[Editorial] China’s chip offensive

China's semiconductor industry is making an alarming leap forward. According to foreign media reports on July 27, a Chinese state-backed company in Shanghai has begun mass-producing domestically developed immersion deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines, a key piece of equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. The equipment is used to print circuit patterns onto silicon wafers, and Dutch company ASML dominates the global market for semiconductor lithography systems. The technology Chin

2026-07-30 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Fix the flaws

Hanwha Ocean Co. last week filed a lawsuit with the Seoul Administrative Court, challenging a National Labor Relations Commission ruling recognizing it as the employer of union members of an in-house subcontractor responsible for cafeteria and commuter bus services. This is the first case since the Yellow Envelope Act — the amended Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act — took effect in March in which a main contractor has challenged in court the commission's determination that it qualif

2026-07-28 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Unusual transaction

President Lee Jae Myung's recent apartment transaction has sparked controversy. The controversy stems from the fact that ownership was transferred before the full purchase price had been paid, with the seller effectively financing nearly half of the purchase price by lending the buyer the remaining balance and securing the loan with a mortgage. Typically, buyers who lack sufficient funds to pay the purchase price obtain mortgage loans from financial institutions. But because the current governme

2026-07-23 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Misguided merger

The government and the ruling party agreed on July 16 to establish the Korean Armed Forces Academy by integrating the Military, Naval and Air Force academies and locating the new institution at Jaundae, a military education and training complex in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul. The Ministry of National Defense's primary justification for integrating the three service academies is to strengthen camaraderie or interservice cooperation. No matter how much modern warfare comes to cent

2026-07-21 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Path to growth

The government's Economic Growth Strategy for the Second Half of 2026, announced on Tuesday, is filled with rosy projections. It raised its forecast for this year's real GDP growth from 2 percent to 3 percent and projected nominal GDP growth of 12.3 percent, the highest rate in three decades. Emboldened by the recent growth trend, the government unveiled its "3-4-5 Vision," aiming to raise Korea's potential growth rate to 3 percent, make it one of the world's four largest exporters and lift per

2026-07-16 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Forums, not formality

It is noteworthy that the government plans to hold a series of public forums on real estate policy this week to solicit opinions from experts and the public. According to reports, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will discuss housing supply measures Tuesday, the Financial Services Commission will hold a forum on loans and other financial measures Wednesday, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy will address tax policy Thursday. Next week, on July 23, President Lee Jae Myung i

2026-07-14 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Who checks the police?

An incident in the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City clearly demonstrates why prosecutors' supplementary investigative authority should not be abolished. Police investigated the May 5 stabbing death of a high school girl in the southwestern metropolitan city by suspect Jang Yoon-gi, who had no prior acquaintance with the victim, and referred the case to prosecutors. However, the police's handling of the investigation, as revealed by prosecutors' supplementary investigation, is shocking. It was reveal

2026-07-09 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Fake news, real risks

The revised Information and Communications Network Act takes effect today, amid controversy over concerns that it could chill freedom of expression. The revised act subjects news organizations, YouTubers and influencers to punitive damages of up to five times the actual damages if they knowingly disseminate "false or fabricated information" online. It also allows authorities to impose an administrative penalty of up to 1 billion won ($652,000) if they redistribute, on two or more occasions, info

2026-07-07 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] Zombie firms in shadows

It is no exaggeration to say that South Korea's economy is currently being propped up by the semiconductor industry. Semiconductors accounted for a record 42.3 percent of its exports in May, the highest share ever. Thanks to the explosion in demand for semiconductors driven by advances in artificial intelligence, Korea, a global semiconductor manufacturing powerhouse, is reaping substantial benefits. However, the country’s industrial sector as a whole remains mired in a slump amid deteriorating

2026-07-02 05:30:00:00

[Editorial] A different yardstick

The recent leak of ideas submitted by aspiring entrepreneurs applying for a government startup-support program has sent shockwaves through the startup community. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups' "Startup for All" project is an online platform that hosts a nationwide startup competition. The winner is eligible for up to 1 billion won ($651,000) in financial support, including prize money. According to the ministry, the email addresses, summaries of business ideas, and judges' evaluations of 5,0

2026-06-25 05:30:00:00