[Editorial] Personal data protection

In response to the recent massive theft of personal data, the administration has started work on how to improve the resident registration system. An improvement to the system is long overdue, given that resident registration numbers have been illegally obtained and used on numerous occasions in the past. Yet, it is better late than never.Resident registration is a system under which each person is given a universal identifier upon birth ― a 13-digit number containing basic personal information s

Feb. 5, 2014

[Editorial] Truth prevails

The ever-escalating conflict between Korea and Japan over historical issues is expanding to the international stage. This means that the two sides will step up their publicity campaigns to win over international opinion. It is no coincidence that in large measure, Korea’s campaign has been more successful than Japan’s, despite the wrongheaded Japanese right-wing leaders’ efforts to gloss over past wrongdoings. This is simply because the truth prevails. To begin with, the Japanese government pres

Feb. 4, 2014

[Editorial] Dangerous teachers

It goes without saying that sexual abuse of children should never be tolerated. It inflicts indelible pain and damage on the victims, with tragic consequences. It is against this backdrop that all civilized countries in the world have been striving to fight sex crimes against children. Deserving the harshest condemnation are sex crimes committed by teachers against students. They command greater attention because society trusts teachers to protect children. It is unnerving, therefore, to see a r

Feb. 4, 2014

[Editorial] Noisy neighbors

It is a belated step in the right direction for relevant government ministries to be working to set a limit on the amount of noise traveling between apartment floors, which has increasingly troubled many Koreans living in cramped housing conditions.A group of housewives have participated in the project undertaken jointly by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to determine the specific decibel level that should not be exceeded. The new standard, whic

Feb. 3, 2014

[Editorial] Consolidating the alliance

South Korea and the U.S. signed their new accord Sunday on sharing the cost of stationing American troops here. The renewed Special Measures Agreement, which was inked by Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Sung Kim, is to be submitted to the National Assembly for approval before taking effect.It will not be easy for the ninth and latest SMA to pass through parliament as some opposition lawmakers oppose the steep increase in Seoul’s share of the costs. Under the renewed fi

Feb. 3, 2014

[Editorial] Election rules in limbo

The countdown will start for the June 4 local elections when those who have set their sights on provincial and metropolitan posts start to register as potential candidates Tuesday. Yet, the main parties are still wrangling over a proposal to change the rules of the game.On registration with the National Election Commission on Tuesday, a potential candidate for the post of provincial governor, metropolitan mayor or education superintendent will be permitted to engage in limited electioneering, wh

Feb. 2, 2014

[Editorial] Current account success

The nation’s current account surplus reached $70.73 billion last year, surpassing the central bank’s earlier forecast of $63 billion by a sizable margin. The administration expects the momentum, though slightly tamed, to continue into this year.The bulging surplus certainly helps the nation keep its currency stable at a time when other emerging countries are scurrying to fend off the U.S. dollar’s onslaught against their own. Still, Korea finds it difficult to embrace it with open arms. On the c

Feb. 2, 2014

[Editorial] Opportunities in Africa

President Park Geun-hye’s trip to India and Switzerland this month was trumpeted by aides as part of her “sales diplomacy” drive. In the first months after taking office in February last year, Park filled her diplomatic schedule with summit talks with the leaders of major powers with geopolitical influence over the Korean Peninsula. Since then, she has focused her diplomatic efforts on boosting economic ties and business interests abroad.With Korea struggling to sustain economic growth in the fa

Jan. 28, 2014

[Editorial] Immigrant workers

Government figures put the number of immigrant workers in Korea at about 710,000, including some 170,000 with illegitimate status. Without them, it would be difficult or even impossible to run factories of small manufacturers, farms and restaurants around the country.Immigrant laborers, who usually work long hours under difficult conditions, should be regarded and treated as indispensable members of our society, not as mere foreign visitors. It is regrettable that many of them still suffer from

Jan. 28, 2014

[Editorial] Ban on telemarketing

The government has told all financial companies except online insurance firms to temporarily stop selling, promoting or soliciting financial products or services over the phone, via short message services or through emails. The draconian measure, which took effect Monday and will last until the end of March with a possible extension thereafter, is intended to prevent any illegally obtained financial and personal details from being used for fraud.The Financial Services Commission came up with the

Jan. 27, 2014

[Editorial] Daunting agenda

Lawmakers will face a daunting legislative agenda when the National Assembly convenes for an extraordinary session next month. Up for deliberation are many bills that could make or break President Park Geun-hye’s second year in office.Choi Kyung-hwan, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, recently said that the top priority for the party would be passing legislation related to revitalizing the economy and improving people’s lives, which should have been pushed through during the regular sess

Jan. 27, 2014

[Editorial] N.K.’s peace offensive

North Korea has agreed to arrange a new round of unions of families separated by the division of the two Koreas. It is apparently part of concerted peace offensive by the North toward South Korea. Yet, it is welcome, in view of the plight and suffering of the people who have not seen their families and relatives for decades. The North Korean Red Cross proposed Friday that the reunions be held after Lunar New Year’s Day at the Mount Geumgangsan resort. The North had rejected President Park Geun-h

Jan. 26, 2014

[Editorial] College restructuring

Korea has one of the world’s highest rates of high school students going on to higher education. But the low birthrate is forcing a steady decrease in the number of students who enter colleges and universities. Government officials estimate that the number of high school graduates will decrease from 630,000 this year to 530,000 in 2019 and 390,000 in 2023. That means that if the number of freshman openings at higher learning institutions, which now stands at 560,000, remains at the current level

Jan. 26, 2014

[Editorial] Mess over data theft

The mess over the nation’s worst-ever data breach involving some 20 million people continues despite the financial regulator’s efforts to contain the fallout.Top financial officials have tried to ease concern among card holders who had their sensitive personal information leaked, by saying that they would not face subsequent damage as prosecutors have seized all stolen data before it could be distributed. They have also advised the concerned card users to refrain from canceling their cards or de

Jan. 24, 2014

[Editorial] Venture investment

President Park Geun-hye championed her creative economy vision at this year’s meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. She suggested creative economy as a way out for countries experiencing slow growth amid high unemployment and income inequality.At the same time, she pitched Korea as an attractive place to invest to the participants in the forum. She held one-on-one meetings with the CEOs of some of the world’s top corporations to persuade them to invest more in Korea. Park’s

Jan. 24, 2014

[Editorial] ‘New politics’ doubts

Independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has announced plans to create a new party in March. His aides said the party would field candidates for key races in the local elections scheduled for June this year. More specifically, the party will have its own candidates for the 17 largest mayoral and gubernatorial posts across the country. It is the first time that Ahn and his group have announced a concrete timetable for launching the long-anticipated party and decided to participate in the elections in a

Jan. 23, 2014

[Editorial] At prosecutors’ command

The state prosecution is the nation’s supreme law-enforcement agency. Its authority and right to investigate and prosecute criminals and to safeguard justice, law and social order should not be questioned under any circumstances. Despite or because of such an important role, prosecutors often come under public fire. There have been prosecutors who exercised their authority out of political considerations or under pressure from the ruling government. Just like other types of public servants, pros

Jan. 23, 2014

[Editorial] Shift in DP’s stance

In a conspicuous departure from their normal stance on security matters, the leadership of the liberal main opposition Democratic Party last week visited an island near the West Sea border with North Korea to pay homage to a monument for soldiers killed during the North’s artillery attack in 2010. DP chairman Kim Han-gil declared on the scene that it was his party’s firm principle not to tolerate any kind of military provocation that would destroy peace on the Korean Peninsula. He also said that

Jan. 22, 2014

[Editorial] 1 million civil servants

The number of public servants has exceeded the 1 million mark due mainly to the incumbent administration’s policy of recruiting more police officers, firefighters, teachers and social welfare officials.According to data recently released by the Ministry of Security and Public Administration, the number of employees on the payroll of central and regional governments stood at 1,006,474 as of last June, representing a 4.5 percent increase over the previous five years. The figure is expected to cont

Jan. 22, 2014

[Editorial] Memorial hall for Ahn

China did Korea a big favor when it opened Sunday a memorial hall in Harbin to honor Ahn Jung-geun, a Korean independence fighter who assassinated Hirobumi Ito, who laid the foundation of modern Japan and Japan’s annexation of Korea, more than 100 years ago.The 200-square-meter memorial hall, built in Harbin Station, where Ahn shot to death the Japanese colonial leader on Oct. 26, 1909, exceeds President Park Geun-hye’s expectations in terms of its significance.During a summit in Beijing with Ch

Jan. 21, 2014