The Korea Herald

[Baltimore Sun] Compassion for caravan

Somewhere in the West Wing, there is doubtless a White House staffer assigned the task of collecting dehumanizing language for the administration to use to describe the thousands of Central American migrants on their journey in southern Mexico headed to the United States. They are a “horde,” a “swarm,” an “invasion.” They include “criminals and unknown Middle Easterners,” and such caravans are a “disgrace to the Democrat Party.” Those last two quotes may seem far-fetched, by they were offered by

Oct. 28, 2018

[Cod Satrusayang] A word against regulation

When the printing press first began spreading throughout Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, it brought with it a revolution in and democratization of ideas. Scripture and scientific text were spread rapidly and was readily accessible to the masses for the first time. The church’s role as the gatekeepers and purveyors of information lessened with the advent of new technology. Upheaval was not far behind and the printing press played a central role in the reformation led by Martin Luther and

Oct. 28, 2018

[Cod Satrusayang] A word against regulation

[Naomi Burke-Shyne] Bangladesh’s deadly war on drugs

The audio quality is poor and the sound of gunshots muffled, but the agony in Ekramul Haque’s voice is unmistakable. On May 26, while speaking with his family by phone, Haque, an elected official in southern Bangladesh, was gunned down by police in an apparent extrajudicial killing.Bangladeshi authorities insist Haque was a drug dealer who died in an exchange of gunfire, but the audio evidence -- captured by his wife as she listened to her husband die -- suggests that the officers involved kille

Oct. 28, 2018

[Leonid Bershidsky] Trump’s withdrawal from nuclear treaty hurts US allies

President Donald Trump’s decision to ditch the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia has clear advantages for both Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. It is, however, a problem for countries in the middle.Columbia University professor Stephen Sestanovich, who served as senior director for policy development at the US National Security Council from 1984 to 1987, the year the INF treaty was signed, describes the deal as “the most one-sidedly good arms-control agr

Oct. 25, 2018

[Leonid Bershidsky] Trump’s withdrawal from nuclear treaty hurts US allies

[David Fickling] A bridge alone can’t unify Hong Kong with China

What’s the most important bit of infrastructure to connect an international metropolis like China’s Pearl River Delta? A demolished border post.For all the excitement around the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge Wednesday, that’s probably the best lesson to draw from Beijing’s plan to draw Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Dongguan, Foshan and other cities into a single megalopolis. As my colleague Nisha Gopalan wrote last month, “Build it and they will come” is a lot easier said than d

Oct. 25, 2018

[Kim Kyung-ho] Moon’s employment policy goes awry

Shortly after taking office in May last year, in an initiative that was widely perceived as pro-labor, President Moon Jae-in vowed to turn all temporary jobs in the public sector into permanent positions.He made the pledge surrounded by workers at Incheon International Airport, saying he would “wipe away tears from the eyes of non-regular employees.”That seemingly benign policy, intended to help people worried about job security, is now cited as the cause of rampant hiring irregularities at the

Oct. 24, 2018

[Kim Kyung-ho] Moon’s employment policy goes awry

[Kim Myong-sik] Questionable outcome of presidential diplomacy overseas

Fall is the cruelest season for South Korean diplomats and Cheong Wa Dae staff for foreign affairs. From the middle of September through late November, the South Korean president in any administration makes at least five rounds of overseas tours each year, driving officials crazy in making preparations of all sorts. Most important in the preparatory works of course is setting up and confirming the schedule for the president’s meetings with various VIPs of the receiving countries. Yet, the follow

Oct. 24, 2018

[Kim Myong-sik] Questionable outcome of presidential diplomacy overseas

[Avi Jorisch] High-tech power-couple: Israel & South Korea

South Korea is consistently ranked as one of the most innovative countries, and the fuel that has powered this astonishing metamorphosis is technology. But there are a number of challenges looming over the horizon that will hamper South Korea’s growth if not effectively addressed. As Korean policymakers, aid workers and scientists look to solve challenges, they should turn to Israel to find existing innovations that can make a difference, or create new ones together. Since the Republic of Korea

Oct. 24, 2018

[Nisha Gopalan] Makeup brands need better foundation in China

Asia’s makeup brands are starting to look ugly.Shares of Japanese and South Korean cosmetics makers have been melting this month, as Beijing cracks down on daigou, Chinese travelers who buy everything from infant formula to skin care products for resale at home, often to friends and relatives. These shoppers tend to be university students looking to make a little extra cash or tourists scooping up duty-free items.　Added together, this is no mere pocket change. As my colleague David Fickling wrot

Oct. 24, 2018

[Tyler Cowen] US needs Saudi Arabia, and vice versa

Following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, there have been many calls for re-examining the US-Saudi relationship, even for imposing sanctions. As an economist, I understand there are diplomatic fine points to this relationship that lie beyond my expertise, but still: It is worth reviewing the economic and exchange-based reasons US-Saudi relations have been so robust.First, trade between the US and Saudi Arabia is currently about $24 billion per year. You might think the US is now energy

Oct. 24, 2018

[Kim Seong-kon] Pain and rain in Spain

If you go to a foreign country without knowing about the country’s language and culture, you might feel hopeless and at a loss. Suddenly, you will find yourself in an unfamiliar environment, if not hostile, where you instantly become a hearing-impaired and verbally challenged person. Unable to communicate with others, you will be embarrassed and frustrated because you will not be able to understand others or make others understand you. If you are a politician or a diplomat, who is accompanied by

Oct. 23, 2018

[Andrew Wolman] Korea’s denial of refugee status to Yemeni asylum seekers

The Korean Ministry of Justice’s recent decision to deny refugee status to around 550 Yemeni asylum seekers -- granting most of them “humanitarian protection” instead -- represents a predictable ending point for one of the country’s least laudable episodes of recent years. In short, the Korean Immigration Service had earlier this year included Yemen on the list of countries whose nationals could travel to the resort island of Jeju without a visa. Perhaps unsurprisingly (at least in retrospect),

Oct. 23, 2018

[Leonid Bershidsky] Our clothes could be made in the USA again

Europeans and Americans have grown used to buying clothes made in Asian countries. But apparel industry sourcing executives are sure that’s changing: By the middle of the next decade, much more of our clothes will be made closer to home.China and Bangladesh are the two biggest suppliers of apparel to Europe. In the US, China and Vietnam are the top two import sources. But almost a quarter of apparel-sourcing executives who participated in a study by McKinsey and Germany’s RWTH Aachen University

Oct. 23, 2018

[Leonid Bershidsky] Our clothes could be made in the USA again

[Therese Raphael] Theresa May in Brexit foxhole

Last week’s European Union summit on Brexit attracted a lot of attention for little real news. To understand why the talks are so stalled, it helps to borrow a somewhat strained metaphor from Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.When Raab, then new to the job, met the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, for the first time three months ago, he gave him a copy of Isaiah Berlin’s much-appropriated essay, “The Hedgehog and the Fox.” In it, the philosopher quotes the Greek poet Archilochus saying

Oct. 23, 2018

[Anjani Trivedi] China’s Tesla wannabe has a big brother problem

Investors are throwing billions of dollars at connected cars. The technological advances that enable vehicles to be linked into wireless networks promise greater efficiency and, in theory, safety. They also open the possibility of being watched and monitored more closely -- and that may be a problem for China’s self-proclaimed rival to Tesla.Nio, the electric vehicle maker that raised almost $1 billion in a New York initial public offering last month, is banking on its smart and connected car. B

Oct. 23, 2018

[Johnny Runge] Are Britons really softening on immigration?

In the United Kingdom, the new conventional wisdom is that attitudes toward immigration are softening. A headline in the Financial Times this July stated that “negativity about immigration falls sharply in Brexit Britain.” Likewise, a recent report by the UK Migration Advisory Committee surmises that “the UK may find itself in the position of ending free movement just as public concern falls about the migration flows that result from it.”This is notable, considering that it has been only two yea

Oct. 22, 2018

[Johnny Runge] Are Britons really softening on immigration?

[Nisha Gopalan] China M&A isn’t dead, it’s gone under the radar

You’d be forgiven for thinking Chinese M&A is dead.Over the past several months, the US has led the charge among developed markets to close mainland buyers out of deals in technology and other sensitive sectors -- and scrutiny will only get worse. That’s put a lid on big-ticket acquisitions.But don’t sound the death knell: Deals are still happening, just ones that slip under the radar. Some are for small amounts in “boring” sectors, like infrastructure, logistics or health care. Others are in pl

Oct. 22, 2018

[James Stavridis] Putin’s big military buildup is behind NATO lines

Last week I visited Naples and spent time with Jamie Foggo, the four-star admiral in command of NATO’s powerful Joint Forces Command located there. Foggo has responsibility for much of NATO’s European operations and defensive posture. At the moment, he is preparing for a major exercise, Trident Juncture, focused on countering Russia’s recent increase in the combat posture of its small enclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea. Russia is continuing to add real combat capability in Kaliningrad by t

Oct. 22, 2018

[James Stavridis] Putin’s big military buildup is behind NATO lines

[Meghan L O’Sullivan] US is forced to see it is far from ‘energy independent’

The disappearance and likely death of Jamal Khashoggi is a clarifying moment.If the crown prince of Saudi Arabia proves to be complicit, this moment will reveal much about the nature of the Saudi leadership. It also tells us something about US-Saudi relations and how vulnerable a partnership not based on shared values can be.It is a clarifying moment for the US to see just how much freedom from the Middle East American oil production has secured. This crisis over the disappearance of the journal

Oct. 22, 2018

[Noah Smith] The best way Trump can squeeze China on trade

Beyond the name change, President Donald Trump’s new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement isn’t that different from the North American Free Trade Agreement that it replaced. But hidden in the bowels of the new trade deal is a clause, Article 32.10, that could have a far-reaching impact. The new agreement requires member states to get approval from the other members if they initiate trade negotiations with a so-called non-market economy. In practice, “non-market” almost certainly means China. If, for examp

Oct. 22, 2018