The Korea Times

High-tech elections vulnerable to cyberattacks

Tech-savvy elections have vulnerabilities to foreign influence. / gettyimagesbankBy Kang Hyun-kyungWhenever elections are held, there are always a group of people who complain about the election results. As we've seen in the April 15 National Assembly elections, some refuse to concede their defeat and take legal action to have the vote recounted, claiming the election is fraudulent.It's no wonder conspiracy theories are always created by those who lost the election. However, there are lessons we can learn from conspiracy theories. This time, we can get an idea of how to improve our election system as the current conspiracy theory centers around the critical blind spot of high-tech elections ― cyberattacks. QR codes on pre-election ballots and tabulation sheets that came out once the machines completed counting ballots were under scrutiny after some raised suspicions about the election results. The National Election Commission (NEC) has ruled out election rigging, hacking or other types of manipulation by outsiders who were not authorized to have access to the election system. However

May 14, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

High-tech elections vulnerable to cyberattacks

Democracy can be hacked

Travel & Food

A tale of Jeju citrus

Jeju islanders call the yellow citrus fruit “hagyul” (summer tangerine) as farmers harvest it during summertime from May to June. It has long been used by farmers as an ingredient for homemade summer drinks. / Korea Times photo by Kang Hyun-kyungCitrus cocktail, farmers' favorite summer drink By Kang Hyun-kyungJEJU ― Those who visit Jeju Island around this time of year will easily discover big orange-colored citrus fruit on trees along the streets. They're similar to a grapefruit. The locals call them “hagyul” (summer tangerine). Once the thick peel is removed, it looks just like an orange. Unlike oranges or tangerines, however, the flesh is less juicy and has a sour taste. The citrus trees are so common on the island that people can find them almost everywhere. They are spotted in parks, small orchards of houses, farmlands and even in the compounds of hotels. The citrus has been part of Jeju islanders' lives for a long time. The residents were raised seeing the trees near their homes, even before the island's signature tangerine trees were introduced there fr

May 8, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Books

Neutral state proposed to cut foreign influence

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan, in this July 2017 file photo. / Reuters-Yonhap'Why Japan' shows liberal thinker's worldview By Kang Hyun-kyungHa Jong-moon's “Why Does Japan Want to Conquer Korea?” gives an insight into the direction of President Moon Jae-in's foreign policy and goals for diplomatic footing in East Asia to those who remain clueless about the liberal government's motives. It's an informative piece for those who want to understand Moon's position when he is handling key foreign policy issues related to South Korea's relations with the United States, China and Japan and inter-Korean diplomacy.Despite this merit, the book reveals its limitations with its overly simplistic analysis of complex East Asian affairs and a polarizing worldview that pits Korea against Japan in all areas despite their common ground on the security front which necessitates their cooperation. The author tries to rally support for what he believes is good for Korea's future to ensure its survival as a sovereign state at a time when East

May 8, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Neutral state proposed to cut foreign influence

Opinion

Blame them if you're flawless

By Kang Hyun-kyungI happened to learn about a media competition for North Korea coverage many years ago which pit two leading newspapers against each other.I won't disclose who shared this with me to protect their privacy, other than that it was at a lunch with a few journalists from other media outlets hosted by a government official.Contrary to his calm demeanor, the soft-spoken official initiated a provocative talk. He asked a reporter from one of the leading newspapers who was among us that day whether a rumor about his company's rivalry with the other was correct or not. The official said he heard a Beijing correspondent of the newspaper was stressed out because another Korean correspondent from a rival media outlet ran scoops on North Korea several times, thanks to his extensive network in China and sources who had insiders' views of the Hermit Kingdom. He mentioned a newspaper article about North Korea that was published that day by the rival media as the reason behind his question. His “curiosity” seemed to have offended the reporter. The journalist said what was

May 6, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Travel & Food

Jeju islanders have mixed feeling about tourists

Jeju International Airport is crowded with tourists Sunday as tourism to the southern island bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic. With Buddha's Birthday last Thursday and Children's Day this Tuesday, by taking a few extra days off work, people are enjoying up to a week off, enabling them to have enough time to explore the island or other tourist destinations. / YonhapTourism sector elated, yet some locals wary of virus infections By Kang Hyun-kyungJEJU ― A cafe in the Osulloc Tea Museum in Andeokmyeon, Seoguipo City, on the southern part of this island was crowded Thursday, as social distancing driven by the COVID-19 pandemic showed signs of easing with the sharp drop in daily infections. Named after sulloc, a homegrown tea from the southern island, Osulloc means the origin of green tea, and the tea plantation promotes itself as home to the premium product. The Osulloc Tea Museum compound stretches over 495,000 square meters in a once wilderness area and is a tourist hotspot. At the cafe, people sip green tea, other green tea-based drinks or coffee, while some enjoy green te

May 3, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Jeju islanders have mixed feeling about tourists

Nearly 140,000 tourists visit Jeju on 'golden holiday'

Sports

Son Heung-min's 'Wonder Goal' selected as Goal of the Year

Son Heung-min / Korea Times fileBy Kang Hyn-kyungTottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min won the “Goal of the Year” award presented by sports news site The Athletic. Son won the award for his goal scored after a 70-meter run down the field in a match against Burnley in December 2019. After taking possession of the ball near his own penalty area, Son proceeded to dribble the ball 70 meters down the pitch, passing six Burnley players before scoring the goal, as Tottenham went on to a 5-0 victory.After the goal, Son was likened to superstars such as Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. The Athletic selected Son's goal for the award based on an online vote by football fans.The Athletic selected players in six categories: Young Player of the Year, Goal of the Year, Unrated Player, Best of Year 11, Men's Player of the Year and Women's Player of the Year. In the men's category, Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne was chosen as Player of the Year.The media outlet's ceremony was held Sunday amid uncertainty about the resumption of the English Premier League due to the coronavirus pandem

Apr 27, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Son Heung-min's 'Wonder Goal' selected as Goal of the Year

Books

Later-borns more likely to succeed in Joseon

In a paper titled “Finding Sibling Effects on Passing the Civil Exam in the Late Joseon Era,” published in the March edition of the academic periodical, author Han Sang-woo looked into birth order and those who had passed the exam to find their relationship and test his hypothesis that first-borns would have been in an advantageous position to pass the state exam because they were prioritized in inheritance of family fortunes and properties. / gettyimagesbankHistorian reviews birth order, Confucian culture and eldest sons' duties By Kang Hyun-kyungIn the Joseon Kingdom, later-born children had higher rates of passing the highly competitive state exam to select government officials than the eldest sons did, according to a recent paper published in the academic journal Korean Historical Studies. Being introduced in 1393 and having been implemented for five centuries until 1894, the state exam was considered the ladder of success and the springboard for plum jobs in government. Only men born into the highest social strata of yangban were eligible for the test. In a paper tit

Apr 19, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Later-borns more likely to succeed in Joseon

Travel & Food

Living as a polar scientist tough yet enjoyable

Biologist Kim Ji-hee, first from left, and other South Korean polar scientists explore Antarctica to search for candidate locations for the country's second research station there in this February 2010 file photo. Their expedition led to the establishment of the Jang Bogo Research Station in 2014. / Courtesy of KOPRIBy Kang Hyun-kyungPolar scientist Kim Ji-hee spends two to three months annually on Antarctica, known among other things for its significant penguin population, depending on her research schedule.She said that watching penguins in Antarctica is one of the joys of being a polar scientist. Although the Jang Bogo Research Station on mainland Antarctica has no habitat for penguins, they can be spotted there because Emperor and Adelie penguins go there to molt. Around the King Sejong Research Station on Barton Peninsula, King George Island is a place where penguins tend to congregate, making it a better place for penguin watching.Polar scientists conduct their research missions against severe weather conditions in a desolate environment. Thus, Kim noted, overall working condit

Apr 16, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Living as a polar scientist tough yet enjoyable

Books

A journey to No Man's Land

Penguins are seen in ice-covered Antarctica from the Russian scientific research vessel Akademik Fedorov (not seen in this photo) in this January 2008 file photo. Before South Korea has its own icebreaker, scientists of the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) relied on foreign ships to do their research. / Courtesy of KOPRIPolar biologist speaks on voyage to Antarctica on ice-capable vessel, global warmingBy Kang Hyun-kyungBiologist Kim Ji-hee's annual research trip to Antarctica is always an exhilarating rollercoaster ride.Kim, a principal scientist at the Korea Polar Research Institute in Songdo International Business District created along the waterfront region of Incheon Metropolitan City, first went to King George Island in 2002 to research biodiversity and plants on the ice-covered region. Since then, she embarks on a field trip to Antarctica every year during its summertime from November to March. Her field research with a team of five or six other scientists began with excitement about their mission. But she became nervous once the airplane arrived in Christchurch, New Zea

Apr 16, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Travel & Food

Delivery workers slow down panic buying in Korea

According to CJ, instant noodles, canned products and bottled water are the three most-sold emergency supplies after the coronavirus pandemic. / gettyimagesbankBy Kang Hyun-kyungPresident Moon Jae-in's complimentary remarks about the absence of panic buying in Korea turned out to be premature. Although toilet paper and other emergency supplies were still packed in supermarkets after the coronavirus pandemic began, CJ Logistics said there has been panic buying online, albeit only briefly.It said panicked Koreans flocked to shop online to purchase emergency supplies in the last week of February, shortly after the 31st coronavirus patient became a super spreader and led to a surge of confirmed cases.CJ's analysis is based on 198 million online forms their delivery workers had completed between February and March. According to CJ, instant noodles, canned products and bottled water are the three most-sold emergency supplies during that time. The sales of canned food tripled in the fourth week of February, compared to the week before. Deliveries of instant noodles and bottled water more th

Apr 10, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung

Kang Hyun-kyung

Read more

High-tech elections vulnerable to cyberattacks

A tale of Jeju citrus

Neutral state proposed to cut foreign influence

Blame them if you're flawless

Jeju islanders have mixed feeling about tourists

Son Heung-min's 'Wonder Goal' selected as Goal of the Year

Later-borns more likely to succeed in Joseon

Living as a polar scientist tough yet enjoyable

A journey to No Man's Land

Delivery workers slow down panic buying in Korea

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