The Korea Times

COVID-19 vaccines for poor countries

It's so encouraging to hear that the vaccines for COVID-19 from Pfizer and Moderna are becoming a reality and will soon be available to be deployed.Many advanced countries are competing to reserve their country's portion of the vaccines and in the case of Canada they have pre-bought enough vaccines for 10 times the population. The mechanism to help vaccines be bought and distributed to other countries has been set up and is called the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. Now the question is, “Is there enough money in this envelope to buy and deploy the vaccines for the most vulnerable people?” South Korea is making concerted efforts to secure vaccines for its own people and the unification minister is very vocal about supplying vaccines for North Koreans.South Korea should definitely secure vaccines for its own people and North Koreans but also make sure it does its fair share by committing 1 percent of the country's domestic COVID-19 response to ACT, so that not only it serves its own people but the entire world. Sunnie KimGangbuk-gu, Seoul

Set the record straight

Dear editor,We have seen an article titled “Human rights violations ― painful history shared by women in Korea, Kashmir” that was published in your newspaper on Sept. 8.The article is riddled with factual inaccuracies, false narratives and baseless allegations against India. Above all, it is politically motivated and divorced from ground realities. The purpose of writing this letter is to set the record straight and present the facts to your esteemed readers in an objective manner.Jammu and Kashmir is and has been an integral part of India since Oct. 26, 1947, when the then ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession to bring about its lawful merger with the Union of India.This accession was completely lawful in terms of the Government of India Act, 1935, Indian Independence Act, 1947, and international law, and is total and irrevocable. On the contrary, Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of Indian territories of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.On Aug. 5, 2019, the Parliament of India pass

Help developing countries cope with COVID-19

After record-long rainy days and their damage plus the disastrous effects of the COVID-19 resurgence, one would wonder if there's any end to the tunnel anywhere.President Moon Jae-in is largely surrounded by criticism that comes with the second half of his mandate. and a growing number of people have begun to voice the opinion that he can't seem to do anything right. Understandably, the patience of Koreans is beginning to run thin. Yet all is not negative. Among the better news that has transpired over the past few days is that Doctors Without Borders was able to secure a six-month moratorium on restrictions on TB diagnostic and treatment supplies to be shipped to North Korea. While many might think that it's probably wrong to focus on people outside of South Korea at this time, we must remember our dreadful days of a developing nation just a few decades ago.We must build solidarity with those who do not have the wherewithal to defend themselves from the pandemic. So it's great the South Korean government announced a $50 million package to make COVID-19 therapeutics and diagnostics a

COVID-19 and US hegemony at crossroads

America today stands at a crossroads, one that questions the very legitimacy and longevity of its imperial hegemony. As a Korean American studying in the U.S., I worry that I am committing myself to a country that is now a falling order, an imploding structure.Several questions must be asked. American scientists are some of the smartest, and its economy is unparalleled in size ― how is it, then, that it has failed so miserably in responding to this virus? The U.S. harbors some of the largest tech giants, too ― why is it, then, that even basic tech infrastructure for contact tracing is lacking?What is really challenged here is American ideology. Consider how Congress paid for a $2.4 trillion stimulus package when it could not afford basic needs, such as testing and masks. The priority here was placed not on public health, but on economic progress. Unfortunately, in this pursuit of economy over public health, the U.S. lost both, posing a great challenge of legitimacy to the American neoliberal ethic.And why are Americans so uniquely against wearing masks? Consider, here, the importance

How to deal with 'corona blues'

These are strange times we are living in. The new coronavirus has us all practicing social distancing, and staying away from large social gatherings such as school as much as we possibly can. This is no doubt critical for our physical health. But it's certainly creating a lot of challenges for mental health. The fact that I can't meet up with friends, get proper exercise, or go anyplace without wearing a mask … I have to admit it's stressing me out.I did some research on this phenomenon. It turns out that there's a term for it: the “corona blues.” All around the world, people are stuck at home feeling anxious, lonely and depressed. It can result in bad digestion, headaches and insomnia.Because all of us struggle with this situation in different ways, I wanted to pass on some useful tips I got from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Stay safe and healthy everyone! Five tips for dealing with the corona blues:1. Take care of your body: Eat healthy, well-balanced meals, and avoid junk food and fast food. Get enough sleep, and open a window for s

Benefits of urban farming

Since April, I have participated in the City Farmer School program run by our district office. We urban farmers gather every Friday morning, learn how to grow vegetables from our instructor and work together in our community garden. We planted various leaf vegetables including kale, lettuce and crown daisy. We also planted potatoes, radishes, eggplants, pumpkins and cucumbers. On the edge of our plots, we planted fragrant herbs like basil, apple mint and peppermint. Time passes quickly when we work in the garden. We harvest leaf vegetables, remove superfluous buds from cherry tomato plants and water all the crops. We work only for an hour a week, but have enjoyed bountiful harvests. I feel good when working in the soft soil. Everything in the garden is beautiful. Red radishes, yellow tomato flowers and small green tomatoes make me smile. Urban agriculture has many benefits. It provides city people with fresh vegetables. Our community garden is only a 10-minute walk from my house. Eating freshly harvested vegetables is a joy. Taking part in the City Farmer School program, I came to like d

By Kim Sun-ae

Thoughts of the Times

Unicorns are not built by individuals — they are engineered by nations

The first successful ascent of Mount Everest by Edmund Hillary took place in 1953. During the decade that followed, only around 150 people managed to reach the summit. Today, however, Everest is climbed by hundreds every year. Did human capability suddenly evolve? Hardly. What changed was not the climber, but the system surrounding the climber. Oxygen tanks, fixed ropes, Sherpa support, sophisticated weather forecasting and, above all, a highly organized base camp transformed the “impossible mountain” into a “manageable challenge.” Everest teaches us a profound lesson: the probability of success is determined not only by individual effort, but by the design of the environment itself. The divided city of Nogales on the U.S.-Mexico border offers another revealing example. The people on both sides share the same ethnicity, cultural roots etc. Yet the quality of life differs dramatically between Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora. Household income, public infrastructure, safety and economic opportunity are sharply unequal. Is this merely a difference in talent or work ethic? More

May 26, 2026By Hong Dae-soon

Voice of Readers

Letters to the Editor

COVID-19 vaccines for poor countries

Set the record straight

Help developing countries cope with COVID-19

COVID-19 and US hegemony at crossroads

How to deal with 'corona blues'

Thoughts of the Times

Benefits of urban farming

Miracle of Nami Island

Unicorns are not built by individuals — they are engineered by nations

‘Yield yields yield’

Mount Yeongchwi Azalea Festival

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Benefits of urban farming

Miracle of Nami Island

Unicorns are not built by individuals — they are engineered by nations

‘Yield yields yield’

Mount Yeongchwi Azalea Festival

Emerging Trump doctrine: Seeking 3 goals

Green economy reshapes Korea-Indonesia relations

Secret of health

Digital rain

America's foreign policy illusion

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