[Editorial] Pope’s visit to Korea

Pope Francis, revered for his humility, modest way of living, care for the underprivileged and message of brotherly love and peace, will visit South Korea in August. Hosting a man who commands such high respect and admiration is an honor not only for Korea’s 5 million Roman Catholics but for all Koreans. The pope’s Aug. 14-18 visit will cap off one of the most eventful, exciting years for Korea’s Catholic Church. In January, the pontiff appointed Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, archbishop of Seoul, the th

March 12, 2014

[Editorial] Differentiated fines

It is an indisputable axiom in constitutional democracy that everybody is equal before the law. This idea is as strong in Korea as it is in any other society, with many Korean citizens concerned about whether the law is actually applied to the rich and the poor in an equal manner.Under the law here, the same fine is imposed on people who commit the same minor offense, regardless of the difference between their incomes or assets. At first glance, this system seems fair and in accordance with the

March 11, 2014

[Editorial] Few female candidates

Former two-term lawmaker Lee Hye-hoon seems determined to fight an uphill battle against two heavyweight figures to be nominated the ruling Saenuri Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor in the June local elections.A series of opinion polls have shown that she is a distant third in a three-way race against Rep. Chung Mong-joon, a seven-term legislator and owner of the world’s largest shipbuilder, and former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik. Lee still believes she has a chance of coming from behind to def

March 11, 2014

[Editorial] Carbon tax

Controversy continues over the government’s plan to provide subsidies to purchasers of low-emission passenger cars while collecting levies from buyers of high-emission vehicles.The Ministry of Environment plans to introduce the bonus-malus plan starting in 2015 as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. A national climate change plan calls for a 34 percent cut in greenhouse emissions in this sector by 2020 from a business-as-usual projection made in 2

March 10, 2014

[Editorial] NIS scandal again?

Allegations have been raised that the National Intelligence Service played a role in fabricating evidence against a North Korean defector being tried on charges of espionage.Prosecutors launched a full-fledged probe into the allegations Friday, banning several NIS agents from leaving the country for their alleged involvement in the evidence forgery.Now the central question is no longer whether Yoo Woo-seong, a 34-year-old defector from the North who served as a civil servant for the Seoul munici

March 10, 2014

[Editorial] China’s growing menace

A recent report by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies showed that the gap between Asian and Western military spending continued to narrow as Asia’s defense spending rose, while most Western countries cut their defense budgets. The IISS report said that real defense spending is not only on the rise in the Asia-Pacific, but its growth rate has accelerated in recent years. Specifically, it noted that China’s defense spending far outpaced that of its neighbors. As if to v

March 9, 2014

[Editorial] Birthrate crisis

That Korea has one of the world’s lowest birthrates and it is headed to become a super-aging society is hardly news anymore. Yet, the latest government statistics on the falling birthrate should ring an alarm bell. The number of babies born in the country dropped for the first time in four years in 2013. The 436,600 babies born last year was a decrease of 48,000 or 9.9 percent from a year earlier. The number represents the lowest since 2005 and marks the first time since 2009 that the number of

March 9, 2014

[Editorial] Doctors set to walk out

As announced, doctors are expected to go on a one-day strike on March 10 before launching a work-to-rule struggle from March 11 to 23 and a six-day strike immediately thereafter. Yet their collective action is unlikely to cause chaos as hospitals will not participate in it. Earlier this week, the Korean Medical Association announced the strike plan after physicians across the nation overwhelmingly voted last week in favor of strike action to protest the government’s plan to introduce telemedicin

March 7, 2014

[Editorial] Budgetary black hole

A rapid expansion of the free lunch program for students is taking its toll on teachers and poorer students. For many metropolitan and provincial educational offices, the program has become a massive budgetary black hole that sucks up funds set aside for other purposes.The seriousness of the problem is well-illustrated by a plunge this year in the number of newly appointed teachers. In February, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education appointed only 3.5 percent ― 38 out of 990 ― eligible cand

March 7, 2014

[Editorial] New BOK governor

Lee Ju-yeol’s name had been floated by the media as a potential nominee, but it was still a little surprising that President Park Geun-hye chose him as the next governor of the Bank of Korea, as there were seemingly stronger candidates. Unlike his predecessors, Lee, who retired from the BOK as senior deputy governor in 2012 after 35 years of service, is neither a star economist with an impressive resume nor a prominent bureaucrat. Nor is he a member of the president’s inner circle. Detractors sa

March 6, 2014

[Editorial] Rule of law

It is a typical scene in street demonstrations. Lawmakers and politicians, usually from the opposition, join the front rows of sit-in rallies or street marches. More often than not, they engage in illegal activities, including violating police lines or physically obstructing police officers.Out of respect for the “people’s representatives,” or more realistically, out of fear of political reprisals, police usually exclude lawmakers when they take illegal demonstrators into custody. But rewind to

March 6, 2014

[Editorial] Tokyo-Pyongyang contact

Red Cross officials from North Korea and Japan agreed to continue negotiations on the possible repatriation of the remains of Japanese nationals buried in the North at their talks Monday in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang. Pyongyang’s chief delegate said the talks were underway “in a serious mood” and were “productive.”The Red Cross talks, the first of their kind since August 2012, drew attention as government officials from the two sides also attended. A Japanese news agency reported

March 5, 2014

[Editorial] North Korea’s motives

North Korea has recently made a string of provocations that appear well-measured to boost its position without stifling the burgeoning reconciliatory mood between the two Koreas and subjecting itself to additional sanctions from the international community. It seems a reasonable assumption that the North may go further to raise tensions a few more notches in the coming period.This situation shows that Seoul officials need a more sophisticated and flexible approach toward Pyongyang than adhering

March 5, 2014

[Editorial] Time to open rice market

One important issue that the government has to decide in the next few months is whether to open the nation’s rice market to foreign exporters, as Korea must inform the World Trade Organization of its decision by September.Under the Uruguay Round trade agreement that took effect from 1995, Korea was allowed to postpone opening its rice market for 10 years until 2004. But one string was attached: It had to give foreign rice exporters a minimum level of access to its market.The mandatory import amo

March 4, 2014

[Editorial] A toothless inspector

Reform of the prosecution has been a hot issue in Korea for years. Opposition parties have long called for reform to ensure prosecutors’ political independence and fairness in investigating wrongdoings involving politicians and public officials. Prosecutorial reform was a major campaign issue during the presidential election in 2012. After the election, the main opposition Democratic Party has persistently pressed the ruling Saenuri Party to follow up with the reform pledges President Park Geun-

March 4, 2014

[Editorial] Familiar tactic

The agreement between the Democratic Party and Ahn Cheol-soo’s political group to merge and create a new party is shaking Korean politics. The agreement should be good news for opponents of President Park Geun-hye and her ruling Saenuri Party. The ruling camp now faces an uphill battle against a giant single opposition party in the June local elections. A verdict on the merger of the two opposition forces will be made by the voters in the upcoming polls. But viewed objectively, the unexpected un

March 3, 2014

[Editorial] Ties with ASEAN

Last week, two events took place in Seoul that will affect relations between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. A group of lawmakers launched the Korea-ASEAN Parliamentary Forum on Tuesday. The following day, experts from Korea and the ASEAN countries held an academic forum to discuss the prospects for relations between the two sides. The conference, which drew government officials and experts, was timed to mark both the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the dialo

March 3, 2014

[Editorial] Rising household debt

The government last week announced a set of measures to curb mounting household debt that is becoming the main drag on Korea’s economy as it dampens consumer spending. Finance Minister Hyun Oh-seok hoped that the measures would help ease debt-servicing burdens and increase consumption expenditure.Regretfully, it seems doubtful that the package, which was drawn up by the Finance Ministry, the Land Ministry, the Financial Services Commission and the central bank, will bring about the effects expec

March 2, 2014

[Editorial] Brazen move

A senior lawmaker of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party was quoted as saying Saturday that Korean women forced into sexual slavery during World War II could be asked to repeat their testimonies.The remark by Shigeru Ishiba, the LDP secretary-general, came a day after Tokyo announced it would set up an investigative team to reexamine a previous government apology to the former sex slaves, euphemistically called “comfort women.” He was quoted as telling reporters that the review was aimed at

March 2, 2014

[Editorial] Beating the dust off

This should be one of the best times of the year, with balmy breezes, bright sunlight and clean air enlivening nature and humankind alike. On the contrary, we have been met this past week with a gray, dense cloud of fine dust that depressingly blanketed the whole country. Worse news is that we now have to brace for the seasonal onslaught of yellow dust from our western neighbors. The storms of fine dust containing toxic pollutants including heavy metals and other carcinogens were so severe throu

Feb. 28, 2014