[Editorial] Falling income

Korea’s gross national income fell 0.1 percent from a quarter earlier to 375 trillion won ($312 billion) in the April-June period, marking the first drop since the fourth quarter of 2010, according to figures released by the central bank last week.The decline was attributed mainly to a significant slump in net factor income from abroad ― the difference between incomes earned and paid overseas. Net factor income from abroad plunged from 5.6 trillion won in the first quarter to 1.3 trillion won in

Sept. 6, 2015

[Editorial] Wealth hidden abroad

The finance and justice ministers said in a joint statement this week that the government would offer immunity to people and corporations that come clean over their earnings and assets hidden abroad. The window for voluntary declarations will be open from Oct. 1 through March 31. 　Those who report hidden overseas holdings during the six-month grace period will only be obliged to pay overdue taxes without being slapped with heavy punitive fines. They will also be given leniency for violating laws

Sept. 4, 2015

[Editorial] Tasks ahead

The sight of President Park Geun-hye standing alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with Russian President Vladimir Putin placed between them, at a massive military parade in Beijing on Thursday may well be seen as signaling what some observers call a seismic change of the diplomatic configuration in Northeast Asia. Choe Ryong-hae, a key aide to North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un, was seen at the end of a row of foreign dignitaries watching the parade from a rostrum overlooking Tiananmen Square.　It w

Sept. 4, 2015

[Editorial] Hastily drawn plan

The new government plan for handling infectious diseases announced on Tuesday gives more power to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in dealing with outbreaks of contagious diseases.　The most notable change is the elevation of the post of KCDC head to a vice-ministerial appointment. In raising the status of the organization, the government gave the KCDC full and sole authority to handle infectious diseases at all levels of alert with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of

Sept. 3, 2015

[Editorial] More reunions necessary

When the Korean Red Cross and North Korea’s Red Cross Society meet on Sept. 7 to work out the details of the upcoming reunion of separated families, the issue of regularizing such reunions should be discussed as people separated by the Korea War are aging and in declining health.　According to figures provided by the Korean Red Cross, 18,799 South Koreans have met with their families separated across the border in 19 separate reunions since the first reunion was held in August 2000. 　Compounding

Sept. 3, 2015

[Editorial] College restructuring

Nearly 80 percent of high school graduates enter college in Korea. Even if this proportion -- the highest in the world -- remains unchanged in the coming years, universities and colleges across the country will have increasing difficulty filling their rolls.　Due to a low birthrate, the number of high school graduates is forecast to decrease from 630,000 in 2013 to 400,000 in 2023 -- far below this year’s combined enrollment of universities and colleges at 560,000.　This projection has raised the

Sept. 2, 2015

[Editorial] FTAs ratification

Data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy showed Korea’s exports shrank at the steepest pace in six years in August, marking the eighth consecutive month of decline. Shipments abroad reached $39 billion in August, down 14.7 percent from the same month in 2014, the largest on-year drop since August 2009, when the country’s exports plunged 20.9 percent from a year earlier.　The plunge in exports, the key growth engine of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, was largely attribute

Sept. 2, 2015

[Editorial] Eliciting Chinese action

When President Park Geun-hye leaves for Beijing today, it will not be with a light heart. The decision to attend China’s Victory Day celebrations, including the military parade, was reached after weighing the pros and cons of participating in the events that are being shunned by Western leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama, as well as Japan’s Shinzo Abe. 　In considering the visit, the denuclearization of North Korea appears to have been the priority. Following the recent heightened mili

Sept. 1, 2015

[Editorial] Highest suicide rate

The latest OECD Health Statistics held dismal news for Korea. The country’s suicide rate stood at the top among the 25 of the 34 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member states for which figures were available.　The average suicide rate among the 25 countries stood at 11.9 persons per 100,000. At 29.1 persons per 100, 000, the suicide rate in Korea was more than double the average OECD figure for 2012. In fact, the country has topped the list since 2003 when the suicide rate r

Sept. 1, 2015

[Editorial] Rebuilding momentum

Apparently emboldened by a rare inter-Korean deal on defusing tensions and promoting exchanges, South Korea’s top nuclear envoy last week expressed hope for fresh momentum in efforts to denuclearize North Korea. Speaking at a forum in Seoul on Friday, he expected the nuclear issue to be discussed directly between the two Koreas. 　His anticipation seems still far from being realized, given remarks made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a meeting of the Central Military Commission of the r

Aug. 31, 2015

[Editorial] Multicultural students

Figures released by the Education Ministry last week showed the number of children from multicultural families attending elementary, middle and high schools across the country stood at 82,536 as of April, accounting for 1.4 percent of all students. This represents a 21.7 percent increase from a year earlier.　In particular, more than 2 percent of elementary school pupils had multicultural backgrounds. The number of multicultural students is set to continue to rise sharply, with about 5 percent of

Aug. 31, 2015

[Editorial] Chung’s contributions

In an interview with a local newspaper, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director Chung Myung-whun said that he would not renew his contract, which expires at the end of the year.　His frustration with the continuing controversy surrounding his pay and alleged misuse of travel expenses by family members was palpable in the interview.　Chung’s troubles started late last year, when he stood by the SPO members who issued a statement alleging sexual harassment and abuse by then-SPO CEO Park Hy

Aug. 30, 2015

[Editorial] Heavier punishment

Phone scammers got their just deserts when the Daegu District Court sentenced two men to six years in jail for setting up call centers in China and Korea that were used to defraud unsuspecting Koreans. 　The court also handed down five-year and 4 1/2-year sentences to two others for their roles in managing the criminal group in a precedent-setting case, in which people engaged in phone-based financial scams were found guilty of committing crimes as an organized crime syndicate. Thirty-one people

Aug. 30, 2015

[Editorial] Labor reform talks

It is welcome that the tripartite committee has resumed its negotiations for labor market reform, which had been in hiatus since April. The Federation of Korean Trade Union’s decision to return to the table paved the way for the resumption of the talks. 　Heads of the three parties — Labor Minister Lee Ki-won, FKTU leader Kim Dong-man and Bahk Byong-won, president of the Korea Employers Federation — met with the head of the tripartite panel, Kim Dae-hwan, Thursday. On the surface, the meeting see

Aug. 28, 2015

[Editorial] Renewal of opposition?

The word “south-south conflict” describes the different — often opposite — positions South Koreans take on North Korea, be of its leader, its security threat or how to achieve reunification. 　The conflict escalates when there is a major crisis — like the North’s torpedo attack on the South’s Cheonan corvette in 2010. Some South Koreans still dispute the Seoul government’s finding that the naval ship and 46 of its crew sank after a torpedo attack from a North Korean submarine. 　Sometimes oppositi

Aug. 28, 2015

[Editorial] Sex education in schools

The Education Ministry’s newly issued national standard on sex education should be thoroughly reviewed by experts and revised before it is used in schools.　It took the Education Ministry some two years and 600 million won to prepare the manual on sex education that is being heavily criticized by experts and civic groups for its false information, misleading remarks and blatantly sexist bias. 　The sex education material for first and second grade elementary school students states “(male) sexual d

Aug. 27, 2015

[Editorial] Yet another Hangang plan

The central government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government jointly announced a master plan for the development of the Hangang River and its riverbank earlier this week, signaling the start of yet another large-scale attempt to exploit one of the capital’s major assets.　The plan, which was one year in the making, divides the Hangang River into seven regions for multiphase development into a tourism destination while at the same time restoring the river’s ecology.　The first phase of the developm

Aug. 27, 2015

[Editorial] Unified stance

Speaking at a workshop for ruling party lawmakers Tuesday, Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo said the “biggest strength” that led to the inter-Korean breakthrough reached earlier in the day was that “the (South Korean) people stayed together.”　Hong, who attended days of intensive high-level talks between the two Koreas, said he responded to the North’s elusive and unreasonable attitude by saying “the people are watching” during the course of negotiations.　He had good reason to say so. The South

Aug. 26, 2015

[Editorial] Elderly abuse

The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy is pushing to enact a law designed to force people to take more responsibility in taking care of their elderly parents. The envisioned act would allow elders to take back assets given to children who neglect their caregiving obligations. Under the current law, it is impossible for parents to revoke asset transfers to their children unless such obligations are specified in the form of a contract.　NPAD lawmakers are also pushing ahead with th

Aug. 26, 2015

[Editorial] Simply wrong

Korean shipbuilders are a dominant force in the global market, with names like Hyundai Heavy, Daewoo and Samsung occupying the industry’s top posts in terms of orders received.  　But the former darling of Korea Inc. is now in deep trouble, as the fleet of the world’s biggest shipbuilding firms are in rough waters, struggling with a global slump, low oil prices and stiff challenges from rivals, not least Chinese shipbuilders. 　Specifically, the Korean shipyards’ excessive competition to win order

Aug. 25, 2015