[Editorial] Auditing universities

Debate on half-priced university tuition is mired in the paucity of information on the finances of the 345 institutions of higher education in the nation ― 199 universities and 146 junior colleges. Information is scant because the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is withholding it, citing confidentiality.But a Korean daily, quoting the ministry’s 2009 report, says five universities an

June 15, 2011

[Editorial] Five-day school week

Beginning in March next year, all primary and secondary schools will have no classes on Saturdays, putting an end to the current practice of teaching every other Saturday. The five-day workweek, which was introduced in 1998 to improve the quality of life, will have been implemented at all workplaces except for those employing four or fewer people.To make up for the potential loss of classes result

June 15, 2011

[Editorial] Devil’s snare

Former Agriculture-Forestry Minister Im Sang-gyu should have secured a place in the annals of Korean bureaucracy as a model public administrator, if only he had a little more courage to escape the temptation of corruption. He called it “the devil’s snare” in his suicide note found Monday. Suicide is not rare in this country. But in most corruption scandals, the accused bureaucrats or politicians e

June 14, 2011

[Editorial] Across the Tumen River

If the political atmosphere between China and North Korea may at times be changeable, the two neighboring countries have been strengthening their economic cooperation steadily and substantially, particularly across the Tumen River. Some of the South Korean media saw political significance in the postponement of the official launches of the Hwanggeumpyeong and Hunchun-Raseon projects last month, bu

June 14, 2011

[Editorial] Tuition politics

One of the ugliest political scenes took place last week at the narrow Cheonggyecheon square in Seoul which was packed with university students holding candle lights in a rally demanding “halved tuition.” Opposition Democratic Party chairman Sohn Hak-kyu climbed onto the makeshift stage and urged the rallying students in his high-pitched voice to mount their pressure on the Lee Myung-bak governmen

June 13, 2011

[Editorial] K-pop in Europe

Two sold-out performances at Le Zenith de Paris concert hall last week marked a successful venture for K-pop groups in Europe, which we attribute first to the talents of the singers and then to their management’s “culture technology” of aggressive marketing. Of course, YouTube, Facebook and all other high technology tools helped introduce the stars to Europe before they landed in Paris. TVXQ, Girl

June 13, 2011

[Editorial] Big change in labor

Labor-management relations will undergo a drastic change, with multiple trade unions set to be permitted in the same workplace next month. Moreover, a group of trade unions are set to launch a new nationwide umbrella group as their representative ― possibly later this month. Unions and corporate employers will have to brace for one of the greatest transformations in labor ― at both the national an

June 12, 2011

[Editorial] Fighting inflation

The central bank’s commitment to putting inflationary pressure under control sounds credible at long last. It sounds convincing not because it hints at another benchmark rate hike next month after a 25-basis-point increase to 3.25 percent last weekend. Rather, much of the credibility comes from the administration, which promises to take all measures possible to rein in inflationary pressure.Friday

June 12, 2011

[Editorial] N.K.’s economic experiment

North Korea appears to have begun to experiment with Chinese-style economic development. The reclusive state and its ally have started work to create two joint economic zones that they plan to develop into commercial and industrial centers by attracting foreign investment.On Thursday, high-ranking officials of the two countries broke ground in Raseon, a port city at the northeastern tip of North K

June 10, 2011

[Editorial] Corporate corruption

Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Electronics, said Thursday that corruption seemed to permeate all subsidiaries of Samsung Group. “Corruption can take the form of receiving lavish entertainment and taking money. But the worst type is a manager forcing his subordinates to engage in corrupt practices,” the tycoon said. What led Lee to chastise the executives and employees of Korea’s largest business

June 10, 2011

[Editorial] Another card crisis?

“Don’t ask, don’t tell” is not just an official U.S. policy on homosexuals serving in the military. It also refers to the business practice Korean credit card companies are accused of resorting to when issuing cards to applicants with questionable credit standings.Now regulators are out to put an end to these ill-advised card issuances and other business practices. They say they will start weekly

June 9, 2011

[Editorial] Candlelight nightmare

Friday is the 24th anniversary of massive civil disobedience against a military-backed strongman. White-collar workers as well as student activists rose up against President Chun Doo-hwan, a former Army general, demanding that democracy be restored. Chun capitulated three weeks later, on June 29, promising a direct popular vote to elect the next president.Students are set to stage another protest

June 9, 2011

[Editorial] Ban’s secondterm bid

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced his bid for reelection. In a news conference held in New York on Monday, he disclosed that he had asked the 192 member countries of the world body to consider him for a second five-year term. His current term ends Dec. 31.Wire reports say Ban’s reelection is virtually assured, as he faces no opponents and has the backing of the five veto-wielding me

June 8, 2011

[Editorial] Prosecution reform

The confrontation between lawmakers and prosecutors over the fate of the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office has taken a new turn following the presidential office’s opposition to the parliamentary bid to scrap the powerful investigation unit.The presidential office advocated on Monday the continued existence of the CID, saying that the prosecution needs a strong in

June 8, 2011

[Editorial] Summit obsession

The two Koreas have so far had two summits, first in 2000 and second in 2007. Those reading the “declarations” from what were hailed as historic meetings would be dismayed at the little effect they have had on the relations between the two parts of the Korean Peninsula.In the two documents, the South and the North agreed to build mutual trust through economic cooperation and exchanges in all field

June 7, 2011

[Editorial] Naval buildup

With the operational deployment of its second Aegis-class destroyer, the 7,600-ton Yulgok YiYi, in the East Sea last week, the Republic of Korea Navy has significantly increased its defense capabilities. The addition of the Yulgok YiYi means that the Navy now has 11 destroyers of 3,000 tons or larger defending the seas off the three coasts against enemy intrusion. In early 2013, they will be joine

June 7, 2011

[Editorial] English-only lecture

The spreading of English-only lectures in Korean universities is likely to slow, as presidents and deans have concluded that they have largely been ineffective because of unpreparedness from both professors and students. In a symposium on the efficiency of English-speaking lectures at Yonsei University last week, the participants agreed on the need to make more use of English in university classes

June 6, 2011

[Editorial] U.S. ambassador appointee

The U.S. government is reported to have designated Sung Kim, the special envoy to the six-party denuclearization talks, as new ambassador to Seoul. If the Senate endorses and Seoul accepts him, Kim will become the first U.S. ambassador of Korean descent in the 129-year history of diplomatic relations between the two countries.In Seoul, he will represent the national interest of the United States.

June 6, 2011

[Editorial] Curbing time-old practice

The government has come up with a set of measures to curb the deeply entrenched practice of high-ranking bureaucrats descending into high-paying private-sector jobs immediately after their retirement. The package allows ministers, vice ministers, assistant ministers and heads of provincial governments to take a private sector job immediately after retirement. But it bans them from work that is clo

June 6, 2011

[Editorial] Don't let up on politicians

Prosecutors investigating the irregularities at Busan Savings Bank abruptly suspended their probe Friday. They sent testifiers home and walked out of their offices. They did not come to work on Saturday or Sunday either. It was a protest against a decision by lawmakers to abolish the prosecution’s most powerful investigation unit -- the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors’

June 6, 2011