[Lee Byung-jong] Multilateralism without the US?

The world has spent the past 80 years building the current multilateral system —anchored by institutions like the United Nations and the World Bank. Born from the devastation of two world wars, this system was largely designed and driven by the United States with the goal of ensuring lasting peace and shared prosperity. Yet it took only a few months — perhaps a few years, if counting his first term — for President Donald Trump to seriously disrupt this structure. By withdrawing from or weakening

May 9, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Power of justice

South Korea is again immersed in a high-stakes debate about justice — or the justices. The controversy reignited last week when the Supreme Court overturned an appellate court's ruling that had acquitted Lee Jae-myung, the front-runner in the upcoming presidential election. The case was returned to the Seoul High Court, with the Supreme Court claiming that the "not guilty" verdict in the second trial was flawed. The implications of the Supreme Court's decision were immense and deeply political.

May 8, 2025

[Grace Kao] BTS, the military and masculinity

In about a month, five members of BTS (Suga, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook) will complete their military service. Members Jin and J-Hope began theirs earlier and returned to civilian life in 2024. BTS Army are excited about the reunion of all seven members and regularly post countdown trackers. I think we are at D-43, but don’t quote me on that. Their impending return reminded me of an interview I had with a major international non-Korean media outlet just before BTS entered the military. The report

May 8, 2025

[Song Jong-hwan] Korea’s strategic path amid global upheaval

Since US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 1 imposing high tariffs, global backlash has intensified. Traditional allies such as the EU and Canada have voiced strong objections, while China has launched a fierce counteroffensive. Chinese manufacturers, which depend heavily on exports to the US, are grappling with a triple crisis — steep declines in shipments, factory shutdowns and rising unemployment. Meanwhile, American consumers, faced with surging prices, have taken to t

May 8, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] Reading 'Kapitan Lee' from a both/and perspective

I have long observed that in South Korea, people often tend to fall into an either/or trap, and thus divide everything into two opposite groups, such as good and evil, rich and poor, or win and lose. This includes the political arena: There are socialists and capitalists, progressives and conservatives, and patriots and traitors. Meanwhile, all those existing in the middle are completely ignored. It is no wonder that Korea has a reputation as a place where there is no middle ground. In Chon Kwan

May 7, 2025

[Elizabeth Shackelford] Motives of Trump’s foreign policy

“The United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest ally and partner. … At the same time, they’re talking about working positively with Russia (and) appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying murderous dictator. … Make that make sense.” I have thought a lot about what then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a March 4 news conference, in the aftermath of a notorious Oval Office meeting where President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance lambasted Ukrainian President Volo

May 7, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Japan battles overtourism

Golden Week has long been one of the busiest times to travel in Japan. A series of holidays starting on April 29 and ending May 5 gives people at least a week off work. This year, the crowds are bigger than ever as foreign tourists pour in while Japanese stay home. The weak yen and pent-up demand after the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in 2023 have driven much of the boom. Before the pandemic, Japan had been growing in popularity as policies, such as easier entry, to attract foreign

May 2, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] New president's urgent tasks

The presidential campaign season has officially begun in South Korea. With both major party candidates confirmed or being selected, Korea will be in an election frenzy for the next month or so. In such a short campaign period, it is natural for both sides to concentrate all their resources on victory. However, this election is heavily overshadowed by Yoon Suk Yeol's illegal and unconstitutional martial law declaration on Dec. 3. The actual campaign period is only about one month. There will be n

May 1, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Who do the soldiers stand for?

The early presidential election is the biggest concern in South Korea at the end of April. South Korea's presidential election was originally scheduled for March 2027. Still, the election will take place about two years earlier than that, with former President Yoon Suk Yeol having been removed for declaring illegal and unconstitutional martial law. However, there is another typhoon-like issue pending in Korea. It is the criminal trial of Yoon on insurrection charges. The trial examines whether Y

April 30, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] The pleasure of reading alternate history novels

They say that there are no “ifs” in history because what has been done cannot be undone. Still, sometimes we cannot help but wonder, “What if things had been different?” For example, we ponder, “What if John F. Kennedy had survived the assassination attempt?” Today’s America would be completely different. We may also ask, “What if the US had not intervened in the Korean War and thus North Korea had occupied the South?” “What if General Park Chung-hee had failed in his military coup?” or “What if

April 30, 2025

[Andrei Quinn-Barabanov, Vitaliano Tobruk] Tariffs: A disruptive force in global trade

Recent developments in global trade have highlighted the disruptive impact of tariffs on businesses and economies. While commonly used to protect domestic industry, the imposition of tariffs on another country often leads to higher costs and prices, disrupts supply chains, destabilizes businesses and harms supplier relationships. Tariffs can also provoke retaliatory actions including countertariffs, government investigations into companies, export restrictions and sanctions. As South Korean busi

April 29, 2025

[Lim Woong] Rethinking good teachers in Korea

Recently, there’s been growing concern about applicants with relatively low grades being admitted to elementary teacher colleges in Korea. Many people assume that teachers’ academic performance and content knowledge directly influence their effectiveness, fueling fears of declining teaching quality. The common explanation for why lower-scoring students are accepted is straightforward: high-achieving students are increasingly uninterested in teaching careers. Why? Because teachers' authority is w

April 29, 2025

[Marcel Fratzscher] EU must revive multilateralism

US President Donald Trump’s misguided trade war against the rest of the world could mark the beginning of the end for both his political dominance and his “Make America Great Again” movement -- but only if Germany and Europe can coordinate a powerful international response. The European Commission and the outgoing German government’s biggest mistake was to signal a willingness to concede to Trump’s demands, potentially turning his economic blunder into a political victory. It should be clear by

April 28, 2025

[Yoo Choon-sik] Statistical integrity must top governance agenda

We have been witnessing an exponential increase in the frequency of writings emphasizing the value of good governance over the past several years, particularly in debates on how to ensure that artificial intelligence innovation contributes to the sustained prosperity of humanity. South Koreans are also observing a growing number of discussions on governance issues in another context — sparked by the political turmoil following former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law in early

April 28, 2025

[Lee Byung-jong] Foreign students surge in Korea

Iseut’s interest in South Korea began when she was in high school in France. Initially drawn to Japanese culture, she soon became captivated by Korea — especially its “beautiful language.” Her fascination deepened as she became an avid fan of K-pop, particularly the 13-member group Super Junior. This growing passion eventually brought her to Korea, first as a language student and later as an exchange student. Now, after more than a decade of living and studying in Korea, Iseut is set to receive

April 25, 2025