Women and Middle Eastern monotheism One should not mock the sexual obsessions of Islamic fundamentalists; its like shooting fish in a barrel. When a senior academic in Saudi Arabia, professor Kamal Subhi, declares in a report for the Shura Council, the kingdoms legislative assemb..
Reopening Myanmar Road UNITED NATIONS With the historic visit of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Myanmar (Burma), the highest profile American diplomatic contact in 50 years, the United States has entered a high stakes geopolitical chess game in Southeast Asia. ..
Arab revolts impact on Southeast Asia Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizs self-immolation was not simply a cry for justice, freedom and economic opportunity. It was first and foremost an act of desperation in the face of humiliation, a cry for dignity that resonated with the mass..
Arab Winter UNITED NATIONS After the heady and often dizzying political changes optimistically described as the Arab Spring, many of these same Middle Eastern states may be heading for what sadly looks like an Arab Winter. The seasonal political shift..
Parliamentary culture and violence A tear gas incident at the National Assembly last month is the logical result of a parliamentary culture that has developed over the last half-century. The question is, will this point spark a change in that culture, or will it be allowed to remain?
Arab Autumn The Arab Spring was fast and dramatic: nonviolent revolutions in the streets removed dictators in Tunisia and Egypt in a matter of weeks, and similar revolutions got underway in Libya, Syria, Bahrain and Yemen. The Arab Autumn is a much slow..
Let women realize full potential The former Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew was possibly the first to state that the era of globalization would count women among its winners. And indeed, women have made great strides, virtually all over the world, as far as their labor ..
NGO participation crucial to overseas aid In the aftermath of the 2010 Seoul G20 Summit, President Lee Myung-bak and his senior staff announced that South Korea would play a constructive role as a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
US engagement with Myanmar On Nov. 18, U.S. President Barack Obama said he will send Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Myanmar (Burma) next month. His announcement is a manifestation of improved diplomatic engagement between the two nations. When Clinton begins a ..
New century for Korea-Japan relations Scholars held an international conference under the theme Multilateral Dialogue on History Education and Textbooks: East Asia, Europe and the Middle East at Tokyo University on Oct. 22-23. They are history textbook experts from the United Natio..
Consent decrees and consumer protection In an increasingly complex and globally integrated Korean marketplace, the need for a competition authority which is both responsive to market conditions and vigilant in its enforcement of consumer protection is greater than ever.
New boat plying from Jeju to Ieodo Nov. 18, another day on the calendar, is a memorable day for Koreans. A new ship will take just three hours to sail to Ieodo. The Korean people have ample reason to celebrate this maiden voyage because Ieodo, a submerged rocky plateau, is close to ..
1997 Korea vs. 2011 eurozone In the European Union, the Greek sovereign debt problem is a hot issue. If it triggers fears of a default in Ireland and Italy as well, the crisis could rapidly spiral out of control.
Ahn Cheol-soos road not taken Someone said to Confucius, Why do you not take part in government? The master said, Oh! Simply by being a good son and friendly to his brothers a man can exert an influence upon government. In so doing a man is, in fact, taking part in gover..
How to deal with Western debt Last weeks G20 summit was unexpectedly dominated by Europe, due to Greeces surprise announcement to hold a referendum on the bailout package.
UN mission to North Korea UNITED NATIONS Theres rarely good news from North Korea. The quaintly-titled Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, while at the same time the government is heightening political repression, and..
Is globalization passe? The onset of the economic crisis and its aftermath striking hard on reality has led policymakers, think tanks and academia to recast their perceptions about global integration. After globalization contagion gripped the whole world in the broad swin..
