[Wang Son-taek] Who is Lee Jae-myung?

On Tuesday, the people of South Korea elected Lee Jae-myung, the former chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, as their new president. His election marks not only a dramatic political moment for the country but also signals the rise of a global political figure whose personal journey, political convictions and foreign policy stance are likely to attract worldwide attention. At first glance, Lee Jae-myung appears to be the ultimate political success story. His resume includes key leadership p

June 5, 2025

[Editorial] A crucial vote amid crisis

South Koreans went to the polls on Tuesday in what may come to be seen as one of the most pivotal elections in the nation’s modern democratic history. The June 3 vote was called after the dramatic downfall of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and removed from office earlier this spring for attempting to invoke martial law in December 2024. Against a backdrop of economic malaise, diplomatic strain and a public weary of political dysfunction, the election became a test not only of

June 4, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] What we expect from our new president

The 2025 presidential election day is over now. Whoever may be inaugurated as our next president, he will be heavily burdened with so many urgent tasks because the country’s situation is unprecedentedly dire. Among others, our new leader must put an end to the chronic sickness of political revenge that has plagued our country for the past two decades. In the eyes of foreigners, South Korea may look like a politically underdeveloped country because no president has been safe since 2009: one died

June 4, 2025

[Patricia Murphy] 'Big beautiful bill' a boondoggle

Days before the US House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” Moody’s Ratings agency had an ominous warning about the US economy. Because of America’s recent history of running up huge debts and deficits, and no change in sight, “the United States’ fiscal performance is likely to deteriorate” relative to similar countries. As a part of that warning, Moody’s downgraded the country’s credit rating from its Aaa score to Aa1. Despite that red flag, House leaders f

June 4, 2025

[Editorial] Tariff damage

South Korea's exports decreased 1.3 percent to $57.27 billion from a year earlier in May. After rebounding from a 10 percent fall in January, they dropped again four months later. Outbound shipments to the US and China decreased about 8 percent each. Most analysts say that US tariffs affected South Korea's exports directly. Tariff pressure from the Donald Trump administration shows no sign of waning. Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on March 12 and raised them to 50

June 3, 2025

[Grace Kao] Don't be fooled by celebrity romance scams

The Federal Trade Commission of the US reported that in 2023, consumers lost $1.14 billion to romance scams. This is a substantial increase from $547 million in losses in 2021, and $304 million in 2020. What exactly are romance scams and why are people susceptible to them? Scammers pose as someone who has fallen in love with the victim and is desperately trying to travel to the victim so they can meet. However, one tragedy after another ensues. The scammers work in teams and are grooming multipl

June 3, 2025

[Karishma Vaswani] America cold to foreign students

An Ivy League degree has long been central to the Asian Dream -- a ticket to success and status. But President Donald Trump’s message to international students is clear: Far fewer of you are welcome. The blunt statement and growing chaos across the university sector has left families wondering if sending their children to America is still worth it. The White House’s immediate target is Chinese students allegedly connected to the Communist Party. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said

June 2, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Pressure mounts for inter-Korean detente

When the new president takes office in two days, he will face a host of pressing tasks. Among the main challenges will be the division of the Korean Peninsula, which still festers more than 70 years after fighting ended. As we have seen more than a few times, the North-South divide is often used for political gain. Ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol was the latest high official to employ a “Red Scare” strategy to stifle political opponents. In his declaration of martial law, Yoon said he would elimi

June 2, 2025

[Editorial] Ballots and blunders

Elections in South Korea have long served as both a civic ritual and a litmus test for the health of its democracy. But as the country heads into a pivotal presidential vote on Tuesday, confidence in the integrity of that process is under severe strain. Early voting, which took place over two days beginning Thursday, drew an enthusiastic response from the public. Turnout reached 34.74 percent — the second-highest since the system was introduced in 2014 — signaling a population deeply engaged in

June 2, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Rise of the 'neo-globalists'

Way back in the late 2010s, I remember Democratic political pundit Donna Brazile describing then-US President President Donald Trump as a “tree shaker.” That was during his first term when traditional guardrails on presidential power were still in place. In his second term, those guardrails have disappeared, and he has become a forest fire, wreaking havoc in all directions. But four months in the era of Trump chaos is a long time and the tenor of criticism has begun to change. At first, criticis

May 30, 2025

[Editorial] A cut that cuts deep

For weeks, financial markets anticipated the move. On Thursday, just five days before South Korea’s pivotal June 3 presidential election, the Bank of Korea lowered its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.5 percent. The decision itself came as no surprise. What did surprise was the central bank’s sharp downgrade of its growth forecast. Its projection for 2025 collapsed from an already modest 1.5 percent to just 0.8 percent — a halving of expectations in the span of three mo

May 30, 2025

[Jeffrey Frankel] Foreign aid, now missed

“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” When Joni Mitchell sang that line in 1970, she was lamenting the destruction of the environment, but the sentiment applies to many issues. Today, we can add official development assistance to the list. For some 80 years, the United States spent more on humanitarian assistance, economic development programs and other types of foreign aid than any other government. In the 2023 fiscal year, the US government disbursed

May 29, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Strategic flaws in presidential election

With just a few days left before the presidential election, the race favors Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate. Most public opinion polls consistently show Lee holding a significant lead over his conservative rivals. Lee is now widely seen as the likely next president — a prospect that would have seemed distant just six months ago. To understand what has made the difference, and what it might mean for the future of South Korea, it is essential to examine the strategic decis

May 29, 2025

[Editorial] Improve transparency

Early voting in South Korea's 21st presidential election is being held over two days, today and tomorrow, at 3,569 polling places across the country. Election Day is June 3. South Korean livelihoods and state affairs were thrown into disarray by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law decree last December followed by his impeachment and dismissal. The election has historical significance in that it is held to fill a leadership void and stabilize the nation as quickly as possible

May 29, 2025

[Editorial] No work, no future

It is one of South Korea’s most confounding contradictions: a nation bracing for demographic collapse, yet failing to provide its young people with the jobs they need to build lives, families and futures. With the presidential election just days away, on June 3, the major candidates remain preoccupied with political brinkmanship — dredging up old scandals and lobbing accusations over peripheral controversies — rather than addressing what may be the country’s most urgent crisis: the hollowing out

May 28, 2025