[Editorial] Bad neighbor

Not many had expected that South Korea could deploy the U.S. advanced missile defense system as easily as it brings in an American-made automobile. But the allies’ decision to deploy it here is facing increasingly formidable challenges. There are two major fronts the Park Geun-hye administration are confronting regarding the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system – opposition from China and within South Korea. China’s protests had long been anticipated, but latest developme

Aug. 7, 2016

[Editorial] THAAD compromise

President Park Geun-hye is trying to reach a compromise with angry residents in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, over the U.S.’s plan to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in the county by next year.Park has said the administration is willing to change the site where the THAAD will be stationed if there are other locations the county can recommend. But she has clarified that the new location should be within Seongju.Seongju residents, including lawmakers from the Daegu-North

Aug. 5, 2016

[Editorial] Boon or bane?

The Corporate Vitality Enhancement Act will take effect in about a week. The law, which was legislated in February, is designed to revitalize ailing industries, such as shipbuilding and steelmaking, which have been suffering from a glut among global competitors.Policymakers say that the law -- which is better known as the “one-shot” law -- would provide conglomerates with decent opportunities to streamline ailing business segments by merging units with similar functions.The special law is drawin

Aug. 5, 2016

[Editorial] Too expedient

The recent series of cases in which the court rejected prosecutors’ requests for warrants to detain criminal suspects shows that the prosecution has yet to shake off an old-time practice that often draws public criticism. This calls for the public and the legislature to put pressure on the prosecution to add the issue to the self-reform agenda being pushed by a task force set up by the prosecutor-general. Prosecutors’ tendency to abuse their right to detain suspects is nothing new, especially in

Aug. 4, 2016

[Editorial] Precious lessons

The cheating scandal involving German automaker Volkswagen should teach Korean government officials and consumers precious lessons. First, the case centering around the carmaker’s deceit on the levels of noise, emissions and fuel efficiency of its products tells us that we should not have blind faith in any top brand -- be it its technology or honesty. Businesses will do whatever it takes to make money, and we should never completely trust what they say. The initial shock from the scandal was gr

Aug. 4, 2016

[Editorial] N.K. cyberattacks

North Korea is stepping up cyberattacks on the South, increasingly targeting national security officials, critical infrastructure and large corporations.  As the North’s cyber threats to national security increase, the government needs to bolster preparedness and push for the enactment of a law on cyber terrorism.The North’s latest cyberattacks targeted some 90 diplomats, defense officials, journalists and researchers specializing in North Korean issues.The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said Monda

Aug. 3, 2016

[Editorial] Excess surpluses

Korea continues to register a large current account surplus despite a prolonged export slump. Data released by the Bank of Korea shows the nation’s current account posted the largest-ever monthly surplus of $12.17 billion in June, extending the surplus streak to a record 52 months. The June figure boosted the aggregate surplus for the first half of the year to $50 billion, surpassing the central bank’s forecast of $48 billion. The bank expects the surplus to reach $95 billion by the end of the y

Aug. 3, 2016

[Editorial] Party leadership races　

Leadership races at the ruling Saenuri Party and main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea are in full swing. But their campaigning, which could have helped invigorate each party, is highly likely to turn out to be a mediocre event. Saenuri’s five candidates have begun a joint stump tour of the country, which will end in Seoul on Saturday, three days before the party elects its new leader at a national convention. At the Minjoo Party, four candidates have thrown their hats into the ring, and one of

Aug. 2, 2016

[Editorial] Real reputation

The dispute over Ewha Womans University’s plan to open a new lifelong education college for working women shows that all parties involved -- university officials and students, as well as government officials -- need to search their own souls. First, school authorities need to explain why they let the students and professors know about the plan just days before the announcement. Such a decision requires understanding -- if not active support and agreement -- from the students. Students -- especia

Aug. 2, 2016

[Editorial] Child abuse

Child protection agencies in the nation are too short-staffed. A special law for children has come into force, but effective implementation appears difficult due to the lack of counsellors, budget and infrastructure.The number of child protection agencies stands at 56, with all facilities run by private child advocacy organizations. The number of staff members is 522 and the number of shelters for children is 46. Each shelter can house just seven children.According to a civic group, a counsellor

Aug. 1, 2016

[Editorial] Currency volatility

South Korea is facing greater volatility in the U.S. dollar-won exchange rate, with uncertainty aggravating the overall economy.Following the Brexit vote in June, the Korean currency posted a weak position against the dollar, with the greenback closing at 1,182.3 won on June 27 -- the trading session that followed the results of the referendum. Many traders were expecting the won to further depreciate.However, the local currency reached 1,120.2 won against the dollar on July 29, which is its str

Aug. 1, 2016

[Editorial] Elite N.K. defectors

A growing number of affluent North Koreans are defecting, suggesting the country’s elite are increasingly shaken up by the tightening global sanctions imposed on it.　Most recently, a North Korean teenage mathematics genius sought refuge at the South Korean consulate in Hong Kong. The defector was a member of a North Korean delegation to the annual International Mathematical Olympiad, which was held in Hong Kong from July 6 to 16.　The 18-year-old student is reportedly part of the privileged class

July 31, 2016

[Editorial] Scratching one’s own back

The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office is set to launch a reform drive to strengthen the moral fiber and integrity of prosecutors and overhaul its top-down organizational culture.　The prosecution has created a reform council under instructions from Prosecutor General Kim Soo-nam. The council consists of four task forces that would address such problems as corruption among prosecutors, a military-style command culture, abuse of prosecutorial powers and unreasonable division of labor.  　The push for refo

July 31, 2016

[Editorial] Amendment needed

Last year, local journalists as well as private school organizations filed four separate petitions, asking the Constitutional Court to review the antigraft law, also called the Kim Young-ran Act.　However, the court had said the law does not put direct restriction on contact between journalists and their sources, or on their legal rights to report and to inform the public. The petition filed by private school teachers was dismissed for similar reasons.　Under the law, journalists and private schoo

July 29, 2016

[Editorial] Corporate tax

The tax code revision pushed this week has somewhat reflected policymakers’ efforts to maximize the effect of the government-led supplementary budget worth 11 trillion won ($9.8 billion). The taxation policy involves easing tax burdens on the corporate sector.　The easing is somewhat laudable in terms of minimizing fallout from full-fledged corporate restructuring in the ailing industrial sectors. In addition, major conglomerates are suffering a protracted export slump.　The Finance Ministry also

July 29, 2016

[Editorial] Working from home

The government’s campaign to raise the nation’s low fertility rate is not working, based on data for May released by Statistics Korea. 　During the six months since December, the number of newborns fell each month compared to a year ago. In May, 34,400 babies were born, a drop of 5.8 percent from a year earlier. Other months saw a similar decline. The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates that Korea’s fertility rate in the first half of the year would remain below 1.2.The data suggests that th

July 28, 2016

[Editorial] Domestic tourism

More Koreans are traveling abroad despite the economic slowdown and a spate of terrorist attacks worldwide. The number of Koreans who went overseas in the first half of the year reached 10.6 million, up 16.2 percent from a year ago, according to the Korean Tourism Organization. Travel agencies expect a much steeper increase in outbound tourists during the summer holiday season, which is expected to last until the Sept. 14-16 Chuseok holiday this year.On July 24, Incheon International Airport set

July 28, 2016

[Editorial] Legend or myth?

Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju belongs to a new breed of entrepreneurs who have engineered Korea’s information technology boom and built their own business empires. In many respects, Kim and his fellow IT gurus like Naver’s Lee Hae-jin, Kakao founder Kim Beom-soo and NCSoft founder Kim Taek-jin can be called Korea’s Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. All in their late 40s, they went to schools that draw the nation’s brightest -- Seoul National University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Sc

July 27, 2016

[Editorial] Chinese way

China, like many other countries, has many faces. It boasts the world’s second-largest economy, military power and advanced technologies in some sectors like aerospace. At the same time, China has yet to overcome backwardness in its political and economic system and various social norms which lag behind international standards.  The country also needs to overcome the skepticism about its vision to become a global superpower equaling the U.S. The skepticism is based on Chinese leaders’ failure to

July 27, 2016

[Editorial] Probing prosecutors

The prosecution has been exercising exclusive authority to indict and control police investigations.The late President Roh Moo-hyun had tried to set up an independent entity in an apparent bid to check the power of prosecutors, but failed due to tough resistance from the prosecution and conservative lawmakers.The independent entity refers to a new state agency, which would be specialized in investigating corruption cases involving high-ranking government officials as well as prosecutors.The urge

July 26, 2016