The Korea Times

Unfit and unchecked: Do we really need confirmation hearings like this?

The confirmation hearing for Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Kang Sun-woo on Monday turned into a tense political showdown, with lawmakers fiercely divided between defending and attacking the nominee. Kang, a sitting lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), remained composed throughout the contentious session, denying most of the allegations against her. The hearing was heated from the outset. Dozens of legislative aides staged a protest outside the National Assembly hearing room, demanding Kang withdraw her nomination. Holding signs featuring a disparaging acrostic poem using Kang’s name, the protesters accused her of abusing power and treating her aides like personal servants. “Shame on you,” one shouted as Kang approached the room. Unfazed, Kang, escorted by Assembly staff, entered the room without reacting. Inside, the atmosphere was hostile. Lawmakers grilled Kang over her alleged mistreatment of staff and failure to submit requested documents. In the media, she has been portrayed as a self-serving bully, with accusations of sending abusive text

Jul 16, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Unfit and unchecked: Do we really need confirmation hearings like this?

Others

Trump's silence on Korea-US summit: What does it signal?

U.S. President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement earlier this week of a 25 percent tariff on all products imported from South Korea has thrown the country into turmoil. It was, as a Korean saying goes, “a thunderbolt from a clear sky.” Korea’s economy is heavily dependent on exports, which accounted for 44 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. The U.S. is its second-largest trading partner. Last year alone, Korea exported goods worth $128 billion to the U.S., leaving Korean exporters deeply alarmed over the potentially devastating impact across-the-board tariffs could have on their businesses. If the new levies take effect on Aug. 1 — separate from existing sector-specific tariffs, as Trump stated — the Korean economy could sink into a recession. Already showing signs of contraction, the country’s GDP shrank in the first quarter on a quarter-on-quarter basis. In May, the Bank of Korea slashed its 2025 growth forecast to 0.8 percent, down from its February projection of 1.5 percent. For Korea, the next three weeks are critical. Trump indicated the U.S. gov

Jul 10, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Trump's silence on Korea-US summit: What does it signal?

Others

The SKT hack: the real threat behind stolen data

The SK Telecom hack, revealed in April, marked a watershed moment for South Korea’s cybersecurity. In its wake, a flurry of proposals has been put forward to prevent similar large-scale data breaches. Yet the discourse, focused narrowly on cybersecurity measures, risks missing the bigger picture. The consequences of stolen personal data — and its potential abuse — are far more dangerous than many can imagine. In today’s digital age, experts warn that cyberattacks of this scale can even pose a direct threat to national sovereignty. Peter G. Kirchschlaeger, a professor of ethics at the University of Lucerne in Switzerland, emphasized the profound potential for misuse of stolen data, highlighting election interference as one of the most serious risks. With illegally harvested data, he explained, hackers can analyze users’ characteristics, interests and preferences to predict their thinking patterns and decisions. “The hackers, or those who possess the stolen data, can manipulate people into buying certain products they’re promoting,” Kirchschlaeger said. He warned that the

Jun 26, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

The SKT hack: the real threat behind stolen data

Politics

Next president's first headache: Find a place to live

No matter who wins the upcoming presidential election, the next president will have to start from scratch. From Day One in office, he will face two rare challenges that most of his predecessors did not encounter. First and foremost, the new president will forgo the traditional status of president-elect and immediately assume the responsibilities of office. There will be no time to savor the victory or enjoy the ceremonial aspects of a transitional period. Because the winning candidate will be declared president immediately after the final vote count, he will be sworn in without the usual two-month transition period. This situation is reminiscent of Moon Jae-in’s inauguration in May 2017, following the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. Like Moon, the new president will have to assume control of government operations without the benefit of a formal handover. His predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, was ousted in April after the Constitutional Court decided to impeach him for declaring martial law. As a result, the incoming president must navigate the steep learning curve of governance lar

May 29, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Next president's first headache: Find a place to live

Politics

Fear campaign works as Lee Jae-myung's legal troubles erode support

As the June 3 presidential election draws near, candidates have intensified their attacks on rivals amid a tightening race, particularly between the two leading contenders. Frontrunner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) accused his rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP), of being "a collaborator in the Yoon Suk Yeol-led insurrection," claiming Kim would simply continue the flawed legacy of the Yoon administration. “Kim has been shielding Yoon and has ties with far-right groups,” Lee alleged during a televised presidential debate held on Friday. In response, Kim argued that Lee, if elected, would become a strongman intent on controlling all three branches of government, the legislative, the executive and the judiciary. “Voters are faced with a choice between a totalitarian regime under Lee or a democracy poised for progress,” Kim said during a press conference on Thursday at the PPP's headquarters in Seoul, where he announced his campaign pledges on political reform. Kim further attacked Lee’s integrity, calling him “a crime kingpin” who is cu

May 26, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Fear campaign works as Lee Jae-myung's legal troubles erode support

Politics

Kim Moon-soo walks a tightrope between right-wing support and centrist appeal

This past week has been an arduous one for Kim Moon-soo, marked by internal strife. It was more eventful than the previous week, during which his status as the People Power Party’s (PPP) presidential candidate hung in the balance. Ultimately, grassroots PPP members overturned the leadership’s top-down decision to replace Kim with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating Kim as the party's candidate. Though relieved that his candidacy had survived a political roller coaster, Kim’s sense of relief was fleeting. After officially registering as the PPP’s official nominee on May 11, he launched his campaign the very next day, beginning with rallies in Daegu Metropolitan City and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province — traditional strongholds of the conservative party. The local response was enthusiastic, injecting renewed energy into his campaign. Returning to Seoul, however, Kim found himself politically isolated. His former rivals from the PPP primaries were unwilling to support him, leaving the party fractured just weeks before the June 3 election. This lack of unity

May 19, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Kim Moon-soo walks a tightrope between right-wing support and centrist appeal

Politics

Can Korea's next president heal a nation in crisis?

With the June 3 presidential election fast approaching, less than a month remains until voters head to polling stations to cast their ballots for their preferred candidates in this snap election. Questions loom large over the nation’s future leadership: Who will be Korea’s next president? Which candidate is the best fit to lead? What policy priorities should be addressed first by the incoming administration? To shed light on these pressing issues, The Korea Times, in collaboration with the Korean Institute for Presidential Studies (KIPS), hosted a roundtable discussion on May 2 featuring four leading experts. They are Hahm Sung-deuk, chairman of KIPS; Lee Keun, president of the Korean Economic Association; Jung Kwang-ho, president of the Korean Association for Public Administration; and Jeon Hak-seon, president of the Korean Public Law Association. Under the theme “What to Expect in the June 3 Presidential Election,” the panelists shared their insights on the qualities Korea’s next president should possess and reflected on the political downfalls of two former presidents, Yoo

May 7, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Can Korea's next president heal a nation in crisis?

Opinion

Desk Column Who's to blame for decline of legacy media?

As a commuter, I’m used to spending nearly three hours a day on the road — traveling to my office in central Seoul and back home to the suburbs after work. Riding the bus isn’t so bad. In fact, it’s often far better than taking the subway, which is infamous for being overcrowded during the morning rush hour. On the bus, I usually spend time resting, napping or simply watching the changing scenery through the window. It’s a calm and peaceful part of my day — at least until it’s interrupted, seemingly out of nowhere, by a radio news show blasting from the driver's speaker system. These radio programs often feel like a snapshot of Korea’s deep political divide. Some hosts are so overtly biased that I question their professionalism. They speak freely about their political leanings without the slightest attempt at neutrality. Their choice of guests can be just as questionable. As just one of many passengers on the bus, I have no choice but to listen. This kind of forced listening is stressful, especially during what I prefer to be the quiet hours of a daily commute. Last Wedne

Apr 30, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

[Desk Column] Who's to blame for decline of legacy media?

People & Events

UK shoemaker back in business to disrupt footwear market with AI

For Koreans who grew up in the 1980s, any mention of global sports brand Reebok brings back memories of an iconic TV commercial that played on a loop in their minds. In the ad, Lee Jong-won, a then-unknown model, appeared in a black sleeveless jersey emblazoned with the word “Reebok.” His flawless athletic dance performance — jaw-dropping and powerful — captivated viewers across the country. The routine was said to be inspired by Mikhail Baryshnikov’s dramatic opening dance in the critically acclaimed 1985 film “White Nights.” The TV commercial was a turning point in Lee’s career, launching him into stardom. Virtually overnight, he became one of the most sought-after actors in the country, riding the wave of the Reebok ad’s viral popularity. By the 1990s, the British footwear brand had become a must-have among trendy young Koreans. What’s less known, however, is that Reebok’s global rise had a strong Korean connection: Its shoes were produced by manufacturers based in the southeastern port city of Busan. “In 1979, I met with three factories in Busan and was amazed

Apr 16, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

UK shoemaker back in business to disrupt footwear market with AI

Opinion

The Statue of Peace in Berlin

BERLIN — A bronze statue of a teenage girl in traditional Korean hanbok attire caught my attention as I was on a bus heading to my hotel in the central Berlin district of Mitte on Nov. 24, 2024.

Feb 26, 2025By Kang Hyun-kyung

Kang Hyun-kyung

Read more

Unfit and unchecked: Do we really need confirmation hearings like this?

Trump's silence on Korea-US summit: What does it signal?

The SKT hack: the real threat behind stolen data

Next president's first headache: Find a place to live

Fear campaign works as Lee Jae-myung's legal troubles erode support

Kim Moon-soo walks a tightrope between right-wing support and centrist appeal

Can Korea's next president heal a nation in crisis?

Desk Column Who's to blame for decline of legacy media?

UK shoemaker back in business to disrupt footwear market with AI

The Statue of Peace in Berlin

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