Most Popular
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Court refuses injunction on medical school expansion
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Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?
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Jimin of BTS, actor Song Da-eun suspected to be dating, again
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Police raid popera singer Kim Ho-joong's house over hit-and-run suspicions
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What's next for the government's push in quota hike?
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Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
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Kepco to raise electricity prices as total debt soars past W200tr
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Woman falls to death from acquaintance's home after exhibiting ‘unexplained' behaviors
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N. Korea slams planned S. Korea-US military drills, warns of 'catastrophic aftermath'
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N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS
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Creating an Afghanistan that defines itself
NEW DELHI ― As it braces for its upcoming presidential election, Afghanistan finds itself at another critical juncture, with its unity and territorial integrity at stake after 35 years of relentless war. Can Afghanistan finally escape the cycle of militancy and foreign intervention that has plagued it for more than three decades?Two key questions are shaping discussions about Afghanistan’s post-2014 trajectory. The first concerns the extent to which Pakistan will interfere in Afghan affairs, suc
March 30, 2014
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Yellen can help Asia kick easy-money habit
Janet Yellen could be excused for feeling whipsawed in Asia. In Tokyo 17 months ago, before taking over as head of the Federal Reserve, Yellen had to defend the U.S.’s monetary largess in front of a gathering of the testy central bankers. Now the region wants the Fed to go slow as it scales back on monetary stimulus.Rather than fretting about the Fed’s tightening, Asia should be looking at the benefits as the world’s most powerful central bank charts a return to monetary normalcy. These include
March 30, 2014
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Turkey needs moral support from Korea
In trying times, brothers need each other. Whether we are dealing with a financial struggle, family issues or simply feeling down, we turn to those who are closest to us, our siblings. This is also true for nations, on a much grander scale. Turkish soldiers (one of whom was my father’s cousin) sacrificed their lives to prevent communist oppression, only to discover how close they were to their long-lost brothers. March 31 will be a new beginning, as many politicians in Turkey keep saying these d
March 28, 2014
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[David Ignatius] Fighting anew for democracy
BRUSSELS ― President Barack Obama has spoken once again during the Ukraine crisis about being on the right “side of history.” It’s one of his signature lines, but he should stop: The phrase implies there’s an inevitability to the advance of progress and justice. Would that it were so. What’s happening now in Vladimir Putin’s Russia is a reminder that history has ebbs and flows, advances and retreats, and that its interpretation is subjective. Even more, recent events are a warning that decisive
March 28, 2014
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[Robert Reich] The decline of the nation-state
We are witnessing a reversion to tribalism around the world, away from nation-states. The same pattern can be seen even in America ― especially in American politics.Before the rise of the nation-state between the 18th and 20th centuries, the world was mostly tribal. Tribes were united by language, religion, blood and belief. They feared other tribes and often warred against them. Kings and emperors imposed truces that were temporary at best.But in the past 300 years, the idea of nationhood took
March 27, 2014
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The dark side of New York Times v. Sullivan
Quiz question: What is the most important free speech ruling in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court?The best answer may well be New York Times v. Sullivan, decided 50 years ago this month. In that case, the court ruled, for the first time, that the First Amendment shields speakers and writers from libel suits.The court’s ruling has fundamentally affected not only our law but also our culture. Whenever you open a newspaper, visit a website or even do a Google search, the information that you se
March 27, 2014
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Philippines repivots defense links to U.S.
In his keynote speech at the summit of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers on March 21, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario did not mince words when he warned: “Without regard for the rights of its neighbors, China has employed its naval and maritime vessels in a coercive manner, in gross violation of international law, to drive away fishermen from traditional fishing grounds, to intimidate its neighbors, to prevent exploitation of resources, and to prevent us from
March 27, 2014
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[M. Veera Pandiyan] Lessons from the hunt for ill-fated MH370
The tragic flight has exposed Malaysia’s shortcomings in many areas, but we have no other choice than to learn from the experience.It is heart rending to watch the scenes of grieving relatives, but we can only imagine the depth of their sorrow after 17 agonizing days of holding out hope.As Malaysia Airlines said in its statement to the families of the 239 passengers and crew on board Flight MH370, there are no words that can ease their pain.Two-thirds of the passengers on board the Beijing-bound
March 27, 2014
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Happiness is now a key global issue
The U.N.’s first survey of international wellbeing ranks Thailand second only to Singapore in our region.Two years after declaring March 20 the International Day of Happiness, the United Nations has released its first World Happiness Report. The U.N. has formally recognized the pursuit of happiness as a fundamental human goal. It can be argued that the U.N. has far more important issues to concentrate on, but surely we can all agree that happiness is every human’s deepest wish ― and therefore a
March 27, 2014
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[Mai Yamani] Saudi Arabia courts Pakistan
LONDON ― Over the last few years, Saudi Arabia has become increasingly estranged from its long-time protector, the United States. It viewed America’s backing for Hosni Mubarak’s fall from power in Egypt ― and its subsequent acceptance of the Muslim Brotherhood government ― as a betrayal. Then came U.S. President Barack Obama’s refusal to enforce his “red line” in Syria, after President Bashar al-Assad’s regime unleashed poison gas on its opponents. But the final straw was America’s support for t
March 26, 2014
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What really concerns China about Flight 370?
Let’s acknowledge what’s obvious: The way Malaysia has handled the loss of Flight 370 has been pathetic. What’s less obvious is China’s role in this sorry spectacle.The biggest aviation mystery since Amelia Earhart disappeared isn’t over for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, and it may never be. Not with the families of the 154 Chinese passengers (out of 239 people) on board the missing Malaysian Air jet accusing his government of a coverup. Not with puzzled observers around the world wonder
March 26, 2014
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China sees democracy gone wild in Taiwan
Several hundred students stormed and occupied Taiwan’s national legislature on March 18 over objections to a new trade agreement with China, which they claimed was railroaded through the legislative process. One week later they remain in the chambers, supported by thousands of protestors, and an influential coterie of Chinese celebrities (other protesters were violently evicted from the government’s executive offices on Monday), blocking a vote on the pact. Inadvertently, perhaps, they also now
March 26, 2014
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[Jeffrey D. Sachs] Ukraine and the crisis of international law
NEW YORK ― Russia’s actions in Ukraine constitute a serious and dangerous violation of international law. In 1994, Ukraine agreed to give up the nuclear weapons it had inherited from the Soviet Union, in return for a solemn commitment by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia to protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Russia has now violated that pledge, not only harming Ukraine but also undermining the international legal framework for preventing nuclear proliferatio
March 26, 2014
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Putin provides momentum for united Europe
PARIS ― One day, monuments to Vladimir Putin may stand in Russian cities, bearing the inscription: “The man who returned Crimea to Mother Russia.” But perhaps monuments will be erected on many European squares as well, acclaiming Russia’s president as “The Father of United Europe.” Indeed, Putin’s swift move to annex Crimea has done more to harmonize European governments’ views on Russia than dozens of bilateral or multilateral meetings.In Berlin last week, I heard French and German elites speak
March 26, 2014
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[Robert J. Fouser] How to promote Korean culture
Efforts to promote Korean culture to “foreigners” have a long history that follows the contours of Korea’s rise over the last 50 years. The Korean government has been actively involved in many of these efforts, but the results have been mixed, which has raised questions about the effectiveness of the efforts.First some history. During the military dictatorship of Park Chung-hee, promoting Korean culture was part of the competition for international recognition with North Korea. To compete, South
March 25, 2014
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Kuroda needs to bridge Japan’s timidity gap
One year into its risky experiment with monetary easing, Japan has a confidence problem on its hands.Let’s dispense with all this “Abenomics” stuff. Until Prime Minister Shinzo Abe serves up even just one of the epochal reforms he promised 15 months ago, Japan’s drive to end deflation and restore growth should bear the name of the man doing all the heavy lifting and taking all the risks: central bank Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda.As he marks his first anniversary at the Bank of Japan, Kuroda has some rem
March 25, 2014
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Who should be in charge of overseeing Internet?
A group of nerds and wonks is having some hideously boring meetings this week in Singapore. You should care: What they produce could change the nature of the Internet.On March 14, the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration said it would relinquish oversight of ICANN, the nonprofit group that has managed the name-and-address system of the Internet since 1998. To simplify a bit, ICANN ― the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ― is what ensures that you magi
March 25, 2014
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Think Russia’s land grab is unique? Think again
It has become a truism in discussions of Russia’s takeover of Crimea that in the post-World War II international order, countries no longer rewrite borders through force ― or if they do, rarely find themselves faced with determined opposition from other states. As Secretary of State John F. Kerry put it, the Crimea campaign is a “19th century act.”Such statements ignore major pieces of inconvenient history. Though it is too early to say much about the 21st century, the late 20th century saw coun
March 25, 2014
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[Kim Seong-kon] Why are zombies so scary?
Recently, the term “zombie” has become fashionable all over the world. For example, there are a plethora of American zombie movies such as “Land of the Dead,” “Diary of the Dead” and “Survival of the Dead,” and British ones such as “Shawn of the Dead,” “28 Days Later” and “28 Weeks Later.” American TV shows such as “The Crazies” and “The Walking Dead” have also been watched by millions of viewers around the world. The same phenomenon can be found in academia as well. Several American universitie
March 25, 2014
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U.S. must insist on Internet remaining free and open
As we note the 25th anniversary of the birth of Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web, the integrity of the Internet is threatened as never before. China and Russia are launching cyberattacks at unprecedented levels, and the NSA’s hacking and spying are destroying trust in technology.In that context, the Obama administration has announced it will give up U.S. control of the Internet to an international governing body. This has been in the works for more than a decade ― but the president needs to be c
March 25, 2014