The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'

  • 3

    S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high

  • 5

    Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer

  • 7

    Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory

  • 9

    The ethical issues of AI: fighting the right battles

  • 11

    4 in 10 Koreans experience overdue wages: survey

  • 13

    Lee Jae-myung's possible arrest looms over main opposition party

  • 15

    LG Chem to build LFP cathode plant with Huayou in Morocco

  • 17

    An American high school experience in Seoul

  • 19

    AI reliance could undermine financial market stability: report

  • 2

    Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China

  • 4

    China's 'batwoman' scientist warns another coronavirus outbreak is 'highly likely'

  • 6

    K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran

  • 8

    BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D'

  • 10

    Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation

  • 12

    Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil.

  • 14

    Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy

  • 16

    Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars

  • 18

    Russian FM to visit Pyongyang next month as follow-up to Kim-Putin summit

  • 20

    TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Tue, September 26, 2023 | 08:05
Oh Young-jin Column
Between Ivanka and Kim Yo-jong, it's no draw
Posted : 2018-03-02 17:09
Updated : 2018-03-02 17:57
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Oh Young-jin

There were desperate attempts to compare Ivanka Trump and Kim Yo-jong during the PyeongChang Winter Games.

Perhaps it was the spirit of Olympic competition and the patriotic trappings that fed the media frenzy that asked, "Who is the better of the two?"

The former visited the closing ceremony of the Games, while the second was there for the opening.
Maybe the old Cold War sense of confrontation gave full play to the U.S.-North Korea standoff over the latter's nuclear and missile programs that threaten the former.

The Korea Times columnist Don Kirk, an American, called it a draw, while a New York Times columnist said it was no contest in Ivanka's favor because her opposite number was the sister of a notorious dictator.

But don't American liberals call Trump, Ivanka's father, the destroyer of democracy in a country that is often regarded as the cradle of modern democracy?

Then again, the Olympics are supposed to be more about participation than about winners.

Hypocrisy? Blame Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee president, for his decision about the Russians.

The Ivanka-Yo-jong comparison, if it comes to that, should start with the fact that they cannot be compared. If the PyeongChang metaphor is borrowed, it would be like comparing a skier to a skater or, more subtly, between a speed skater and a figure skater, and deciding who is the winner.

Even as some did, one may try to put the first daughter and first sister in the same category under the competition of "charm offensive" and it shouldn't pan out _ charm offensive is an oxymoron. (Yes, I know what it means).

Now that the Games are behind us, if the inability to compare is acknowledged and there still remains an interest in doing what cannot be done. Here is the result.

Yo-jong's biggest achievement was to put a human face on her brother known for treating people's lives like flies. He had his uncle killed by anti-aircraft gunfire; his elder brother killed by poison at an international airport; and purged his supposed close aides. He also holds millions of South Koreans hostage by brandishing his weapons of mass destruction.

Kim, in her early 30s smiled, pouted, grimaced and dared to show her freckles with light makeup by South Korean standards, all the time captivating the media and fascinating the world.

Her visit gave a rare glimpse into the cloistered society and an even rarer one into the North's murderous dynasty. If Kim Jong-un, her dictator brother, had foreseen the effect, it was nothing less than a master PR move.

Of course, it is also likely that sending the first sister to Seoul also showed the level of desperation to prevent what the U.S. might do to the North after the Games.

Pyongyang also gave her an appropriate entourage _ cheerleaders and performing troupes many times bigger than their sporting contingent that became part of a South Korean-led joint team.

Her brother put on a big military parade to ensure that Yo-jong got no rough reception in the South. Some observers say, with some justification, that the North hijacked the PyeongChang Games and gained free publicity of Olympic proportions before the world.

In contrast, Ivanka did not have the baggage Yo-jong had. The first daughter is a well-groomed daughter of the richest-ever U.S. president. The former model's mission was to cheer her country's delegation and have dinner with President Moon Jae-in.

She played the role of goodwill ambassador well and projected a sense of American optimism to the world.

In that sense, she polished her father's image a bit, but not as much as Kim did with her brother because Trump is a public figure under constant scrutiny. So there were few elements of voyeurism.

Ivanka had poor support from an ungentlemanly Vice President Mike Pence, who did not acknowledge Yo-jong during the opening ceremony and stood her up at a possible Cheong Wa Dae meeting. Trump, perhaps as a concerned father, made sure Ivanka was not ignored when he announced major sanctions against the North.

With a bit of hyperbole, Ivanka is as apolitical as Yo-jong is political.

Yo-jong is an alternate member of the North's Politburo and director of the Department of Propaganda and Agitation, while Ivanka is her father's adviser at the White House.

The proximity to power is similar, but Kim is a ranking member of the North's hierarchy with a specific job title and work cut out for her. Ivanka is a family member who has her father's trust.

Yo-jong visited Korea as her brother's special envoy, carried his personal letter and delivered a verbal invitation for Moon to visit Pyongyang. Ivanka came to cheer her national squad and talked about the U.S. policy of "maximum pressure" on the North, but few paid any attention to this.

Ivanka kept a lower public profile than Yo-jong did. Her trip here was part of Trump's promise to send a family member to the Games to reassure South Korea of America's commitment to its peace and security.

If one still wants to know who was better, the answer would be the same _ Ivanka and Yo-jong played their different roles and both did a good job. If they were judged in terms of the effectiveness of the oxymoronic "charm offensive," let's say that the winner is in the eye of the beholder. But it was no draw.


Oh Young-jin (
foolsdie5@ktimes.com, foolsdie@gmail.com) is the digital managing editor of The Korea Times. This column was previewed online this week.


 
miguel
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
14 in 10 Koreans experience overdue wages: survey 4 in 10 Koreans experience overdue wages: survey
2[PHOTOS] Harvest season arrives PHOTOSHarvest season arrives
3Tanghulu captures hearts of Korean millennials and Gen Z Tanghulu captures hearts of Korean millennials and Gen Z
4K-pop fans rally in Seoul against luxury brands' failure on climate action K-pop fans rally in Seoul against luxury brands' failure on climate action
5Korean gov't faces international criticism for R&D budget cuts Korean gov't faces international criticism for R&D budget cuts
6SK earthon begins crude oil production in South China Sea SK earthon begins crude oil production in South China Sea
7LG Uplus, Hanwha develop ceiling-mounted EV charging system LG Uplus, Hanwha develop ceiling-mounted EV charging system
8Homeplus' private brand products hit store shelves in Mongolia Homeplus' private brand products hit store shelves in Mongolia
9Main opposition chief in showdown with prosecutors over arrestMain opposition chief in showdown with prosecutors over arrest
10[EXCLUSIVE] Lawmakers to submit resolution urging China to free N. Korean escapeesEXCLUSIVELawmakers to submit resolution urging China to free N. Korean escapees
Top 5 Entertainment News
1K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling QuranK-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran
2BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D' BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D'
3Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK
4[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'
5[INTERVIEW] Yim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston' INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group