Opinion - The Korea Times

Tumultuous time for S. Korea

By Tong KimU.S. President Trump's May 29 decision to revoke U.S. preferential treatment of Hong Kong following China's national security legislation for the city of “one country with two systems” confirms the beginning of a fierce Cold War between the two most powerful nations in the world. Washington is also withdrawing from the World Health Organization, which Trump has said was “China-centric” and incompetent in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. China says these measures will backfire to hurt the United States.This turn of events coincides with the pandemic tragedy and the race-related protests that started in Minnesota and quickly spread across the United States. America seems to be back in the Nixon era, fighting in the swamps of Vietnam, with domestic protests against war and civil rights marches. As Trump believes China bashing is helpful to his campaign, and as China is unlikely to back down, there will be no mitigation in the bilateral confrontation, at least until after the November election in America.It may be nerve wracking for South Korea to watch

Jun 1, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

US-China Cold War

By Tong KimPerhaps Sino-American relations are at their lowest since Nixon's opening of China in 1972. The bitter recriminations on the handling of the coronavirus between Washington and Beijing, with neither party backing down as it aggravates the deterioration of their relations, are raising the specter of a new Cold War. This danger comes at the wrong time and for the wrong reason.This comes at a time when all countries should work together to defeat COVID-19. It comes at a time when the world economy is expected to decline the most since the Great Depression. It comes at a time when countries should be racing to develop an effective vaccine, a proper treatment, and start easing lockdowns to find a new normal life and an economic recovery. An impartial investigation on the origin and spread of the novel coronavirus would be justified to learn the scientific cause of the origin and to prevent or deal more efficiently with any possible, future outbreak of a similar pandemic. However, blaming China for the coronavirus at this point does not help resolve or mitigate the pains from the

May 18, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Kim Jong-un reappears

By Tong KimOn May 1, Kim Jong-un attended the completion ceremony for the Suncheon Phosphate Fertilizer Plant near Pyongyang. His reappearance effectively put to sleep three weeks of swirling speculation on his health, his whereabouts, and even the discussion of a succession prospect in anticipation of his death. This time the news was real. It was televised May 2 by the Korea Central Broadcast, and published by the Korea Central News Agency and the Rodong Shinmun for both foreign and domestic audiences with photographs of Chairman Kim and his entourage including his sister Kim Yo-jong and other top ranking members of the party and the cabinet. Kim cut a ribbon for the completion of the fertilizer plant. He looked in good spirits, smiling, and said, “the great leaders (his grandfather and his father) who worked so hard to resolve the food issue for the people would be very pleased to see the erection of this phosphate fertilizer plant.”While his performance at the ceremony appeared as normal, he may still have potential health problems, given the medical history of his fa

May 4, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Exemplary election

By Tong KimDemocracy is working in South Korea amid the global coronavirus pandemic. The general election for the National Assembly was conducted safely and calmly last week, with meticulously built-in measures against COVID-19.Korea set an example that other countries, including the United States, should consider copying.South Korea is faring well among the infected countries in combating the spread of the virus with aggressive testing, quarantine, self-isolation, social distancing, wearing masks and closing crowded places. Now we are waiting for the development of a vaccine or medicine for the virus. We will get through this pandemic.The Korean elections saw the participation of more than 62 percent of eligible voters, the highest turnout in 16 years. It ended in a landslide win for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea with a whopping gain of three-fifths (180) of the seats over the opposition United Future Party (UFP), which won only 103 seats.The results were caused primarily by the urgency of the menacing COVID-19 pandemic and the dire economic situation, under which all the pol

Apr 20, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Reflections during COVID-19 crisis

By Tong KimOn April 3, North Korea's “state emergency anti-epidemic headquarters” claimed that there were no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and only around 500 people remained in quarantine across the country. Not too long ago, Pyongyang had reported thousands were being “medically monitored” against the viral pandemic in several provinces.North Korean propaganda credits the regime's effective anti-virus measures for lifting the quarantine on those who showed no symptoms of infection. The North closed its borders early on, putting arrivals in the country and those who may have contacted them into a strict 40-day quarantine, and sanitizing all imported goods.However, Pyongyang's claim has raised skepticism among many experts who know that North Korea's health care service is poor. Interestingly, Gen. Robert Abrams, the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, also questioned it last week. "That is an impossible claim based on all of the intel we have seen....That is untrue.” Abrams said.Washington has offered to help North Korea fight against the coron

Apr 6, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Politics of coronavirus

By Tong KimThe coronavirus has spread to over 150 countries, with over 306,000 confirmed cases and more than 13,000 fatalities. The world already seems like it's heading for recession because of the virus. What political impact the coronavirus will have on the countries it has infected is not knowable at this point.History has witnessed two worse pandemic calamities ― the Black Death of the 14th century ravaged Europe, Africa, and Asia, with an estimated death toll of between 75 million and 200 million people and the 1918 influenza pandemic from which about 50 million people worldwide perished.China still maintains that the origin of the coronavirus is not known scientifically. On Chinese social media rumors have spread that members of the U.S. military were involved in the origin of the virus.However, it is hard to deny that the novel coronavirus ― officially called COVID-19 ― originated from Wuhan, China. The city reported the first breakout of the virus in December. Some call it the Wuhan virus. Trump calls it the “Chinese virus” because “it comes from China.&rdq

Mar 23, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Conflicting signals

By Tong KimAmid the coronavirus pandemic, a common enemy to all of humanity that is still spreading globally, North Korea was busy last week, disclosing what it is doing internally but showing no signs of change on the nuclear issue or its path to self-reliance. It was sending seemingly conflicting signals to the South. Washington is trying to make sure that the North does not cross the red line.On Feb. 29, Chairman Kim Jong-un called an expanded politburo meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party and fired two vice chairmen of the committee ― respectively responsible for organization and agriculture. Both were accused of “abuse of power, practices of privilege, corruption, and irregularities,” among other charges. In addition, Kim abolished a party cadre-training center on similar grounds.Unlike previous political purges, which were related to factional struggles or disloyalty to the leader of the country, the purpose of the latest purge appears to be getting rid of corrupt party officials who indulged in personal privileges and greed. This will not be the l

Mar 9, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Concern and uncertainty

By Tong KimWe are going through an uneasy period of concern and uncertainty. We don't know when or how the coronavirus epidemic will end. However, we know that when the epidemic subsides, the North Korean issue will resurface. We don't know how the current flux in the security order in the region may evolve in the coming years.Robert O'Brien, U.S. national security adviser, recently said Trump will not go to another summit with North Korea, unless a deal is assured beforehand. John Bolton, O'Brien's immediate predecessor, and Jim Kelly, Trump's former White House chief of staff, are saying that Trump's North Korea policy has failed.There is no prospect for resuming the talks with Pyongyang at this point. Trump and Kim Jong-un may prefer the status quo to continue until after the U.S. elections in November.North Korea is quiet nowadays. They are supposed to be busy building a self-reliant economy, probably exploring more ways to circumvent the restrictions of sanctions. In addition to ship-to-ship transfers of coal, they may be working on outright cyberattacks for financial gains.In A

Feb 24, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Two Koreas and US

By Tong KimAs a protracted stalemate is settling on nuclear negotiations, it's been quiet on the North Korean front ― with no provocations. Pyongyang appears focused on its internal agenda. It is busy realigning its party apparatus, shuffling party cadres; and carrying out its self-reliance policy to breach the barriers of sanctions to economic development.Washington speaks less ill of the socialist monarchy in Pyongyang for its nuclear policy or its abuses of human rights. But Trump's defense secretary still calls North Korea a rogue state, underscoring its threats. Trump made no mention of North Korea in his State of the Union address on Feb. 4, unlike the two previous occasions in Congress. Perhaps, he had nothing good to say about the North Korean nuclear situation.Trump sounded like he was delivering a campaign stump, bragging about his performance on domestic issues. He did not delve into foreign policy, except for making a passing reference to his flexible stance on Iran and his demand for U.S. allies to increase their share of incurred burdens.In Seoul, the Moon government ha

Feb 10, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Test in March on N. Korea

By Tong KimNorth Korea is staying the hardline course: refusing calls for talks without U.S. acceptance of its demands and waging an all-out self-reliance campaign for a “head-on” fight against sanctions, while developing nuclear weapons. This head-on policy was opted for by Kim Jong-un during an expanded Central Committee meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea held at the end of December.Kim has appointed Ri Son-gwon, a hardliner with no diplomatic experience, as his new foreign minister, replacing Ri Yong-ho, a veteran diplomat. This shift does not signal a change in Pyongyang's policy; it reflects Kim's determination toward a self-reliant economy and a strong strategic deterrent. In the North, a foreign minister rarely makes critical policy decisions. Kim does.The new minister is a former army colonel and has considerable experience in dealing with South Koreans. However, he was known for a lack of diplomatic decorum while interacting with South Koreans. He may behave as did his rough boss, Kim Yong-chol, did when he was representing Chairman Kim to President Trump. Ri

Jan 29, 2020By Tong Kim

Tong Kim

Read more

Tumultuous time for S. Korea

US-China Cold War

Kim Jong-un reappears

Exemplary election

Reflections during COVID-19 crisis

Politics of coronavirus

Conflicting signals

Concern and uncertainty

Two Koreas and US

Test in March on N. Korea

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