[Editorial] Don’t be hasty

President Moon Jae-in’s government appears to be trying to decouple inter-Korean cooperation from denuclearization talks between the US and North Korea. In an address marking the third anniversary of his inauguration earlier this month, Moon suggested his government would seek to find what could be done between the two Koreas instead of just looking forward to progress in US-North Korea dialogue. In what seems to be a follow-up move, the Unification Ministry said last week a set of sanct

May 25, 2020

[Editorial] Share the pain

The government, businesses and labor groups kicked off a dialogue Wednesday to seek ways to weather the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Two mainstream labor groups attended the dialogue for the first time in 22 years after a labor-management-government committee was launched in 1998 to overcome the currency crisis that hit the country. At that time, Korea received bailout funds from the International Monetary Fund to escape the crisis. The start of the dialogue shows how se

May 22, 2020

[Editorial] Senseless restraint

In a speech marking the third anniversary of his inauguration earlier this month, President Moon Jae-in vowed all-out efforts to turn the ongoing COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity to enhance the country’s economic vitality. He set forth a vision for South Korea to take the initiative in the post-pandemic global economy on the basis of its prowess in the sectors of information and communications technology and bio-health. To achieve the ambitious vision, he pledged to push for what he de

May 21, 2020

[Editorial] Dubious transaction

The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan has come under fresh suspicion following allegations of misappropriating donations. Its predecessor, the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, bought a two-story house in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, in 2013. The House of Peace and Healing was bought for survivors of Japanese military sexual slavery -- commonly known as “the grandmas” in South Korea

May 20, 2020

[Editorial] Outmoded regulation

South Korea, one of the world’s most wired nations, has not yet introduced telemedicine services. Germany, Japan and China allowed doctors to take care of their patients via telephone and internet in 2005, 2015 and 2016, respectively. The US never prohibited such services from the outset. Besides its prowess in information and communications technology, a wide pool of competent doctors and an effective nationwide medical system put Korea in a good position to implement telemedicine, whic

May 19, 2020

[Editorial] Too humble

The presidential office reportedly summoned senior officials of the military to grasp how a recent South Korean military exercise was reported in a newspaper published by the Ministry of National Defense’s media agency. The Air Force and Navy conducted a joint defense drill on May 6 with focus on protecting northwestern islands from surprise attacks. The Korea Defense Daily ran an article on the exercise on May 7 under the title “Drill confirms abilities to strike origin of enemy&r

May 18, 2020

[Editorial] Resources development

The government this week disclosed a long-term blueprint for overseas resources development that aims at enhancing the country’s “resources security.” The 10-year vision for 2020-2029 envisions strengthening the role of private companies in pushing for resources development projects abroad by providing more effective and diversified support to them. Over the past decade, Korea has continuously retreated from projects to develop oil and other natural resources overseas. Testi

May 15, 2020

[Editorial] Uncover truth

An advocacy group for Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sex slavery is mired in suspicions that it may have misappropriated donations. The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan denied allegations by Lee Yong-soo, a 92-year-old victim of the slavery. But it refused to disclose details of donation expenditures, despite Lee’s revelations of its opaque use of money. Lee dropped a bombshell when she said she had been deceived by t

May 14, 2020

[Editorial] Mounting deficits

In an address marking the third anniversary of his inauguration Sunday, President Moon Jae-in said that his government would lay the cornerstone of the universal unemployment insurance system as part of efforts to strengthen social safety nets. He also pledged to push for what he described as the Korean version of the New Deal by focusing on future-oriented preemptive investment designed to establish digital infrastructure and create more jobs. Such initiatives are added to a host of programs

May 13, 2020

[Editorial] Beware laxity

The latest cluster of novel coronavirus infections blamed on clubs in Seoul’s popular nightlife district of Itaewon looks serious. The accumulated number of confirmed cases related to Itaewon clubs marked 86 as of noon on Monday. It was only five days since a 29-year-old man residing in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, tested positive for the virus on May 6, five days after visiting five clubs in Itaewon on the night of May 1. About 30 percent of infections related to the clubs are asymptomatic

May 12, 2020

[Editorial] Successful presidency

President Moon Jae-in entered the fourth year of his five-year tenure Sunday with ample political capital, something his predecessors never enjoyed at the same point in their presidencies. A survey of about 1,000 adult South Koreans last week showed that his approval rating stood at 71 percent, exceeding the figure for all former presidents as they finished a third year in office. His popularity helped the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea and its sister party secure a combined 180 seat

May 11, 2020

[Editorial] Lee’s apology and promise

Samsung Electronics heir and Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong apologized Wednesday in connection with his controversial succession of management and Samsung’s labor issues. It is not a pleasing sight for the top manager of South Korea’s flagship business to bow low for an apology while being tried for more than three years now. His apology signals drastic changes for Samsung. Lee vowed not to hand over management control of the tech giant to his children. It is rare for owners of Korea

May 8, 2020

[Editorial] Unexpected opportunity

The world’s major economies are stepping up efforts to bring home manufacturers operating abroad amid the novel coronavirus-caused disruption to global supply chains. Such efforts are focused particularly on reducing excessive reliance on parts and components production in China, where the COVID-19 pandemic originated in December. Factory shutdowns imposed by Chinese authorities disrupted global supply chains, doing damage to manufacturing in many other countries. With the global trade

May 7, 2020

[Editorial] Safety net for all

The presidential office has brought up a topic of expanding unemployment insurance to all of the economically active population, including the self-employed. Kang Gi-jung, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, said Friday that “it is a post-COVID 19 task to insure everyone against unemployment like the national health insurance that covers all of the people.” On the same day, Lee In-young, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said that the party woul

May 6, 2020

[Editorial] Ominous signal

It hardly seems coincidental that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s first public appearance since April 11 was followed by gunshots fired by the North at a South Korean guard post inside the Demilitarized Zone on Sunday. Upon finding four bullet marks on the guard post’s wall, the South’s military fired back and issued broadcast warnings in accordance with the response manual. It marked the first exchange of gunfire between the two Koreas across the border since November 2017

May 5, 2020

[Editorial] Untimely debate

The Korean economy is reeling from the shock of the novel coronavirus. Its first-quarter growth marked minus 1.4 percent quarter-on-quarter, the lowest in 11 years and three months. Korea had a trade deficit for the first time in 99 months in April. The overseas situation is difficult, too. In the first quarter, the US economy suffered its sharpest decline since the Great Recession -- 4.8 percent, while China contracted 6.8 percent. In this situation, the ruling party is raising issues about am

May 4, 2020

[Editorial] Hollow NK projects

Monday was the second anniversary of the Panmunjom Declaration. When South Korean President Moon Jae-in met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and held hands with him in Panmunjom two years ago, peace appeared to be drawing closer to the Korean Peninsula. They vowed to make the peninsula nuclear-free, declare the end of the Korean War before the end of the year, stop hostile activities against each other, establish a joint liaison office, hold family reunions and reconnect railways and roa

April 30, 2020

[Editorial] Overdue reform

The National Pension Service announced last week that the number of its beneficiaries exceeded 5 million in April, 33 years after the pension system was introduced. It seemed to be striking a celebratory tone in making the announcement. But concerns are mounting over the long-term sustainability of the state pension fund. The gap between the numbers of beneficiaries and subscribers paying insurance premiums is expected to widen at an accelerating pace in the coming decades. According to data

April 29, 2020

[Editorial] Stay alert

Tuesday marks the 100th day since Korea reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus. Its daily tally of new cases hovered around 10 for the eighth consecutive day Sunday, and the country appears to have brought the disease under control. The government relaxed social distancing rules for the private sector on April 20, and Friday it unveiled a draft of 31 detailed guidelines for “everyday distancing,” ahead of the implementation scheduled for May 6. “Everyday

April 28, 2020

[Editorial] Voluntary but expected

The Ministry of Economy and Finance initially wanted to provide relief money to all households in the country that earned less than the median income, to help them through hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. After consultations with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, the ministry announced in March that the government would offer up to 1 million won ($820) in rescue funds to households in the bottom 70 percent income bracket. During the campaign for the April 15 parliamentary elec

April 27, 2020