Top 10 News Stories of 2009

The deaths of three great leaders ― former President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kim Dae-jung, former President Roh Moo-hyun and Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan ― have been chosen as this year's top domestic news story, according to a poll of editors at The Korea Times. The top international story was the worldwide spread of Influenza A (H1N1), which has killed more than 11,500 people since the new flu surfaced in April. The following is a list of the 10 biggest national and international news stories of 2009.

National

1. Deaths of Three Great Korean Leaders
2. North Korea's Nuclear Test and Currency Reform
3. 'Death with Dignity' Allowed
4. Bloody Protest at Ssangyong Motor Plant
5. Seoul Selected to Host G20 Summit
6. Sejong City Plan & 4-River Project Controversies
7. First Space Launch Ends in Disappointment
8. Tougher Action Against Sex Crimes
9. Governing Party Railroads Media Bills
10. Korean Atheletes Victorious on Global Stage

World

1. Worldwide Spread of Influenza A (H1N1)
2. America's Big Three Auto Giants Fall
3. LDP's 50-Year Rule Ends in Japan
4. First African-American U.S. President Sworn In
5. UN Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen
6. Global Economic Crisis Continues
7. China Flexes Its Muscle on International Stage
8. EU Hails New Era As Lisbon Treaty Takes Effect
9. `King of Pop'Michael Jackson Dies
10. Iran's Presidential Election and Protests

National

Deaths of Great Leaders

Over 5 million people paid their respects at altars to former President Roh Moo-hyun after he unexpectedly committed suicide. A self-educated lawyer and human rights activist, Roh won the presidential election in 2002 without support from the establishment. His presidency was tumultuous as was his life. Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, a source of consolation for the people during the previous authoritarian regimes, passed away on Feb. 16 at the age of 86. Former President Kim Dae-jung, the winner of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his engagement policy with North Korea, passed away at the age of 85.

North Korea’s Nuclear Standoff and Currency Reform

Pyongyang conducted its second underground nuclear test on May 25. It claimed the test was more powerful than the previous one in 2006. Conducting of the test ignited international condemnation and the U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1874 to sanction the communist state. In a separate move, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s third and youngest son, Jong-un, 26, was touted as heir apparent, after the “Dear Leader” reportedly suffered a stroke in August. On Nov. 30, Pyongyang cut two zeros off the nominal value of its currency in an apparent attempt to fight inflation and curb black marketeering.

Death With Dignity Allowed

Korea’s first case of passive euthanasia was approved by the Supreme Court in May, leading to heated debate over whether it was humane to suspend life-supporting treatment to a patient in a persistent vegetative state. Six months has passed since respiratory and feeding tubes were removed from 77-year-old woman Kim Ok-kyung one month after the ruling, but she is still alive with stable vital signs, also triggering controversy that Yonsei Severance Hospital in Seoul, where she has been hospitalized, provided unnecessary and excessive medical treatments to the patient. Doctors, scholars and experts in a variety of fields have been in talks to set up concrete and practical guidelines on the issue.

Ssangyong Plant Strike

A 77-day-long bloody protest led by laid-off workers at Ssangyong Motor’s main plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, pushed not only the nation’s smallest auto company but also hundreds of subcontractors to the verge of bankruptcy in August. Thanks to a court ruling giving a green light to its self-rescue plan, despite overseas creditors’ opposition, Ssangyong was able to lengthen its life span for a while. How fast the cash-strapped company will be rehabilitated and restore public confidence hinges on the cooperation of investors, the market and, most importantly, management and labor.

Seoul to Host G20 Summit

South Korea gained unanimous support from participating nations to host the fifth G20 Summit, slated for November next year, at the third summit in Pittsburgh, in late September. About five weeks later, the government chose Seoul as the host city. Korean policymakers believe the country’s hosting of the G20 meeting, which has replaced the more elite G8 as the world’s premier economic forum, reflects its growing global influence. The government launched a presidential panel in early November to prepare for the summit.

Sejong City & River Project Contoversy

President Lee Myung-bak pledged in late November to revise the five-year-old project to set up an administrative town in Sejong, South Chungcheong Province, and seek an alternative development plan. The move drew a strong backlash from opposition parties and residents in the area. The administration plans to unveil its alternative plan in early January amid speculation that the envisioned region will be turned into self-sufficient industrial city. The government, meanwhile, launched a $19-billion mammoth project in early November to dredge and refurbish the country’s four major rivers despite protests over feared damage to the environment. The move represents the gist of President Lee’s “Green New Deal” programs. However, opposition parties say it would gobble up funds for welfare, education and provincial development.

First Space Launch

All eyes were on the brand new Naro Space Center on the southwestern tip of the peninsula on Aug. 25 when Korea attempted its first space launch. Although the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) reached its desired height and speed on its maiden flight, it failed to deliver its payload satellite into orbit because fairings, the part of the rocket which covers the satellite on top of the launcher, didn’t separate properly. The Khrunichev State Space Science and Production Center is contracted for another launch during the first half of next year, likely to be somewhere between April and May, and a possible third should it be found responsible for the failure of any of the launches. After one or two more launches of KSLV-1 rockets, Korea will focus on its second-generation space rocket, the KSLVII, which it plans to complete and launch by 2019, relying almost entirely on domestic technology. The government is planning to spend around 1.5 trillion won (about $1.26 billion) on KSLV-II, which will be used to send a 1.5-kilogram satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of somewhere between 600 to 800 kilometers.

Tough Punitive Move Against Sex Crime

Korea was forced into soul-searching following the Supreme Court’s confirmation of a lower-than-expected jail term imposed on rapist Cho Doo-soon, a 57-year-old man convicted of beating and raping a primary school girl who is widely known by her alias Na-young. Media attention to the victim struggling with permanent physical and mental damage has raised calls for toughening the penalty for raping minors, forcing the government and legislators to come up with a variety of countermeasures against sex offenders. Among punitive actions under consideration are chemical castration, increasing the maximum jail term for convicted rapists and intensifying monitoring of released sex offenders.

Railroading Media Bills

On July 22, the governing Grand National Party unilaterally passed three contentious bills to reshape the media industry . broadcasting, newspapers and IPTV . despite the opposition parties’ attempt to physically block the vote. The main opposition Democratic Party claimed that the passage of the bills, which call for the deregulation of the media market through cross-ownership and foreign investment, were unacceptable, as proxy voting took place during scuffles between lawmakers. On Oct. 29, the Constitutional Court acknowledged the problems in the voting, but ruled that the passage of the bills was valid.

Outstanding Sports Stars

Teenage skater Kim Yu-na continued her dominance on the ice in 2009. Kim opened the year with the Four Continents title in February and she became the first female figure skater to surpass the 200-point mark under a new scoring system at the World Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles in March. In addition, the 19-year-old claimed her third World Grand Prix Final title in December in her four-year senior career. The World No. 1 is favored to win a gold medal at the upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics in February 2010. Yang Yong-eun made a splash, rallying to beat world No. 1 Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship in August, which marked the first time that Woods didn’t win after entering the final round with the lead. With the victory, the 37-year-old became the first Asian-born male golfer to win a major tour title on the PGA Tour. The Jeju native, who also won the Honda Classic in March, finished 10th on the Tour money list with $3.49 million (4.14 billion won).

World

Swine Flu Pandemic

Influenza A (H1N1), also referred to as swine flu, was first detected in Mexico in March. In June, the World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic, marking the first time a global flu pandemic had been declared in 41 years. To avoid spreading the infection, it was recommended that those with symptoms stay home ― away from school, work, and crowded places. The outbreak spread quickly throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization, the number of fatalities from the disease surged past the 10,000 mark just eight months after the virus surfaced, though recently the number of cases has been waning.

Fall of ‘Big Three’ US Auto Giants

America’s top three car manufacturers ― General Motors, Chrysler and Ford ― faced a barrage of obstacles in an automotive industry crisis. GM and Chrysler filed for bankruptcy. The lack of fuel-efficient options offered by the North American companies saw car buyers look toward Asian and European models to meet their financial and consumer-conscious needs. The government agreed to bailout the giants in exchange for developments on fuel-efficient cars and consolidating company operations. Each automaker slimmed down their lines, which included GM’s sale of the Hummer brand. Both Chrysler and GM created new financial arms to receive the loans, filing for Chapter 11 within six months of each other.

Regime Change in Japan

The center-left Democratic Party led by Yukio Hatoyama won a landslide victory on Aug. 30, breaking more than 50 years of virtually continuous one-party rule by the Liberal Democratic Party. “This has been a revolutionary election,” he said. Hatoyama took office as prime minister on Sept. 16 and promised to create a new diplomacy to redefine Tokyo’s relationship with Washington and to improve relations with its Asian neighbors. Tokyo has been in conflict with Washington over moving a U.S. air base in Okinawa. Public support for Hatoyama has plunged as low as 48 percent, according to recent surveys. Hatoyama is scrambling to put together a budget for the year from April 1 by the end of this month.

First African-American President

Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 20 as the 44th president of the United States ― becoming the country’s first African-American head of state ― pledging to “begin again the work of remaking America.” But he was soon confronted with the sobering realities of Washington as he struggled to get the economy back on track and win support for his ambitious legislative priorities such as health care, a troop surge in Afghanistan and education. In November, Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation. However, the Nobel committee’s surprising selection created worldwide controversy over his role as a “war president.”

UN Climate Conference

A landmark conference on tackling climate change was held in Copenhagen from Dec. 7 to 18, with leaders and negotiators from 192 countries aiming to strike a deal to ward off the potentially catastrophic effects of global warming. Despite nearly two weeks of negotiating, the historic talks ended with delegates accepting a U.S.-brokered compromise that pledges billion of dollars in climate aid to poor nations but does not require the world’s major polluters to make deeper cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions. Disputes between rich and poor countries and between the world’s biggest carbon polluters ― China and America ― dominated the conference.

Global Economic Crisis

Despite a $787 billion federal stimulus package, much of the U.S. economy continued to splutter throughout the year. The jobless rate topped 10 percent and scores of banks failed. The global financial crisis stemming from a U.S. home mortgage meltdown led many countries ― including Greece and recently Dubai of the United Arab Emirates ― to adopt fiscal stimulus programs amounting to trillions of dollars to jolt their economies from recession. However, the recovery of the global economy is expected to accelerate next year as countries have come up with various measures to stimulate their economies. The International Monetary Fund raised the world’s 2010 growth forecast from 2.5 percent to 3.1 percent.

China’s Growing Power on International Stage

China has displayed growing political clout on the international stage this year to match its economic prominence. The Asian giant’s increasing power has become an inescapable fact of international politics. A dramatic show of China’s willingness to exercise its global political leadership was seen during the worldwide financial crisis, and the country has overtaken the United States to become the share sale capital of the world. More than $52 billion worth of initial public offerings were placed in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 2009 ― double the value of stock market debuts in the U.S. With China seen as the leader in coaxing Asia out of the global recession, it is now being hailed as a major stabilizing force. But despite its growing stature as a major economic power, Chinese leaders remain cautious about taking the lead in international affairs, as internally, the country is coping with unprecedented economic and social challenges. The coming year is expected to usher in more structural changes in many sectors of the economy as China begins to tackle unequal development within its boundaries.

European Union Hails New Era

The European Union hailed the start of a new era in December after its Lisbon reform treaty went into force, as the EU is seeking to become a more powerful player on the world stage. The treaty created the position of President of the European Council and enhances the power of the union’s foreign policy chief. The reform is intended to give the 27-country bloc political clout to match its economic influence. The EU’s first president, Herman Van Rompuy, took office on Dec. 1, along with foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. “The EU will be better equipped to meet expectations in the fields of energy, climate change, cross-border crime and immigration. It will also be able to speak with a stronger voice on the international scene,” EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said.

Death of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world, and caused a surge in sales of his music online. He had been scheduled to perform his “This Is It” concerts to over one million people in London from July13, 2009 to March 6, 2010. His public memorial service on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where he had rehearsed for the London concerts just two days before his death, was broadcast live around the world, attracting an estimated global audience of one billion viewers. His death, caused by prescription drugs and the powerful anesthetic propofol, was ruled a homicide and is being investigated by the Los Angeles police.

Iran’s Election and Protests

Incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the presidential election held on June 12 but opposition parties and reformists took to the street claiming the election had been rigged. The Iranian government cracked down on the rallies, with media reports saying that dozens of people were killed as a result. It was the most significant instance of civil unrest in the Islamic Republic’s 30-year history and drew divisions in the political and clerical establishment. Despite continuing pressure from the international community, the Iranian leader has rejected a year-end deadline set by the United States to accept a U.N.-brokered deal aimed at assuaging fears over its nuclear program. Several Iranian officials have already dismissed the deadline as a way out of the situation.