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The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Opinion

Columnists

Eugene Lee

Dream of unification lives forever

Just a day away from Aug. 15, the Liberation Day of Korea, one thought kept coming to me: Will South and North ever unite? Exactly 78 years ago, on Aug. 15, 1945, it was the day when Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule by the United States and the Soviet Union. And yet, one could say, that it was the day that destined the country for a split.

2023-09-03 16:30

Gravitating toward further disconnect

The month of June has been full of international and domestic events. From the NATO meeting in Vilnius to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) showdown in Japan and Korea, all those events will or already have played an important role in South Korea's history. As always, my interest is not in the events themselves, but in governance, or in other words, ways the current administration is reacting or taking part in those events.

2023-08-07 16:30

US' unfinished involvement in Asia

In several of my previous articles, I continued noting that the United States has unfinished business in Asia. Arguably, in the last 150 years, the U.S. has had a bigger influence on the region than any other big country, like China or Russia. And all of that time it was done under the slogan of the fight for freedom.

2023-06-27 16:30

What makes it so difficult for Japan to apologize to Korea

Even if it has been a year since President Yoon Suk Yeol's inauguration and the media is trying hard to find his “achievements,” my rationale for criticism has been replaced by something more significant.

2023-05-24 16:10

Do not squander your opportunities

Our lives are full of opportunities. Some are small and are meaningless to our being - it is ok, or even good, to pass on things like tasting a new food product for free in a supermarket, for example. However, some opportunities are like a lottery. They may come only once or twice in a lifetime, like marriage or getting into an institution to study. The guidance for our life choices may start from what our parents may have taught us or from what we call family values.

2023-04-24 16:30

Day of reckoning: US has got work to do

Rule No. 1 when conducting foreign policy is to leave your morals outside the door. It is your national interest that drives your judgment - that has been the first commandment since the ancient Greeks, who laid the foundation for a proto-idea of a state. Yet, today, we see the world in very different terms, and we try to distinguish what is right and what is wrong. Essentially, international law after World War II was exactly about it.

2023-03-22 16:59

A case for government monopoly on energy prices

Higher utility prices, particularly for heating and gas, have hit us all in recent months. And according to the government, it isn't the end of the matter - there is a plan to increase the prices even further. It is time to cry foul at this administration's acts as examples of administrative incompetence.

2023-02-22 16:40

Economic crisis and global standards

Amid rising commodity and energy prices and falling property prices, Korea is reeling from the burden of decreasing exports and a depreciating won. Many are desperate for a breather from the troubles and are wondering what the best solution is for the future. My take is to follow global trends and adjust the economy according to international standards.

2023-02-01 16:40

On patriotism, nationalism and other -isms, or, let's not burn the house down

What motivation drives a decision maker's choices in his policies? A number of theories in the field of public administration, ranging from the psychological ones all the way to the grand development theories, may provide an answer. However, in order for one to understand what public administrators in South Korea have on their minds, one must do their fair share of digging.

2022-12-25 16:50

Stop thinking of “Your own bowl of rice” and start running the country

You don't need to know much to realize that South Korea has a governance problem. If you open a newspaper or turn on your TV, you'll see a number of news articles showing the current administration is in a deep legitimacy crisis or a state of cognitive dissonance. And it all begins and technically ends, with the first family. Instead of the much-desired shroud of mystery, the first family is being followed by a swirl of conspiracy theories.

2022-11-29 14:15

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