[Editorial] Resolve lost

The prosecution's waiver of appeal in a land development corruption case linked to President Lee Jae Myung's tenure as Seongnam mayor is causing quite a stir. Chief prosecutors for districts across the country are pressing the acting prosecutor general for a convincing explanation about his decision to waive the appeal, effectively demanding his resignation. The decision also sparked public outrage, particularly over the fact that the prosecution had become unable to recover all of the criminal

Nov. 13, 2025

[Editorial] Tough on oneself

The government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday reached a consensus on setting the nation's 2035 goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at between 53 and 61 percent of 2018 levels. All countries that signed the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate are required to update their goals, called "Nationally Determined Contributions," every five years. The government plans to finalize the NDC proposal this week and submit it to the United Nations next week. Once submitted, the goal can

Nov. 11, 2025

[Editorial] Develop capability first

President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that South Korea's plan to retake wartime operational control, or OPCON, from the United States "within his term" would serve as a major opportunity to upgrade the bilateral alliance. Lee made the remarks during a meeting at his office with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. His five-year term ends in 2030. Earlier in the day, after annual security talks with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul, Hegseth told reporters that the two agreed that

Nov. 6, 2025

[Editorial] Rightful reversal

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea said Monday it had decided not to push the so-called "trial suspension bill," which would halt criminal trials of sitting presidents. The decision came just a day after its spokesman hinted at advancing the bill this month. The party said that it made the decision after consulting the presidential office. It is the right move to abandon the bill seen to be an unfair interference in judicial independence. The trial suspension bill is a revision to the Criminal

Nov. 4, 2025

[Editorial] ‘Surprise’ growth

The South Korean economy expanded 1.2 percent in the third quarter from the previous quarter, driven by rising consumption and solid exports. The figure exceeds the 1.1 percent growth anticipated by the Bank of Korea in August and is also the fastest in a year and a half. Growth had lingered around zero percent for four straight quarters after the 1.2 percent posted in the first quarter of 2024. There was great concern that the economy could end up this year at around zero percent. However, the

Oct. 30, 2025

King Charles III dedicates Britain's first national memorial to LGBTQ+ troops

LONDON (AP) -- King Charles III on Monday dedicated Britain's first national memorial to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops, 25 years after the UK ended a ban on homosexuality in the armed forces. The king, who is the ceremonial head of the armed forces, laid flowers at the monument in the National Memorial Arboretum in central England at a service attended by scores of serving troops and veterans. The sculpture takes the form of a crumpled bronze letter bearing words from personnel w

Oct. 28, 2025

[Song Jong-hwan] Private efforts renew Korea-Pakistan cooperation

It has been nine years since I completed my service as Korea's ambassador to Pakistan. The relationships I built during that time remain active. I continue quietly to contribute to deepening ties between the two countries, convinced that much potential still lies untapped. The Korean government has supported Pakistan’s economic development through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund and the Korea International Cooperation Agency. Many Korean companies, both large and small, have entered th

Oct. 28, 2025

[Editorial] Stick to principle

US President Donald Trump said, "I think North Korea is sort of a nuclear power." This was his reply to a question from reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Asia, asking whether he was open to North Korea’s demand to be recognized as a nuclear state as a precondition for dialogue with the US. He also said that the North has a lot of nuclear weapons. His remarks give the impression that he effectively recognizes North Korea's nuclear weapons. Trump told reporters that he is open to meeting

Oct. 28, 2025

[Editorial] Press freedoms

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Monday announced measures to root out false and manipulated information. The party plans to process the related bill within the year. Under the bill, news companies and YouTubers would be slapped with punitive damages if they disseminate false or manipulated information maliciously. Such damages could amount to up to five times the loss calculated by the court. If media organizations spread disinformation repeatedly, they could be fined up to 1 billion won

Oct. 23, 2025

[Editorial] E-government holes

The e-government that South Korea has boasted is having a rough time. Serious holes came to light in the government computer network after a battery fire at the National Information Resources Service in September paralyzed electronic government services. The Onnara System, an online platform used by civil servants when they work, is said to have been hacked and data leaked for about three years. It is the first time that the system managed by the Interior Ministry was infiltrated. About 650 elec

Oct. 21, 2025