[Editorial] From books to breaches

When someone gets their fingers burned not once but twice, it is not innocence but negligence. That warning now stares South Korea in the face, as another major cyberattack lays bare the nation’s deepening digital vulnerabilities. Less than two months after a massive security breach at SK Telecom rattled public confidence, Yes24 — the country’s largest online bookstore and ticketing platform — has become the latest casualty of ransomware. The result: a five-day outage that disrupted the digital

June 16, 2025

[Editorial] Opening state doors

With South Korea still recalibrating its democracy after months of political turbulence — capped last week by an early presidential election — President Lee Jae-myung has taken a quietly radical step: opening the gates of government appointments to the public. Now underway and continuing through June 16, the initiative invites South Koreans to recommend candidates for major public posts — not through party pipelines or opaque vetting committees, but via the official website of the Ministry of Pe

June 13, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] South Korea’s deep political divide

Lee Jae-myung of the slightly center-left Democratic Party of Korea began his presidency with a whirlwind of activity after winning a decisive victory in the recent presidential election. Though only ten days have passed, the election seems like a distant event. As with other elections, the results offer insight into the current state and future direction of South Korean politics. This was the ninth election held since the 1987 democratic reforms that permitted the direct election of the preside

June 13, 2025

[Editorial] No retaliation in probes

Three bills mandating special counsel probes into allegations involving the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol were enacted Tuesday following approval at a Cabinet meeting. One of the bills requires special counsels to investigate insurrection and treason charges related to Yoon's failed declaration of martial law. The second bill calls for a probe into allegations against Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee. She allegedly accepted luxury goods as bribes, manipulated stock prices and interve

June 12, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Keys to success for the Lee administration

President Lee Jae-myung, who took office on June 4, has been busy. He is working to resolve the six-month national crisis that left the country without a president because of the martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. It is also urgent for Lee to appoint high-ranking officials to help him run the government over the next five years. Though he is very busy right now, he might hope to see his administration succeed -- in other words, to reestablish governance. Since the democra

June 12, 2025

[Editorial] Ramyeon, reality and reform

Just days into his presidency, Lee Jae-myung has found himself facing an unlikely but potent symbol of economic distress: the cost of ramyeon. “Is it true,” he asked during an emergency economic meeting on Monday, “that one packet now costs 2,000 won ($1.50)?” The figure was exaggerated, but the sentiment behind the question struck a nerve. For many South Koreans, the supermarket has become the front line in a broader struggle over living costs and public trust in government. Consumer prices hav

June 11, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] Is South Korea declining?

Recently, I came across an intriguing newspaper article titled “Has the Republic of Korea entered the path of decline?” In this insightful article, professor emeritus Choi Jin-seok diagnosed the social and political maladies of South Korea, which he argues might have caused the country's decline. Choi came up with four factors that eventually make a country fall: extreme political conflict, extreme social disintegration, extreme populism and extreme corruption. Choi also argues that a country is

June 11, 2025

[Editorial] Build confidence

President Lee Jae-myung will attend the summit of the Group of Seven advanced countries in Alberta, Canada, from June 15-17. It will mark Lee's debut on the stage of summit diplomacy 11 days after he took office Wednesday. South Korea is not a G7 member state but was invited to participate as an observer. The summit is an opportunity for Lee to start building confidence with leaders of the seven major countries -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Particularly, his first

June 10, 2025

[Lim Woong] Teaching digital natives

When Marc Prensky, an American writer, introduced the term "digital natives" in a 2001 article, he proposed a clear distinction between those born into the digital age and those who had to learn and adapt to digital technologies. Since then, the terminology has expanded: we now hear of digital immigrants, nomads and tribes — each reflecting different relationships with our rapidly evolving technological world. At first glance, today’s young generations seem to fit the mold. Instagram stories fla

June 10, 2025

[Grace Kao] Astro’s ‘Call Out’ at 'Astroad Stargraphy' 2025

Because I live in the US, attending a K-pop concert in Korea is a very special treat for me. This past weekend, with my fellow Arohas, I experienced Astro’s 2025 “The Astroad Stargraphy” concert on June 7 at the Inspire Arena in Incheon. There was a full band at the left and right ends of the front stage. Astro’s members are MJ, Jinjin, Cha Eunwoo, Moon Bin, Rocky and Sanha. It was a sold-out show, and bittersweet for several reasons. First, there were many reminders of Moon Bin’s absence due to

June 10, 2025

[Yoo Choon-sik] President Lee should look beyond market cheers

The South Korean stock market soared on each of the first two trading days following President Lee Jae-myung’s official inauguration after securing a decisive victory in the early election held on June 3, winning by a substantial margin over his opponents. The peaceful transition of power and the political clarity it brings have been met with visible enthusiasm. Undoubtedly, Lee and his party, together with the people of South Korea, have every reason to relish the celebratory honeymoon phase of

June 9, 2025

[Kishore Mahbubani] Trump vs. a United ASEAN

US President Donald Trump’s tariffs -- especially the ultra-high “reciprocal" tariffs that he says will be reintroduced on July 9 for any country that has not struck a trade deal with his administration -- have sent countries around the world scrambling to respond, adapt, and limit the fallout. ASEAN’s ten members -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- have been among the most proactive. Their leaders quickly recognized that,

June 9, 2025

[Editorial] Avoiding the Japan trap

In the early 1990s, Japan seemed unstoppable. Decades of breakneck growth had swelled its asset wealth, and many believed the good times would never end. Then came the crash. A bursting real estate bubble ushered in what would become Japan’s “lost decades” — a prolonged era of stagnation and disillusionment. Today, a similar unease hangs over South Korea. Just days into office, President Lee Jae-myung faces a stark warning from the Bank of Korea: Without sweeping reforms, the country risks sleep

June 9, 2025

[Lee Byung-jong] Danger of too much power?

After six months of excruciating political uncertainty and public anxiety, South Korea has ushered in a new era with the election of President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday. The initial response has been broadly positive: The stock market surged, and allies such as Japan and the US offered swift messages of support and continued cooperation. Lee’s decisive victory — garnering over 17 million votes, the most for any Korean president — gives him a strong and clear mandate to pursue his policy agenda.

June 6, 2025

[Editorial] Bridge divisions

Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea was elected president on Tuesday, ending six months of turmoil stemming from his predecessor's botched attempt to impose martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. While South Korea has been embroiled in its own political chaos, the international situation and trade scene changed rapidly. Donald Trump was inaugurated as the president of the United States and US-China relations soured. The US, warning of a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, has indicate

June 5, 2025