[Yoo Choon-sik] Another election, still no answers

With the early presidential election just a week away, the mood among voters around me feels laden not with anticipation or relief, but with a heavy sense of disillusionment — a quiet chorus of sighs. At first glance, you might assume that I am referring to the typical ups and downs in the emotions of campaign supporters as Election Day, June 3, quickly approaches. But the prevailing mood I observe goes deeper than just campaign fatigue or political rivalry. There is no denying that this snap el

May 26, 2025

[Lee Byung-jong] Bill Gates and global giving

You might call it a tale of two billionaires. One has pledged to give away nearly all his fortune to eradicate disease and reduce poverty worldwide. The other is busy slashing the world’s largest aid programs under the banner of cutting government waste. As you may have guessed, the former is Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and the latter is Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. These two of the world’s wealthiest individuals are pursuing radically different visions of their legacy — and depending on

May 23, 2025

[Lisa Jarvis] MAHA pushes unneeded glucose tracking

Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician and wellness influencer nominated by US President Donald Trump for surgeon general, is convinced the US is experiencing an epidemic of metabolic dysfunction — a crisis silently unfolding inside the cells of millions of Americans. One solution, she says, is giving people a close-up view of that crisis. Coincidentally, Levels, a company she co-founded, sells a system that allows people to continuously track their blood glucose levels in real time. She clai

May 22, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Directions for new foreign policies

South Korea is standing at a critical juncture with the imminent presidential election. After the unprecedented constitutional crisis triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's illegal imposition of martial law, the nation must now rebuild trust in its democratic institutions and its diplomacy. Though often overlooked by the public, foreign policy reflects a nation's values, priorities and credibility. Yoon's government pursued a foreign policy based on ideological alignment rather than natio

May 22, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Conservatism in South Korea at crossroads

South Korea is once again at a critical turning point. The upcoming presidential early election is more than a matter of selecting a new national leader. It is a referendum on the country's democratic resilience. Five months ago, former President Yoon Suk Yeol messed with democracy in Korea, declaring unconstitutional and illegal martial law, and the nation now has a chance to reaffirm its commitment to liberal democracy. The political and psychological damage from the Yoon administration's fina

May 21, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] We should be free from the specters of the past

One of the problems of South Korean politicians is their pertinacious obsession with the nation’s past. Instead of envisioning the future of their country, many of them are hopelessly haunted by the specters of history, never having overcome their accumulated grudges. When our left-wing politicians seized political power in 2017, they immediately implemented a committee for investigating the past and consequently disgraced and ruined so many people’s lives. According to recent press reports, Dem

May 21, 2025

[Lee Jae-min] Getting it restarted: This time let’s try a ‘soft approach’ for real consensus building

The world is getting hotter and hotter. The Geneva-based World Meteorological Organization’s report last January confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record. What’s even more startling is that the previous 10 years (2015-2024) were the warmest decade registered. We are feeling the heat, too. The National Institute of Fisheries Science of Korea reported that the country’s seawater in 2024 recorded the highest temperature (18.74 degrees Celsius) since 1968. No doubt climate change brings ab

May 20, 2025

[Grace Kao] Kitsch from DEVO to K-pop

I have one big regret from my college days at the University of California, Berkeley. I chose to attend my Japanese class rather than watch a free concert by the 1980s New Wave Group Devo. There are costs to being a serious student. Earlier this month, I remedied my mistake. I attended their concert, part of their 50th Anniversary tour. Devo is an abbreviation of the term de-evolution, and refers to the decline of humanity. The members hail from Ohio and they were art students at Kent State Univ

May 20, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Time to talk about hope, at long last

A week into official campaigns, the presidential race lacks the usual tension between major contenders, with opinion polls showing Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung headed for a resounding victory even if the People Power Party and New Reform Party suddenly unite behind one candidate. Hence, the June 3 early election will put the nation’s sharply polarized political sides at a crossroads. Will the People Power Party, the flagbearer of Korean conservatism and deeply entrenched ves

May 19, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Comparing Seoul and Tokyo

Seoul and Tokyo are two of the most populous capital cities in the world and often invite comparison. I took advantage of the opportunity after returning to Seoul from a recent visit to Tokyo. Both cities are not only the capital of their respective nations, but also the most dominant cities of their respective countries in nearly all areas of human activity. Despite this basic similarity, several significant differences emerge that affect the vibe of each. City populations vary depending on how

May 16, 2025

[Martin Schram] Speak truth to the nuclear powerless

Ever since those two mushroom clouds darkened the skies above the fiery hell that was Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world’s two nuclear superpowers somehow found ways to work together -- even in times of intense conflict -- to prevent the world from plunging itself into all out nuclear war. Yet, although we have gone 80 years without another nuclear bomb being detonated as an act of war, the fear of The Bomb remains as menacing as ever. This past week, we have been watching a nightmarish, longest

May 14, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] We need a leader of 'duty and honor'

On June 3, 2025, the Korean people will elect their new president, who will lead the country for five years. Undoubtedly, the future of South Korea will depend on what kind of leader Koreans will choose at that time. In the eyes of some foreign experts, South Korea is now at the crossroads of a capitalist country with a free-market economy and a socialist country where the government controls everything. South Korea is also caught in the crossfire of a trade war between two warring countries. Un

May 14, 2025

[Lim Woong] True profanity: Hypocrisy in high places

While student rulebooks routinely label swearing as a form of misconduct, the reality in today’s classrooms is far more nuanced. Many teachers find it hard to address, as students often use offensive language casually — sometimes to vent frustration, sometimes to assert identity, and at times, unfortunately, to wound others. Yet research shows that swearing, when used with intent and in the right context, can have psychological benefits. It can increase pain tolerance, enhance physical performan

May 13, 2025

[Amrit Amirapu, Arvind Subramanian] Manufacturing-led export strategies still make sense

With the specter of deglobalization looming large, developing economies are scrambling to devise new growth strategies. The most effective path to development in recent history -- specializing in export-oriented, unskilled labor-intensive manufacturing -- now appears to be blocked. The model that once propelled the economies of South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China and Vietnam is becoming less accessible for countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. What made the traditional development mo

May 12, 2025

[Yoo Choon-sik] Warnings over Korea’s economy

Warnings about serious economic conditions do more than simply forecast impending difficulties — they serve as urgent calls to action, urging individuals, institutions and nations to adjust their course before a disaster strikes. These warnings are not just theoretical predictions but critical signals meant to prompt meaningful changes before circumstances worsen beyond repair. One example of an advance warning having a positive effect is when an individual alters their lifestyle after receiving

May 12, 2025