Oh Young-jin
Korea Times Korea Time Reporter
Oh Young-jin is The Korea Times' publisher and president. He began to work at The Korea Times in 1988 as a sports writer. Then, he worked as a reporter and later as editor at the City Desk, Business Desk and Politics Desk. He worked as chief editorial writer before taking the current position. He has a keen interest in politics as well as defense affairs.
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Health
Message of hope from two pastors at Yoido Full Gospel Church
The Yoido Full Gospel Church's founder and senior pastor emeritus David Yonggi Cho, right, and senior pastor Lee Young-hoon smile after a recent interview at the church office in Seoul. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Oh Young-jin The coronavirus pandemic throws the world upside down: nations under lockdown and people cut off from each other and isolated from their daily lives.This viral attack makes humans feel helpless ― the victims of infinitesimal beings ― and prompts them to engage in collective soul searching. Spiritual consolation is what churches have long been providing. But the places of worship are also under siege as the virus scourge thrives on human-to-human proximity, making the fundamental gesture of a handshake, hugging and even talking with each other taboo. Will churches that have been born out of adversity overcome all kinds of challenges succumb to the latest plague? In the first of a series of interviews with leaders of the nation and the world marking the 70th anniversary of The Korea Times, the Yoido Full Gospel Church's senior pastor Lee Young-hoon and
Apr 1, 2020
Opinion
Mr. President, undo your pay cut
YonhapBy Oh Young-jin I will only take “your heart” that comes with your kind offer. That would be my response to a 40 percent pay cut President Moon Jae-in made together with top government officials.Moon kindly offered the chunk of his salary to people suffering the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic ― hundreds of thousands of small merchants and gig workers who have seen their incomes tumble and their jobs gone. Some say Moon's pain-sharing Good Samaritan act is aimed at buying the minds and hearts of voters before the April 15 general election but I don't believe so.I wouldn't point out that the donations would not reach an amount to significantly address the difficulty of so many people. But I would raise an issue over it, for it doesn't address the cause of the current economic dire straits, therefore sending the wrong message to the nation. More bluntly, Moon's pay cut is like a square peg in a round hole. Specifically, Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung is closer to the solution when he decided to provide each resident with cash-equivalent coupons of 100,000
Mar 27, 2020
Opinion
Infinitesimal virus humbles us (With Photos)
A near-empty section of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's main avenues. Millions of people are holing up at home because of COVID-19. AP-YonhapA usually busy main connection between Frankfurt and the Taunus region near Frankfurt, Germany. AP-YonhapAn electric bus almost has this busy main road in Beijing's Sanlitun shopping district to itself. Reuters-YonhapTrucks loaded with fish head to downtown Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, where the coronavirus originated. It is the first batch of 100 tons of fish transported into the city. Xihua-YonhapAn empty street in the Porta Nuova district of Milan on the sixth day of an unprecedented lockdown across Italy imposed to slow the outbreak of the coronavirus. Reuters-YonhapOne of Daegu's main streets. The city is the Korean epicenter of the coronavirus. YonhapA main street in Paris is almost empty of traffic. AP-YonhapA deserted street in Manila, the Philippines. AP-YonhapBy Oh Young-jin We are but a tiny speck in the universe, or so we would say to suppress our all-too-human, ever-expanding ego. Now, that observation is made to
Mar 20, 2020
Politics
Complacency will bring Korea second wave of coronavirus attack: expert
A health worker takes a sample for a test on coronavirus COVID-19 infection at a Seoul hospital. YonhapBy Oh Young-jin Dr. Hakim Djaballah, a New York-based virology expert, told The Korea Times of the possibility of the second wave of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, if Korea becomes complacent as its current viral crisis is being tamped down. "Most politicians have the tendency to do [so] as the elections are approaching, and with a very short recollection of events; then there would be a much higher risk for a second wave of attack," he warned in his interview with The Korea Times. The second wave could be even more difficult if the virus comes from Europe, the former head of the Institute Pasteur Korea said Wednesday by phone. "It is a different generation of the same virus ... due to its enhanced virulence," he said, adding that with closer monitoring on its perimeter and tighter border controls, South Korea could transform from the "patient of Asia" to the healthiest country in Asia. Regarding talks of ongoing efforts to develop vaccines, he was not supportive for a variety of r
Mar 19, 2020
Politics
'American collective mindset' causes corona bungling
U.S. President Donald Trump receives an elbow bump in place of a handshake during a recent White House function. Reuters-YonhapCompiled by Oh Young-jin Here are some of comments left by readers on The Korea Times Top 10 ranking articles on March 17. We have minimized editing to let the readers appreciate them at their discretion. As with comments on any social network services, they are ad hoc and private, not always reflecting the majority opinions. ― ED. 'Korea shows leadership in global coronavirus fight'Robert Cornett says: Although South Korea is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, it benefits from two things ― few ports of entries that can be controlled relatively easily and a collectivist population that will sacrifice their own good for the good of the whole. Imagine how few cases there'd be if the church had acted prudently and President Moon Jae-in banned Chinese travelers from the beginning.I've always been impressed with how quickly Korea's society could militarize, compared to America's individualistic society where it would be like herding cats. Am
Mar 17, 2020
Opinion
Minister Kang: our best Joan of Arc for now
Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita bows to Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha when he was called for Korea to protest about his country's quarantine measure. Korea TimesBy Oh Young-jin “Slapping travel restrictions on Koreans entering foreign countries is as domestic an affair as the Korean government is protesting about it.” This is what one foreign ambassador stationed in Seoul told me regarding Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha's forlorn, thankless campaign to stem the tide of countries blocking Koreans from setting foot on their soil lest they bring the ongoing coronavirus epidemic into their midst. The interpretation is that the world is as scared as ever and is doing whatever it can to keep itself from harm's way, whether it is Kang's remarks or anybody else's. In other words, it is a domestic affair. Kang surely knows the futility of making phone calls or holding meetings, but would have to do it anyway because its main purpose is to convey to the domestic audience that the country is doing something. World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweets abo
Mar 13, 2020
Politics
At worst case, COVID may reach up to 20% of global population: expert
Former Korean singer Lee Ji-yeon, now living in the United States, wears a mask to protest discrimination against Asians following the coronavirus epidemic outbreak. The disease originated in Wuhan, China, but is spreading throughout the world, causing acts of racism against Asians in western countries. Now Europe is under siege and the U.S. has slammed its doors on Europeans for fear of contagion. Dr. Hakim Djaballah, a virology expert, tells The Korea Times that up to 20 percent of the global population may be infected in a worst case scenario. From Lee's Instagram account By Oh Young-jin Dr. Hakim Djaballah, former head of Pasteur Institute Korea, has shared his expertise with readers of The Korea Times since the global coronavirus epidemic began. In his latest interview, the New York-based scientist advises Korea to check whether recovered patients might still carry enough viral load to spread it to others. “A systematic follow-up and virus testing is critical t
Mar 13, 2020
Opinion
Top 10 follies in coronavirus fight
President Moon Jae-inBy Oh Young-jinMy Top 10 list is not about the best of things but the worst of them in the fight against the coronavirus by Korea and the world. I don't think anybody will feel upset if they are not included on this list of follies and foibles. But its purpose is to put ourselves into perspective, detaching us from our daily viral battle. Seriously as we may take this fight and determined as we should be in our collective pursuit of victory, it won't hurt to look back and laugh about deeds we did. Perhaps that is where we can derive our energy to raise ourselves up and get back into fight. If size matters, we are millions of times bigger than that infinitesimal coronavirus. Now, without further ado but with no drum roll, and in no particular order, I begin:1) It (coronavirus) is not made in China: Xi Jinping We know that the Chinese are copycats, suspected pilferers of technology that hoover up anything that can make them money. Of course, I am denying the glory of the ancient Chinese civilization but at least modern China has relied on “copy and paste&rdqu
Mar 6, 2020
Politics
Expert: Coronavirus acting like bacteria ― greater health hazard
Shincheonji Church founder Lee Man-hee speaks to the media about mass infections among his members. Korea Times By Oh Young-jinThe ongoing COVID-19 outbreak is caused by a new coronavirus ― still a virus. But calling it a “cryptic virus,” as little is understood about it, virologist Dr. Hakim Djaballah raises the possibility it is acting like a bacterium, meaning it could be more contagious and last longer in the environment“This evolving virus could have developed a symbiotic relationship with common bacteria found everywhere ― in homes, in metro stations, in restaurants, on plane seats and others,” Djaballah told The Korea Times. “The virus has now turned some of these harmless bacteria into pathogenic bacteria or virulent bacteria, and it has gone into stealth mode, living undetected and protected by them.” He said not much is known about the virus, which is traveling quickly around the world, with not much known about its transmission methods understood. There i
Mar 5, 2020