The Korea Herald

[Lee Jae-min] Is Britain leaving the EU?

Global political leaders are scrambling to send a message out. They have been in almost unison in underscoring the challenges Great Britain may face once it decides to leave the EU. The British national referendum is just three weeks away, to be held on June 23. Polls indicate that the outcome is too close to call.The pro-remain group in the United Kingdom points to the economic damage that it says will result from the departure. Statistics put a possible British economic loss as a result of the

May 31, 2016

[Lee Jae-min] Is Britain leaving the EU?

[Trudy Rubin] Democracy threatened as populism increases

In the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet empire, most Western nations basked in the illusion that liberal democracy had triumphed. Many thought NATO had become an anachronism in an era of permanent European peace.Some countries freed from Kremlin control, including tiny Estonia, knew better. Only 2 1/2 decades later, the European Union teeters and populism thrives -- on both sides of the Atlantic. A revanchist Russia bent on restoring past glory makes nuclear threats against members

May 30, 2016

[Trudy Rubin] Democracy threatened as populism increases

[Adam Minter] China should collaborate with Hollywood

When Disney opens its largest-ever theme park in Shanghai on June 16, the competition won’t be idle. Wang Jianlin, China’s second-richest man and CEO of Wanda Group, is promising to unleash a “pack of wolves” -- his affectionate term for his own network of family-friendly theme parks -- on the Disney “tiger,” rendering it unprofitable. In its place, he promises a theme park experience less Western in feel and characters, and more in keeping with Chinese culture and values.　Wang isn’t totally cra

May 30, 2016

[Albert R. Hunt] Trump and Clinton would mostly do what they say

A number of Republicans rationalize Donald Trump’s proposals on immigration and trade as just political show. Similarly, some free-trade Democrats suggest that Hillary Clinton’s protectionist stance is merely rhetoric.They are deluded. Academic research and recent history show that newly elected presidents try to hew closely to their campaign commitments.“New presidents actually believe they have a mandate, feel empowered,” says Shirley Anne Warshaw, a presidential scholar at Gettysburg College.

May 30, 2016

[Gareth Evans] Good news for humanity

Bad news is all around us. The world confronts the possibility of a sexist, racist ignoramus occupying the White House next January. Unreconstructed authoritarians already are in charge in Russia and China. Populists of varying ugliness are winning elections from Poland to the Philippines. And Islamophobia is overriding compassion in almost every country, including my own, that must respond to the current refugee crisis. What Abraham Lincoln described in his first inaugural address as “the bette

May 30, 2016

[David Ignatius] On Syria, U.S. and Turkey need each other　

Here’s a positive move by Turkey, a country that often seems to be heading in the wrong direction: Despite Ankara’s severe misgivings, it is allowing the U.S. military to fly daily bombing missions from Incirlik Air Base against the Islamic State — in support of a Syrian Kurdish militia called the YPG that Turkey regards as a terrorist threat. Turkey offered the Incirlik base last year after a dozen years of tepid military relations with the United States, its superpower ally. Turkish President

May 30, 2016

[Megan McArdle] The danger of President Trump isn’t dictatorship

Let’s say Donald Trump manages to romp his way to the White House in November. The New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik paints a dire picture of what will follow: “If Trump came to power, there is a decent chance that the American experiment would be over. This is not a hyperbolic prediction; it is not a hysterical prediction; it is simply a candid reading of what history tells us happens in countries with leaders like Trump.”Gopnik goes on to assure us that “Countries don’t really recover from being taken

May 29, 2016

[Megan McArdle] The danger of President Trump isn’t dictatorship

[Andrew Sheng] How do we escape the debt trap?

All of us are worried about growing global debt as a precursor to another round of crises. After the last global financial crisis, 2007-2009, global debt rose to more than $200 trillion or $27,000 for each person in the world. Since 2.8 billion or nearly 40 percent live on $2 per day, there is no way that the debt can ever be repaid. The bulk of debt owed by governments, banks and companies will be repaid by creating more debt. If we are happy to create money, we should be happy to create more

May 29, 2016

[Andrew Sheng] How do we escape the debt trap?

Hong Kong needs to work smarter, not longer

So much has been said and written about striking the proper work-life balance. And of all the people in the world, Hong Kong people must work the hardest to find the ideal balance, as we have the questionable honor of logging the longest period each week -- a staggering 50.1 hours, which does not even factor in the daily commute between our home and workplace. If included, it can be safely concluded that most Hong Kong employees, and very likely many of their employers as well, are left with les

May 29, 2016

[Justin Fox] Carmakers need a new (business) model

Toyota is investing in and planning to collaborate with Uber, the largest ride-hailing service. Volkswagen is investing $300 million in Tel Aviv-based Uber rival Gett. And that’s just Tuesday’s news. In January, General Motors put $500 million into Lyft, another Uber competitor. Earlier this month, Apple invested $1 billion in Chinese ride-hailing company Didi and Fiat Chrysler made a deal with Alphabet to develop self-driving minivans.After almost a century of making cars and selling them in mo

May 29, 2016

[Gina Barreca] Voting for a proven leader

Here’s today’s Officially Reductive Question: Do you vote by party, policy or person?One of those three p’s usually drives citizens into a voting booth. In November, you’ll probably wear one of those “I Voted” stickers because you’re a staunch Republican or Democrat who turned up to support the party, or because you vote gun rights or women’s health issues and, therefore, choose candidates who most effectively argue for those causes, or because you think a particular candidate will be an intelli

May 29, 2016

[Rachel Marsden] Time to shove ‘free love’ generation out the door

The leftists who came of age in the counterculture revolutionary movements of the ’60s and ’70s are now in charge in both Europe and the U.S., and facing a populist backlash. They failed to learn the lessons of their own experiences, and it’s time for them to be dropkicked into the waste bin of history.In the wake of World War II and the defeat of Nazi Germany, there was a massive movement in Western nations against anything that smacked of authority. At first it was more social than political.I

May 27, 2016

[Doyle McManus] Polls have Democrats in panic

Democrats hoped this presidential election would be a cakewalk. In their eyes, the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, spent most of the spring alienating big chunks of the electorate, beginning with women. Meanwhile, the presumptive Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, has run a careful, well-funded, well-honed campaign. What could go wrong?And yet, in a spate of reputable surveys Trump has suddenly erased the advantage Clinton had held all year. The average of major polls compiled

May 27, 2016

Thailand‘s muddled, military way forward

Thailand’s next constitution, which is born of authoritarianism, will only be detrimental to the citizenry and the future of the kingdom.As part of its 20-year national strategy, the military-led government has said it aims to foster integrity among public servants well into the future. To concerns expressed about a coup-based regime dictating principles for the future, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has offered reassurances that the intention is only to provide broad guidelines by which succe

May 26, 2016

[Chitra Doraiswami] Korea in eyes of an Indian tourist

Nature and the travel agent conspired to get me to Seoul, Korea at the best possible time. I landed at Incheon in early April to clear skies, nippy winds and the most beautiful trees in full pink bloom. Could it get any better than this? Yes, it could! I was introduced to Namsan Park and I spent most mornings strolling along, admiring the trees, the profusion of flowers and the bird life there.Tourists like myself visit with avidity, eager to take in temples, fortresses and malls and gawk at sk

May 26, 2016

Ban booze in Indonesia? Beware quick fixes

The Indonesian government is moving ahead to pass a bill to ban liquor, arguing that alcohol has triggered rampant gang rape cases recently.In the wake of horrifying reports about rapes and gang rapes, lawmakers in Indonesia have a lot of support to pass a bill to regulate or ban liquor. Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has denied earlier reports that he would revoke regional bylaws restricting or banning alcohol. “The ministry thinks that it is important to have bylaws banning alcohol,” Tjahjo was q

May 26, 2016

[Irfan Husain] Fear and loathing of Trump

No matter who wins in the U.S. presidential elections, Pakistan will be hard pressed on a number of security-related issues.Watching Donald Trump the other night as he spoke to members of the National Rifle Association, America’s powerful gun lobby, I was struck by the number of outright lies he fits into a short speech. For instance, he cited Barack Obama’s neglect of the armed forces. The example he gave to prove this outlandish assertion was that U.S. fighter pilots had to scrounge for spare

May 26, 2016

[Irfan Husain] Fear and loathing of Trump

[Robert B. Reich] Why Donald Trump might win

A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Sunday finds Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in a virtual tie, with Trump leading Clinton 46 percent to 44 percent among registered voters. That’s an 11 percent swing against Clinton since March.A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, also released Sunday, shows Clinton at 46 percent to Trump’s 43 percent. In April, Clinton had led 50 percent to 39 percent.Polls taken this far ahead of an election don’t tell us much. But in this case, they do raise a se

May 26, 2016

[Doyle McManus] Obama’s pivot to Asia is working

When President Obama declared in 2011 that he wanted U.S. foreign policy to pivot to Asia, some derided the move as a clumsy attempt to flee the messy conflicts of the Middle East.But the pivot has actually worked pretty well — as will be evident during Obama’s trip to Asia this week. Almost every country in the region is clamoring for a closer relationship with the United States.The most striking case is Vietnam, most of whose leaders are old enough to have fought in their country’s war with th

May 26, 2016

[Doyle McManus] Obama’s pivot to Asia is working

[Kim Ji-hyun] Seoul missing out. Again.

Within the tight circles of the Korean community of Tokyo, it is easy to witness a falling-out of sorts between ladies.But eventually, they join or form new cliques. This way, previous alliances are destroyed, and new ones created. These new alliances are maintained mainly due to the eagerness of the women to belong, since a clique would ensure that you have at least a few people who are willing to have your back in times of trouble.And this is exactly what is happening between Tokyo and Washing

May 25, 2016