
ViewpointsDec. 10, 2024
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[Lim Woong] The allure of the past vs. AI anxiety
With the relentless rise of AI-powered digital technology, we're seeing growing concerns about our students. These include their declining literacy as well as the ills of digital dependence, disinformation and deepfakes. When I ask my grad students about some toxic social scenes of digital addiction, their responses are pretty familiar: their own endless scrolling through short videos and social media, and the daily sight of everyone glued to their phones on buses and subways. These respons
ViewpointsDec. 10, 2024
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[Editorial] Show concrete plan
The ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo made a joint address to the nation Sunday. Party leader Han, claiming that President Yoon Suk Yeol would end his involvement in state affairs, said he would stabilize the political situation by arranging the president's resignation in an orderly manner. Prime Minister Han pledged to ensure the stable and smooth operation of all government functions. Their remarks immediately sparked controversy over whether a
EditorialDec. 10, 2024
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[Yoo Choon-sik] Unintended signals from untimely policy action
I don't like to look back on decisions I made in the past and think about how different things might be now if I had taken another path. For instance, I see little point in wondering how my life would have changed if I had attended a different university or not become a journalist. The same applies to economic policies. However, the timing of economic policy, as opposed to its content, is a different matter. In economic policies, timing is as important as, if not more important than, the co
ViewpointsDec. 9, 2024
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[Robin Abcarian] Biden's Hunter pardon unforgivable
It came as a surprise that President Joe Biden unconditionally pardoned his son Hunter, a convicted felon, after repeatedly vowing that he would not. For the past few months, each time Biden or his press secretary was asked whether a pardon was in the cards, they both emphatically said no. So much for one of the president's favorite lines, "I give you my word as a Biden." Hunter, who was facing a potential sentence of years in prison for tax evasion and lying on a federal firearms
ViewpointsDec. 9, 2024
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[Editorial] Leadership vacuum
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who found himself in a make-or-break crisis with his failed attempt to impose martial law on South Korea, managed to avoid impeachment Saturday thanks to a boycott of the vote by members of his party. But Yoon seems unlikely to regain public trust or carry out his duties properly as leader of the country for the remainder of his term, because he publicly left all decisions, including his term in office, to his People Power Party, tasked with stabilizing a nation still re
EditorialDec. 9, 2024
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[Editorial] Martial law’s impact
South Koreans remain deeply disturbed by what President Yoon Suk Yeol did to the nation this week. His misguided and perplexing declaration of the short-lived martial law has caused a whirlwind of outrage, confusion and conflict. Why and how he managed to do something so erratic is not yet clear; what’s certain, however, is that he has touched off a sweeping firestorm of embarrassment across Korean society. The most immediate and widely expected consequence of the martial law decree is a p
EditorialDec. 6, 2024
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[Lee Byung-jong] Time to Join the G9
Amid the earth-shattering geopolitical changes of today, what should be South Korea’s new foreign policy objective in the coming new year? I would like to propose a membership of the G9 (Group of Nine). Together with Australia, Korea could try to become a new member of the rich countries’ club, currently limited to the G7 (the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan). By joining the club, Korea can transform itself from a rule-follower to a rule-setter of global governan
ViewpointsDec. 6, 2024
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[Career Compass] Fun, fascinating and frustrating!
Nicola Weir is an environmental, social and governance, or ESG, expert whose career and adventurous spirit have taken her across the globe. Having lived in the UK, Indonesia, Singapore, Tanzania, Mozambique, Nepal and now in South Korea, she brings a wealth of experience to her role as a partner at Deloitte Korea. A people person with a warm laugh and a big smile, Nicola is known for her vibrant personality, passion for her work, and a strong network of friends and connections. I first met her l
ViewpointsDec. 5, 2024
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[Vitit Muntarbhorn] Labor rights and risks
The world of work is undergoing significant changes amid risks in a precarious setting. The polycrisis surrounding the workplace ranges from health risks from global warming and climate change, to political constraints and demographic changes with an aging population in several parts of the world. The challenge is thus to respond with more preparedness in the life cycle of existence, where work is a major contribution to not only human livelihood but also self-esteem with a sense of purpose and
ViewpointsDec. 5, 2024
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[Wang Son-taek] Why is democracy of South Korea so strong?
I was a 14-year-old boy when former President Park Chung-hee was assassinated in October 1979, and emergency martial law was issued. The martial law was imprinted on me as a fear that I could be shot dead if I left the house. I saw soldiers on TV equipped with guns deployed on the streets of Gwanghwamun, Seoul. I'm sure all Koreans my age have kept similar uncomfortable fears in their memories. When I heard the martial law news about 11 p.m. on Tuesday, I felt a chill flowing throughout my
ViewpointsDec. 5, 2024
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[Editorial] Misguided response
The emergency martial law declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol was lifted just six hours after it was announced. Martial law ended as a mere incident, but the nation is in shock. It is hard to gauge how far its consequences will go. Yoon proclaimed martial law Tuesday night, saying that it was aimed at eradicating pro-North Korean forces and protecting the constitutional order of freedom. The martial law command issued a decree banning all political activities. People were perplexed at the sudden
ViewpointsDec. 5, 2024