[Editorial] Telemedicine failure

South Korea’s major telemedicine service operators announced they would shutter their operations, an inevitable outcome resulting from a mix of strict government restrictions and strong pressure from the medical sector. Telemedicine was hailed as a promising field, offering innovative remote medical services for patients. When telemedicine was temporarily allowed in 2020 to fight COVID-19, few expected that it would become very popular. During the three-year period, a total of 36.61 millio

Aug. 30, 2023

[Editorial] Overflowing grant

The reality of a government grant program for elementary, middle and high school education, exposed as a result of a 10-month inspection by the top audit agency, is extremely deplorable. The Board of Audit and Inspection disclosed the results of its inspection into the program on Thursday. Grants to the nation's 17 offices of education and schools in their districts were so excessive that much of them were wasted, for example, on an array of cash welfare benefits and interest-free loans to

Aug. 29, 2023

[Editorial] Ballooning household debt

South Korea’s growth momentum is weakening. The real income of households is dropping, even as their debt is mounting. The economic debacle of China, which is the country’s biggest trading partner, is deepening. Although both the nation’s internal and external economic situations face more and more obstacles, there is one strangely upbeat sector here: the real estate market, where speculative investors sense property prices are close to hitting their bottom. In a country where

Aug. 28, 2023

[Editorial] Affront to nation

Gwangju Metropolitan City is constructing a park at the cost of 4.8 billion won ($3.61 million) to honor Jeong Yul-seong, who composed a song for the People’s Liberation Army of China and a marching song for the North Korean People’s Army. Jeong, a Gwangju native, received a hero’s welcome in both China and North Korea. He entered a Korean independence fighter training academy in Nanjing, China, and later joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1939. After Korea gained independen

Aug. 25, 2023

[Editorial] Fukushima water release

As Japan plans to start releasing treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, the South Korean government reassured the public of its safety. However, people remain deeply concerned about the water’s impact amid intensifying political wrangling over the discharge. On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan will begin to discharge around 1.34 million metric tons of Fukushima water Thursday. The move came after the Interna

Aug. 24, 2023

[Editorial] Time to decide

As the National Pension Fund draws nearer to depletion, reforming the National Pension Scheme has become an urgent matter. However, the government and lawmakers kept putting off reforms out of fear of the backlash it will provoke. It is about time they decided. A government advisory panel on national pension reforms is said to have reached a conclusion that contributions must be raised and the pension age postponed, but the income replacement rate maintained as it is. This means that workers sho

Aug. 23, 2023

[Editorial] Strengthen public security

Another brutal crime was committed in broad daylight in Seoul last week, resulting in the death of an innocent victim. With a mix of grief and outrage gripping the nation, people are increasingly concerned about the compromised public safety. According to police, the suspect, only identified by his family name Choi, attacked a woman with brass knuckles before raping her in a remote area at a park in Sillim, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Thursday. She was taken to a hospital for treatment but died from her i

Aug. 22, 2023

[Editorial] New trilateral partnership

Leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan opened a new era in their partnership through their landmark summit last week. They will hold trilateral summits and meetings between foreign ministers, defense ministers, national security advisers at least annually and also launch annual meetings of commerce and industry ministers. They formed a quasi-alliance in which they agreed to consult one another and act as one in the fields of diplomacy, security, economy and technology. Diplomacy and

Aug. 21, 2023

[Editorial] Same old trick

The state-run Korea Land and Housing Corp., known as LH, is now in hot water -- again. This time, it is related to a gesture that purportedly aimed to demonstrate LH’s admission to wrongdoings and resolve to take reform measures over the “missing rebar incident.” Last week, LH announced “all executive directors” had handed in letters of resignation to take responsibility over the cover-up of faulty apartments of which it was in charge. It turned out that the company

Aug. 18, 2023

[Editorial] Uproot anti-state forces

What was noticeable in President Yoon Suk Yeol's Liberation Day speech was an alarm at "communist totalitarian forces." Yoon clarified his will to defeat the forces to defend liberal democracy. He likened Korea's independence movement to a journey in search of freedom. In his speech marking the 78th Liberation Day on Tuesday, he said: "Still rampant are anti-state forces that blindly follow communist totalitarianism, distort public opinion, and disrupt society through ma

Aug. 17, 2023

[Editorial] Jamboree aftermath

The 25th World Scout Jamboree in South Korea wrapped up its run on Friday with a massive K-pop concert, but disputes over what went wrong at the event and who should be blamed show no sign of abating. The Jamboree was entangled in a host of high-profile errors and problems, ranging from the scorching heat wave and typhoon-related disruptions to a lack of hygiene and shelter from the sun. Large contingents from the US and Britain pulled out early. The organizers were also severely criticized for

Aug. 16, 2023

[Editorial] Minimize China risk

US President Joe Biden signed an executive order last week that prohibits or restricts US investments in Chinese entities in three sectors: semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum computing and certain artificial intelligence systems. The measure is expected to take effect in 2024. The order will also require outbound US investors to notify the Treasury Department. This measure shows the US' intention to block Beijing's initiative in securing China's position as a global powe

Aug. 15, 2023

[Editorial] Embezzlement at banks

South Korea's financial authorities are considering strengthening regulations in such a way that will hold top officials accountable when bank employees repeatedly commit irregularities such as embezzlement and insider trading. The Financial Services Commission, a financial watchdog, is reportedly pushing for a revision to the Act on Corporate Governance of Financial Companies that will define the specific responsibilities of senior bank officials regarding internal oversight, local media o

Aug. 14, 2023

[Editorial] Indefensible

South Korean military authorities were found to have purchased bulletproof helmets without going through proper performance testing and issued them to soldiers. A military official even made bogus reports on the performance test results for the helmets. The military was also found to have issued poorly performing bulletproof vests to service members. According to the recently disclosed results of an investigation by the Board of Audit and Inspection into military projects to acquire body armor,

Aug. 11, 2023

[Editorial] Challenges for chip sector

South Korea’s semiconductor industry confronts a growing list of challenges as the global competition, compounded by the frictions between the US and China, intensifies amid a shortage of chip technicians, scientists and engineers. As semiconductors are widely used for cutting-edge sectors such as artificial intelligence and mobile solutions, a host of countries including the US and China are vying to stay ahead in securing advanced facilities, workforce and technologies. The US is buildin

Aug. 10, 2023

[Editorial] Brace for typhoon

Typhoon Khanun is now heading for the Korean Peninsula after shifting its projected course. The typhoon, with strong winds and heavy rain, is forecast to land on South Korea's southern coast Thursday morning and sweep through the peninsula vertically, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. When it makes a landfall on the peninsula as forecast, the typhoon may be packing strong winds that have a maximum speed between 33 meters per second and 44 meters per second -- gusts strong enough

Aug. 9, 2023

[Editorial] Stop copycat crimes

A wave of online posts threatening murder and attacks is heightening the sense of concern and unease over possible copycat crimes targeting strangers in the aftermath of two stabbing rampages in Seoul and Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The National Police Agency said in a press conference Monday that it has tracked down 59 people for posting murder threats on the internet and arrested three suspects, after identifying 187 threatening posts. Police said that out of 59 people, 34 are teens, includin

Aug. 8, 2023

[Editorial] Jamboree woes

The 2023 World Scout Jamboree in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, is regaining its footing after a crisis in which it faced the threat of an early closure when some countries withdrew from the campsite. Concerns about the event ending early mounted as contingents from the UK and the US decided to leave the Saemangeum site. However, the other countries chose to remain, supporting the host country's efforts to improve conditions on the campsite. Operation and facilities seem to be getting b

Aug. 7, 2023

[Editorial] Upward risks

South Korea’s consumer prices slowed to 2.3 percent in July from a year earlier -- the lowest level in 25 months -- but concerns linger about a possible spike in the coming months due to volatile domestic and international factors. Statistics Korea on Wednesday announced that the country’s consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, rose 2.3 percent last month, compared with the 2.7 percent in June, thanks largely to lower oil prices. For economic policymakers, the latest figures are

Aug. 4, 2023

[Editorial] Critical faults

Underground car park ceilings at many apartment complexes for which construction contracts were awarded by a state enterprise were found to be supported by columns without reinforcement bars, known as rebar. An underground parking lot of an apartment complex under construction in Geomdan, Seo-gu, Incheon collapsed in April, and an investigation found rebar missing in 19 of its 32 parking lot columns. The missing reinforcing steel was blamed as the main cause of the accident. The construction con

Aug. 3, 2023