By Cho Hee-kyoung
As I write this article, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is hurtling through space toward a Lagrange point between the sun and the earth, at a speed of 498.24 meters per second. A Lagrange point is a point of equilibrium for small-mass objects under the influence of two massive orbiting bodies.
For the JWST, it is a point where the gravitational pull of the sun and the earth and its own centrifugal force will be at an equilibrium ― albeit an unstable one. Once it reaches its final destination, in approximately 20 more days, it will begin its mission of gathering information that may provide some answers to the mysteries of the universe, such as the formation of the first galaxies.
Meanwhile, on planet Earth, life continues on in the same messy, complicated, chaotic way, far from any kind of equilibrium. A new calendar year has begun and now in its third year, the pandemic that has swept the globe and claimed 5.5 million lives so far still shows no signs of abating.
As soon as we think we can finally get back to some semblance of normality, armed with vaccines and booster shots, a new variant emerges and thwarts our hopes and plans. The global inequality that had been growing even before the advent of the pandemic only became exacerbated with the spread of the virus.
In the developed world, there are vaccine deniers putting their own and others' health and safety at risk, while in many developing nations, vaccines remain out of reach for the great majority of the population. It is no coincidence that the latest variant emerged from the unvaccinated masses in underdeveloped areas of the world, which are becoming petri dishes for incubating new strains.
We must acknowledge the fact that there will be continuous threats from more and more virulent variants unless vaccines and treatments are made available globally at affordable prices for all and that those in developed countries and areas must lead the way in making this happen.
On the tiny piece of land jutting out at the Far Eastern end of the Asian continent, in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, we are reluctantly facing a presidential election due to take place in March. The media are referring to it as "the most disagreeable election in recent memory." The candidates from the two main parties seem to be vying for the title of who could be the most disliked presidential candidate ever.
The Democratic Party of Korea's candidate, Lee Jae-myung, is being dogged by a murky land development scandal. Despite his protests of innocence, the very nature of the scandal undermines his claim of being an effective administrator and thus best qualified for the job of the presidency. It also serves as a constant reminder of the failures of the current administration and the main reason why the people are clamoring for a change of power.
The opposition People Power Party's candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol, is a political novice who is rapidly proving himself to be out of depth and simply not up to the job. If it is not his daily flare-up of "foot-in-mouth" disease or his patent display of ignorance when it comes to policies that matter, it is the double standard he has shown toward his resume-padding (less kind commentators call it "resume-faking") wife, compared to the harsh treatment he meted out to others who had committed similar acts of wrongdoing, that has disillusioned people who were once his supporters and drove them away.
And the recent infighting and the implosion of Yoon's election campaign committee have given a boost to a third party candidate whose poll numbers are now in the double digits. Is this the year when we will actually elect a third party candidate to the presidency? Two months is a long time in Korean politics, but I, for one, am not holding my breath.
All of these shenanigans must seem like a storm in a teacup from 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, which is where JWST will finally end up. In the end, what seems to be a political furor currently will not even be a blip in the history of humankind. Nevertheless, we live in the here and now and who we elect in the presidential race is possibly the most important decision that we will make this year. As we have experienced both directly and vicariously, in the hands of an incompetent or corrupt leader, the institutions of democracy and justice can quickly crumble.
We as a nation face so many difficult challenges ahead of us in 2022 and beyond: the extremely low birthrate and low economic growth, youth unemployment, the rapidly aging population, growing inequality, gender wars and generational wars, not to mention climate change and the global hegemonic power struggle. I hope that we might be blessed with a leader who can guide us to a Lagrange point, but if not, then at least grant us the wisdom to choose the one who will do us the least harm.
Cho Hee-kyoung (hongikmail@gmail.com) is a professor at Hongik University College of Law.
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For the JWST, it is a point where the gravitational pull of the sun and the earth and its own centrifugal force will be at an equilibrium ― albeit an unstable one. Once it reaches its final destination, in approximately 20 more days, it will begin its mission of gathering information that may provide some answers to the mysteries of the universe, such as the formation of the first galaxies.
Meanwhile, on planet Earth, life continues on in the same messy, complicated, chaotic way, far from any kind of equilibrium. A new calendar year has begun and now in its third year, the pandemic that has swept the globe and claimed 5.5 million lives so far still shows no signs of abating.
As soon as we think we can finally get back to some semblance of normality, armed with vaccines and booster shots, a new variant emerges and thwarts our hopes and plans. The global inequality that had been growing even before the advent of the pandemic only became exacerbated with the spread of the virus.
In the developed world, there are vaccine deniers putting their own and others' health and safety at risk, while in many developing nations, vaccines remain out of reach for the great majority of the population. It is no coincidence that the latest variant emerged from the unvaccinated masses in underdeveloped areas of the world, which are becoming petri dishes for incubating new strains.
We must acknowledge the fact that there will be continuous threats from more and more virulent variants unless vaccines and treatments are made available globally at affordable prices for all and that those in developed countries and areas must lead the way in making this happen.
On the tiny piece of land jutting out at the Far Eastern end of the Asian continent, in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, we are reluctantly facing a presidential election due to take place in March. The media are referring to it as "the most disagreeable election in recent memory." The candidates from the two main parties seem to be vying for the title of who could be the most disliked presidential candidate ever.
The Democratic Party of Korea's candidate, Lee Jae-myung, is being dogged by a murky land development scandal. Despite his protests of innocence, the very nature of the scandal undermines his claim of being an effective administrator and thus best qualified for the job of the presidency. It also serves as a constant reminder of the failures of the current administration and the main reason why the people are clamoring for a change of power.
The opposition People Power Party's candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol, is a political novice who is rapidly proving himself to be out of depth and simply not up to the job. If it is not his daily flare-up of "foot-in-mouth" disease or his patent display of ignorance when it comes to policies that matter, it is the double standard he has shown toward his resume-padding (less kind commentators call it "resume-faking") wife, compared to the harsh treatment he meted out to others who had committed similar acts of wrongdoing, that has disillusioned people who were once his supporters and drove them away.
And the recent infighting and the implosion of Yoon's election campaign committee have given a boost to a third party candidate whose poll numbers are now in the double digits. Is this the year when we will actually elect a third party candidate to the presidency? Two months is a long time in Korean politics, but I, for one, am not holding my breath.
All of these shenanigans must seem like a storm in a teacup from 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, which is where JWST will finally end up. In the end, what seems to be a political furor currently will not even be a blip in the history of humankind. Nevertheless, we live in the here and now and who we elect in the presidential race is possibly the most important decision that we will make this year. As we have experienced both directly and vicariously, in the hands of an incompetent or corrupt leader, the institutions of democracy and justice can quickly crumble.
We as a nation face so many difficult challenges ahead of us in 2022 and beyond: the extremely low birthrate and low economic growth, youth unemployment, the rapidly aging population, growing inequality, gender wars and generational wars, not to mention climate change and the global hegemonic power struggle. I hope that we might be blessed with a leader who can guide us to a Lagrange point, but if not, then at least grant us the wisdom to choose the one who will do us the least harm.
Cho Hee-kyoung (hongikmail@gmail.com) is a professor at Hongik University College of Law.
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