On Dec. 22, 2014, the representatives of 15 UN Security Council member states gathered at its chamber, sharing harrowing accounts of North Korea’s human rights violations and exploring ways to hold the Kim Jong-un regime to account. Oh Joon, then Seoul’s ambassador to the UN, took over the microphone as the session drew to an end. But instead of vilifying Kim and his executives, he spoke, in a solemn, placid manner, for millions of South Koreans whose left-behind loved ones are suffering across

Foreign Affairs Feb. 3, 2017

The new Donald Trump administration has said it plans to build a “state-of-the-art” missile defense system, fanning speculation over its impact on Washington’s North Korea policy and ongoing project to station a missile defense system in South Korea. Within minutes of his swearing-in, the White House issued a statement, saying the new MD system would help defend against threats from countries such as North Korea and Iran.The presidential office did not elaborate on whether and how the envisioned

North Korea Jan. 22, 2017

US Ambassador Mark Lippert has been championing public diplomacy since he arrived as Washington’s youngest-ever representative to Seoul in October 2014 at age 41.He reached out to ordinary citizens by traveling across the country, opening his home to the public and attending baseball games, while walking his dog Grigsby around downtown in a Doosan Bears jersey. He gave Korean middle names to his son and daughter, who were both born here, Sejun and Seahee. A knife attack on him in the middle of a

Foreign Affairs Jan. 13, 2017

South Korea’s leadership vacuum is precipitating a diplomatic crisis, as Japan and China press their respective cases over a new “comfort women” statue and a US missile shield in an apparent bid to capitalize on Seoul’s political uncertainties for their own interests. With President Park Geun-hye’s duties in abeyance, Seoul officials are seen struggling to strike a balance between foreign policy interests and ever-growing people’s voices on sensitive diplomatic and security issues. After a respi

Foreign Affairs Jan. 8, 2017

South Korea faces another turbulent year, as the geostrategic dynamics surrounding Northeast Asia are poised to ebb and flow with an incoming US leadership of Donald Trump, while North Korea spurs its development of nuclear weapons. The Sino-US rivalry would continue to intensify across the region, yet this time the Trump administration’s relationship with Moscow is expected to act as a major variable. With an early presidential election looming, the alliance between Seoul and Washington could b

Foreign Affairs Jan. 2, 2017

Health authorities said Saturday they had confirmed that two cats found dead in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, tested positive for a highly pathogenic bird flu virus that has wiped out nearly 16 percent of the country’s chicken population since November. The reports of the cats’ possible infection were made on Dec. 25-26. The test marked South Korea’s first infection of avian influenza in mammals since February 2015, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The cats were found some 2 kilometers from

Social Affairs Jan. 1, 2017

President Park Geun-hye on Sunday asserted the innocence of not only herself but her aides, who she said were “suffering hardships” for their hard work, going back on her previous apology for the scandal that led to her impeachment. At a New Year’s meeting with reporters -- her first public appearance since the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion on Dec. 9 -- Park blamed the media and the special investigation team for “inflating distortions and lies that got out of control.” She said

Politics Jan. 1, 2017

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Sunday claimed his country was in the “closing phase” of preparations for an intercontinental ballistic missiles test, raising the possibility for a major provocation in time for government changes in Seoul and Washington. In his live New Year address, the young ruler said the country made a “groundbreaking breakthrough” from a series of nuclear and missile tests last year, threatening to beef up its capabilities for a “preemptive nuclear attack” unless South K

North Korea Jan. 1, 2017

In 2016 South Korea struggled with a historic triple whammy -- political chaos set off by a presidential scandal, ever-deepening economic difficulties and diplomatic and security woes in the wake of North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile tests. This year posed pressing tasks of propping up the slowing economy. As workers have lost jobs, household debt began soaring. Industries that were once part of the mainstay of Asia’s fourth-largest economy, such as autos, shipbuilding and shipping, sta

Politics Dec. 30, 2016

Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn on Wednesday called for all-out efforts to end the spread of bird flu within a week, with the number of slaughtered poultry topping 27 million and egg prices spiraling.   At a daily meeting on the avian influenza outbreak, the prime minister also expressed condolences to the family of a local health official who was believed to have passed away due to overwork. Researchers collect bird flu-infected poultry at a farm located in Incheon on Monday. (Yonhap)The 40-year

Politics Dec. 28, 2016

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un aims to complete the country’s development of nuclear weapons by the end of 2017 in time for leadership transitions in Seoul and Washington, a former North Korean diplomat said Tuesday. Thae Yong-ho, who was the No. 2 official at Pyongyang’s Embassy in London, held his first news conference since Seoul revealed his arrival here in August. With the time frame, Kim is currently on the path toward nuclear development and will never abandon the program, even in return

North Korea Dec. 27, 2016

Next year’s presidential election in Korea, growing global political and economic uncertainties and fresh waves of nationalism in the West are set to come together to pose both challenges and opportunities to Seoul’s efforts to help fight poverty in the developing world. Since it first started its official development assistance in 1987, Korea has been striving to shore up its commitment by focusing on sharing technology and other know-how from its own rapid development. Nearly 30 years on, offi

Foreign Affairs Dec. 25, 2016

The Foreign Ministry plans to give severe penalties and pursue legal action against a diplomat who is accused of harassing at least two teenage girls while working in Chile, officials said Wednesday. After a two-day investigation on the diplomat, who returned home the day before, the ministry confirmed some of the allegations, to which he also partially admitted. The decision was based on his testimonies and those by others, as well as a video unveiled in a Chilean television show in which the o

Foreign Affairs Dec. 21, 2016

Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of his presidential bid amid growing doubts on his interim leadership and speculation over his ambition for next year’s election.  Hwang attended the first parliamentary questioning since the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye on Dec. 9. Opposition lawmakers relayed their criticism that the prime minster “pretends to be” an elected leader, taking issue with his initial choice not to sh

Politics Dec. 20, 2016