[Editorial] Hollow promises

Major presidential candidates have announced a barrage of election promises to increase welfare without offering ways to raise funds.They have pledged cash allowances to older people, young job seekers and parents with children.　Such pledges are worrisome in that they may strain government finances because it is difficult to cut allowances once they begin to be paid out, and the amount tends to keep rising.　According to the calculations made by a local media outlet Wednesday, most candidates fro

April 20, 2017

[Editorial] Change in security views

Two leading presidential candidates have showed inconsistent views on national security.　They have been changing their stances, with national security emerging as a hot campaign issue amid mounting military tension on the Korean Peninsula. Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea initially called for the government to review its decision to host the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system. He had opposed the US missile shield being deployed in Korea. Some figures in his camp

April 19, 2017

[Editorial] Missing issue

The labor reform issue is lying low in presidential campaigns. Korea has been advised by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and the International Monetary Fund to reform its labor market. They blamed the duality in the Korean labor market, which divides regular and non-regular workers, as a major hurdle to growth.Labor reform is a key issue, but it is also a difficult and politically burdensome problem involving conflicts of interest. And candidates avoid discussing labor reform as it may

April 18, 2017

[Editorial] Self-reinforcement

North Korea continues to resort to brinksmanship despite the growing international pressure against its nuclear and missile provocations. Defying warnings, including the strongest yet from the US, the North attempted to test-fire a missile Sunday, on the day US Vice President Mike Pence began a three-day visit to South Korea. The launch in the North’s east coast of the unidentified missile ended in failure, as did a medium-range ballistic missile lifted from the same area on April 5. The North’s

April 17, 2017

[Editorial] Moon-Ahn debate

The official campaign began today after candidates completed their respective registrations for the presidential election, Saturday and Sunday. 　The duration of the campaign is just 22 days, as the election is being held early due to the presidential impeachment. The next president will be elected on May 9 and take office the following day without a transition period.The campaign is too short not only for candidates to pull out all the stops to win over voters, but for voters to grasp their trai

April 16, 2017

[Editorial] Unsustainable pledges

Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea pledged economic growth through increased fiscal spending.Though he named his vision “human-centered economic growth,” its point is the government will lead economic growth with taxes.Under his plan, Moon will double the annual increase rate of government expenditure from 3.5 percent to 7 percent and invest the increased budget in economic projects, including one for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He said he would seek to raise tax rates if needed.

April 14, 2017

[Editorial] Hope for change

The ongoing presidential election is different from past ones in many respects. Most of all, the election is being rushed as a result of the first-ever ouster of the president due to impeachment. Also conspicuous is that the corruption and influence-peddling scandal that resulted in Park’s impeachment alienated many people from conservative parties. The race is therefore dominated by two liberal candidates -- Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo -- with the two conservatives -- Hong Joon-pyo and Yoo Se

April 13, 2017

[Editorial] Pre-emptive strike

Concern about possible armed clashes on the Korean Peninsula is mounting, with North Korea expected to conduct an atomic bomb test in the near future and a US aircraft carrier group heading to South Korean waters.　US President Donald Trump has vowed to act against the North unilaterally if China refuses to help him. He has asked his national security team for a “full range of options to remove” the North Korean threat. The options are believed to include military action.The recent US missile att

April 12, 2017

[Editorial] Still under delusion

The state prosecution’s investigation of detained former President Park Geun-hye is in its final stretch, with prosecutors expected to indict her soon. Her indictment will end the first stage of the high-profile corruption scandal that has battered the nation since last October. The impending action against Park will be preceded by the indictment of one of her closest former aides, Woo Byung-woo, who is accused of abusing his power and aiding and abetting Park’s confidante Choi Soon-sil in meddl

April 11, 2017

[Editorial] Negative campaigning

Two leading presidential candidates, Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea and Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party, are escalating attacks on each other as the competition heats up.The Moon campaign raised allegations that Ahn has links with gangsters, based on a group photo taken at his campaign event, and that his wife received special favors when she was a professor at Seoul National University, citing some online comments. Moon’s campaign also slammed Ahn as a plagiarist, claiming tha

April 10, 2017

[Editorial] Uncertain future

Barking dogs seldom bite. US President Donald Trump lived up to that idiom as he apparently did not push -- or failed to -- Chinese President Xi Jinping over North Korea as hard as he had said would. The summit, held at a Trump resort in Florida, ended without a joint statement or news conference, although the two leaders said their talks led to progress in relations between their countries. There seems to have been no progress, however, in their discussions on North Korea’s nuclear and missile

April 9, 2017

[Editorial] Fair vetting

Campaigning for the May 9 presidential election is heating up, with contenders bolstering attacks against their rivals. This means voters should be attentive and prudent about not letting the vetting process degenerate into negative campaigning. 　The most conspicuous recent development in the campaign is that the monthslong solo spurt of Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea has all but ended, as the race has quickly shaped into a mostly two-way race between Moon and Ahn Cheol-soo of the

April 7, 2017

[Editorial] Ultrafine dust

The cloud of fine dust settling over Korea worsens each year, and with the hazy impact of government measures, the chances of seeing clear skies do not look good.In Seoul, the cubic meter concentration of fine airborne dust -- particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter -- increased from 46 micrograms in 2014 to 48 micrograms in 2016. That of ultrafine dust -- particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter -- also rose from 23 micrograms in 2012 to 26 micrograms in 2016. According to p

April 6, 2017

[Editorial] Real innovation

The seemingly successful launch of K bank, the nation’s first internet-only bank and the seventh first-tier commercial bank, should be hailed for several good reasons. First, it is good for financial consumers -- many of whom are going through economic difficulties due to an extended slump -- to have a bank that offers higher interest rates for depositors and lower rates for borrowers. It should also be noted that the bank offers loans to those with relatively low credit ratings who would not be

April 5, 2017

[Editorial] Conditions for coalition

All eyes are on whether presidential candidates will unite for one-to-one rivalry against Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea.Now that party nominations are over and as competition among nominees has just started, a coalition or single candidacy looks unlikely at present.To begin with, uniting the Bareun Party and the Liberty Korea Party would not be easy, as the two conservative parties are far from integration. They are battling hard for leadership in traditionally conservative electo

April 4, 2017

[Editorial] Pressuring Xi

As US President Donald Trump will be hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for their first summit later this week, the US government is putting pressure on Beijing to do its due role to resolve North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. Last week, the US government announced new sanctions against North Korea, the first of their kind by the Trump administration. The announcement of the fresh sanctions came two days after the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a set of bipartisan bills on North

April 3, 2017

[Editorial] Ahn's rise

Ahn Cheol-soo, former leader of the People’s Party, is quickly rising as a strong presidential contender.　According to the Gallop Korea poll conducted from March 28-30, Ahn surged to second place. The second spot had been occupied by South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung, who is competing in the primary of the Democratic Party of Korea.　Ahn gained 9 percentage points to 19 percent, almost doubling his support from a week earlier, An fell to 14 percent and Moon was unchanged with 31 percent

April 2, 2017

[Editorial] Park’s imprisonment

Former President Park Geun-hye was arrested and jailed Friday over corruption charges. The Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant for Park after interrogating her Thursday.　It was a result of well-functioning law and democracy, and will be recorded as a turning point in modern Korean history. Citizens rose up against her over a corruption scandal, the National Assembly voted to impeach her, the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment motion, the prosecution investigated and requested

March 31, 2017

[Editorial] Pressure on China

The National Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution condemning China’s retaliation against the deployment of a US missile shield system here. Five political parties, including the far-left Justice Party, supported the resolution. Such a resolution is long overdue and its adoption should become an occasion to start speaking up against the Beijing government, which has been acting like a bully. One good aspect of the parliamentary resolution is that it embraced liberal groups such as the Democra

March 30, 2017

[Editorial] Challenges facing Moon

The lineup of primary winners is being finalized.The field for the presidential race is expected to narrow down to four major candidates: Moon Jae-in, Ahn Cheol-soo, Hong Joon-pyo and Yoo Seong-min.Moon, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, solidified his status as the most likely nominee of the party by earning 60.2 percent of votes in North and South Jeolla Provinces.Ahn, ex-chairman of the People’s Party, practically secured the nomination with 64.6 percent of primary votes in

March 29, 2017