Canada reaffirms commitment with Korea to address global challenges

Canadian Embassy reaffirmed its commitment with Korea to address global challenges at an event hosted to mark the 60th anniversary of Canada-Korea diplomatic relations in Seoul on Thursday. Canada established diplomatic relations with Korea on Jan. 14, 1963. Delivering a welcoming address at the event, the Canadian Embassy's Charge d'Affaires, Tamara Mawhinney highlighted the significance of the 60 years of Canada-Korea relations. She expressed Canada's commitment to the Comprehen

Foreign AffairsJan. 16, 2023

[Eduardo Porter] First the US, then Brazil. Where next?

There is something pathetic about the gangs of crazed supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro that stormed Brazil’s congressional building, presidential offices and Supreme Court on Sunday. Congress was not even in session. The mutineers were late: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had been inaugurated a week before. He wasn’t even in the capital on the day, but in Sao Paulo, 1,000 kilometers. away. If they hoped to topple democracy and prevent the peaceful transfer of power

ViewpointsJan. 16, 2023

[Robert J. Fouser] US-China relations downward spiral

Normally, the election of a speaker of the US House of Representatives doesn’t make much news, but not this year. After four days of voting and 15 ballots, Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected speaker in the early hours of last Saturday. To get over the top, McCarthy gave into a long list of demands from far-right members of his paper-thin Republican majority. Starting Monday this week, the new Republican majority began exerting its control over the House. Votes on the rules package, th

ViewpointsJan. 13, 2023

[Clive Crook] US, UK conservatives in a fix

For the past few years, the US and the UK have followed strikingly similar political trajectories. Against all odds, populist uprisings captured both countries’ conservative parties, secured power and embarked on projects of national transformation. These efforts went badly (to put it generously), and in due course support for the rebellions subsided. Lately voters have been calling for a rethink. In both countries, this is proving harder than you’d suppose. In 2016, Americans stunne

ViewpointsJan. 12, 2023

[Wang Son-taek] Drones incurred lots of ugly scenes. The worst is partisanship

Dec. 26 last year was a shameful day for the South Korean military. As five drones from North Korea infiltrated into the South Korean airspace for many hours, it failed to shoot them down and only watched as one returned to the North. Military authorities should not only reflect on the disappointment of the people, but also focus on establishing measures to prevent a recurrence. The task should be shared by the government and at national levels. However, looking at the recent discussions in Se

ViewpointsJan. 12, 2023

[Kim Seong-kon] Standing between the winds and the waves

Metaphorically speaking, South Korea stands between the winds and the waves. That is to say, South Korea is located between continental and oceanic civilizations. According to the late cultural critic, Lee O-young, in the countries that belong to the continental civilization, people frequently use expressions with the word “wind” in it. For example, they say, “What wind brought you here?” Or “the coffee wind is blowing,” meaning: “Drinking coffee is fash

ViewpointsJan. 11, 2023

[Doyle McManus] Who won from US House fight?

The television split screen told the story. On one side, Republicans in the House of Representatives labored through the fourth of the 15 ballots they needed during four days of gridlock to choose Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker. On the other side, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell stood beaming with President Joe Biden as they congratulated each other for a bipartisan success: a $1.6 billion deal to replace a crumbling highway bridge across the Ohio River. On one side, partisan dysfunctio

ViewpointsJan. 11, 2023

[Peter Singer] In defense of the art-targeting climate activists

Last July, two activists from Just Stop Oil entered London’s National Gallery and made their way to John Constable’s “The Hay Wain,” an iconic painting of rural England as it was 200 years ago. After covering the painting with an image of environmental destruction, they glued their hands to the frame and awaited arrest. Three months later, another pair of activists went to the National Gallery and threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers.” In

ViewpointsJan. 10, 2023

[Jerald McNair] We need to take bold steps to help our struggling youths in 2023

Starting the new year with legislation that prohibits anyone younger than 18 from having a social media account would benefit our youths. In Texas, that could become a reality. A state representative there has proposed legislation that would ban minors from having social media profiles. While it certainly will be met with some criticism, there is enough data to support this legislation. Consider the rising number of youths suffering from depression and anxiety. From 2005 to 2015, depression incr

ViewpointsJan. 10, 2023

[John Mark Hansen] McCarthy has won - at an alarming cost

For the past four days, Americans and others around the world have had their eyes glued to the spectacle of the US House of Representatives trying -- and failing, 14 times -- to elect a new Speaker. Now, by making even more concessions, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California has finally grasped the gavel. McCarthy has won, but at an alarming cost for the country and his own party. Some features of the conflict in the Republican Party that we saw on display this week are nothing new. Every party has i

ViewpointsJan. 9, 2023

[Shang-Jin Wei] Can China save its economic miracle?

China’s recent decision to abandon its strict zero-COVID policy has led many to believe that its economy will bounce back. The Economist Intelligence Unit, for example, has revised its forecast for Chinese GDP growth in 2023 upward, to 5.2 percent. But growth recovery is not automatic, and China must contend with several challenges, including declining confidence among firms and households about their future incomes in the short run, insufficient productivity growth in the medium run, and

ViewpointsJan. 6, 2023

[Martin Schram] A New Year’s border crisis resolution

Ever true to its traditions, Official Washington has celebrated its holidays by toasting its successes, and then cruising comfortably into yet another new year. So this is the right time to remind our capital’s cognoscenti that some areas of Washington governance can and must do better in 2023. We can think of three: executive, legislative and judicial. Each of the three official branches of government has always provided us with insider wisdom on just what is wrong with the other two. And

ViewpointsJan. 5, 2023

[Lee Kyong-hee] Calming your soul at celadon exhibit

For readers seeking a peaceful interlude at the start of the new year, I would suggest visiting the renovated celadon gallery at the National Museum of Korea. A moment of tranquility and self-reflection in aesthetic ambience may help reset and recharge for the challenging times ahead. The gallery has been carefully remodeled to emphasize the beauty of outstanding celadon objects from the Goryeo period (918-1392), the zenith of traditional Korean art. The centerpiece of the gallery is a room name

ViewpointsJan. 5, 2023