Trump Jr. vows ‘patriotic capitalism’ for stronger AmericaDOHA — Donald Trump Jr., son of United States President Donald Trump, said Sunday that America must abandon its decades-long practice of being the "big, dumb guy with a checkbook" for the world, arguing that allies must increase their contributions to global security and reconstruction efforts. He made the remarks during a session at the Doha Forum 2025, where Trump Jr. and Omeed Malik, co-founder and president of the venture capital firm 1789 Capital, asserted their commitment to an economic philosophy of "patriotic capitalism." Trump Jr. said that the U.S. public doesn't want to keep carrying the largest financial load for international wars. “The American public isn't going to do what they used to do for years, or we're just going to be the big, dumb guy with a checkbook, and we're going to cover all of the world's problems, and no one else has to do their part,” said Trump Jr., who’s also serving as a partner of 1789 Capital, arguing that the U.S. will no longer accept the disproportionate burden of reconstruction efforts. He emphasized the need for greater cost-sharing globaDec 7, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
US urged to uphold rule of law: Hillary ClintonDOHA — The world is witnessing an erosion of international norms and laws, and the United States under the Donald Trump administration is no exception, according to Hillary Clinton, former U.S. secretary of state. She aired her concerns Sunday during her one-on-one conversation with Ravi Agrawal, editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy, at the Doha Forum 2025 in the Qatari capital. She said global norms and laws have been well-established since World War II. “When you talk about how the rule of law, how the expectations of militaries in combat are supposed to be judged, all of that was an effort to try to construct a system that could rein in bad leaders,” she said. Citing some world leaders who want to dominate neighbors without being restrained, she said moving away from international norms and laws “will only benefit the worst actors in the international system.” “So I really believe it's a mistake for the United States not to be upholding all of those rules,” the former secretary of state said. “The world will be much worse off if the United States retreats from that positiDec 7, 2025By Kim Rahn
Global South needs bold action to earn media agency: expertsDOHA — The Global South lacks the power to shape international media narratives, and rather than waiting for established Western outlets to change their ways, nations there are required to create “breathtaking” moments to force a shift in perspective, Oh Young-jin, president-publisher of The Korea Times, said Sunday at the Doha Forum 2025. He made the proposal during a session titled "Reclaiming Agency in International Media" in which participants discussed how media agencies from the Global South, which refers to developing nations located primarily in the Southern Hemisphere, could build narrative power. "The word 'reclaiming' suggests taking back something that once belonged to you. But in reality, the Global South never truly had ownership over how it is represented in international media. There is nothing to 'reclaim,' because that agency was never theirs to begin with,” Oh said during the panel discussion at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort. The Korea Times is participating in the forum as a media partner. Oh argued that the media industries in powerful nations of the GlobalDec 7, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
AI risks in warfare demand new global rulesDOHA — As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes the landscape of modern warfare, experts at the Doha Forum 2025 held Saturday called for immediate international action to establish rules before AI destabilizes global security. Their discussion took place during a session themed "AI as a Double-Edged Sword: Strategies for Responsible Use in the Military Domain,” which was held in partnership with the Jeju Peace Institute, a leading Korean think tank. The panelists explored the ethical, legal and security implications of integrating AI into military systems. Yun Byung-se, former foreign minister of Korea and current chair of the Global Commission on Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM), said that AI is a transformative force comparable to the discovery of fire, not just a simple tool. "AI is no longer a niche technology. It is a civilizational technology, reshaping nearly every domain of human activity like an unbound Prometheus," Yun said. "As a dual-use, transformative technology, AI offers extraordinary opportunities, while at the same time introducing deeply conseDec 6, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Doha Forum 2025 calls for accountability, global health actionDOHA — The 23rd edition of the Doha Forum opened Saturday in the Qatari capital, bringing together global leaders to discuss pressing international challenges under the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress.” Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani delivered the opening address, issuing a stark warning about the deteriorating state of global security caused by a failure of international accountability. "As we gather today, our world is witnessing an unprecedented worsening of crises," Al Thani said during the opening ceremony at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort. He attributed this decline to "the lack of accountability and the lack of solutions." “This represents a direct threat to peace and security when crises are managed with the logic of force instead of law, and when the aggressor remains free from any accountability,” the prime minister said. Established in 2000, the Doha Forum has become a premier platform for global dialogue. This year’s theme “Justice in Action" calls on stakeholderDec 6, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
InterviewKorea's success is blueprint for 'Justice in Action' at Doha ForumKorea's development story provides a compelling example of inclusive governance and public trust, making it key to achieving "Justice in Action," the central theme of the upcoming Doha Forum, according to Mubarak Ajlan Al-Kuwari, executive director of the forum. "Korea’s experience shows that progress and justice can advance together," the executive director told The Korea Times in a recent written interview, underscoring the country's rapid transformation into a leading innovation-driven economy built on strong institutions, social investment and public trust. "At Doha Forum, we see Korea’s development story as a compelling example of how inclusive governance can create opportunity and stability. Korea’s leadership in digital governance, civic participation and education highlights how growth becomes most sustainable when it is grounded in fairness and accountability,” Al-Kuwari said. The Doha Forum is a leading global platform for diplomacy and dialogue. The 23rd edition will gather policymakers and decision-makers in Qatar on Saturday and Sunday to discuss critical global chaDec 3, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea, Japan hold 1st science, tech cooperation meeting in 16 yearsKorea and Japan held their first senior-level meeting on science and technology cooperation in 16 years Thursday, the foreign ministry said, as the two countries renewed their commitment to deepen ties in advanced technologies. The 14th meeting of the Korea-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Committee held in Tokyo earlier in the day, after the two sides agreed to resume the intergovernmental forum for the first time since 2009 during their summit talks in September. The Korean delegation was led by Han Min-young, director general for climate change, energy, environment and scientific affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, with officials from the science and trade ministries. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation in advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, space and biotechnology.Nov 27, 2025By Yonhap
Korea raises concerns over EU's probe into Czech nuclear power project, new steel safeguardsIndustry Minister Kim Jung-kwan on Thursday conveyed Korea's concerns to the European Union (EU) over the latter's investigation into the Czech Republic's nuclear power plant project, secured by Seoul, and plan to implement stronger steel safeguard measures, Kim's office said. In a Seoul meeting with Henna Virkkunen, the executive vice president of the European Commission (EC) for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Kim called for "amicable" solutions to the issues, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. The EC initiated a foreign subsidies regulation investigation into the Czech nuclear energy project in May to determine if the project's winner, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), received unfair foreign subsidies, following a complaint from France's EDF, the KHNP's rival in the bid. With the EU's push to beef up regulations on steel imports, Seoul has continued to express concerns, asking the EU to help Korean companies secure the maximum import quota. Earlier this year, the EC announced plans to reduce tariff-free quotas on foreign steel by 47 pNov 27, 2025By Yonhap
First ladies of Korea, Turkey visit library in AnkaraFirst lady Kim Hea Kyung and Turkish first lady, Emine Erdogan, have visited Turkey's largest library in Ankara and shared their thoughts about cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, Seoul's presidential office said Tuesday. The two first ladies toured the Nation's Library in Ankara on Monday, where they visited the Korean-language section and discussed the growing interest in Korean culture among Turkish youth, vice presidential spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo said in a written briefing. Kim visited Turkey, accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his state visit. At the library, the two enjoyed a performance of the Korean folk song "Arirang" and a piano recital in honor of Kim, who majored in piano. They then toured an archaeological exhibition hall showcasing artifacts excavated across Turkey, as well as cultural properties repatriated from overseas. After the tour, Kim and Erdogan held a meeting at the presidential residence and signed the Zero Waste Initiative, pledging to support efforts to reduce waste and promote recycling, Jeon said. On the same day, Kim separately visitedNov 25, 2025By Yonhap
Korean, Lao vice FMs discuss cooperation in online scam response, critical mineralsVice foreign ministers of Korea and Laos held talks Monday in Seoul to discuss the strengthening of cooperation in tackling online scams and in other future-oriented areas, according to officials. During his talks with his Lao counterpart, Phongsamouth Anlavan, First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo emphasized the need for closer regional law-enforcement cooperation, calling for active collaboration with Laos in strengthening investigative assistance involving online scams. Anlavan said the Lao government also attaches great importance to the issue and expressed hopes for deeper coordination with Korea. The vice ministers agreed to expand cooperation in future-oriented sectors as well, including critical minerals and the green economy. Park expressed hopes that the two countries will make tangible progress in these areas, while Anlavan expressed hopes to elevate bilateral ties and energize high-level exchanges as the two countries mark the 30th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations. Earlier in the day, the Seoul foreign ministry hosted the Korea-Laos Future Forum in SeoNov 24, 2025By Yonhap
