Opinion - The Korea Times

ED Concerns over weakening won

Amid the U.S. tariff whirlwind, the Korean won’s persistent vulnerability had not been considered an urgent concern — until now. When the U.S. announced its "Liberation Day" tariffs on April 2, the won fell to a new low of 1,472 a week later. At the time, however, market sentiment suggested this would be a short-term development that would eventually subside. The unrelenting depreciation of Korea's currency as the year comes to an end is raising concerns. On Friday, the won closed at a new seven-month low of 1,475.6 against the dollar. On Monday, despite the won rising momentarily in the morning on the expectation that the U.S. Federal Reserve would cut the rate in December, it closed at 1,477.1 won. For weeks now, analysts have been discussing and debating the possibility of the won breaking through the 1,500 won level, a psychological threshold last reached during the 2009 financial crisis. While few experts believe Korea could cope with the won standing at the 1,500 won level, changes in the structural supply and demand of the dollar are prompting different policy options, inclu

Nov 24, 2025

ED Intensifying China-Japan feud

Tensions across Northeast Asia are intensifying, signaling a disturbing shift in the region’s strategic landscape. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent declaration that Japan’s Self-Defense Forces could intervene in the event of a Chinese move on Taiwan has triggered a sharp escalation in China-Japan tensions, spilling over from diplomacy into economic and cultural arenas. This development comes at a delicate moment, as Seoul and Tokyo have only recently begun repairing strained relations. Even this tentative progress has faltered after Japan rejected an in-flight refueling request from Korea’s 53rd Air Demonstration Group, commonly known as the Black Eagles aerobatic team. Japan cited the unit's recent training flights near Dokdo, prompting the postponement of a planned joint rescue exercise. Meanwhile, relations between Seoul and Beijing are experiencing renewed friction amid the modernization of the Korea-U.S. alliance and the possible acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. In this increasingly volatile environment, a pragmatic foreign policy rooted in nationa

Nov 23, 2025

ED New horizons in UAE ties

President Lee Jae Myung’s four-nation tour of the Middle East and Africa has opened a significant chapter in Korea’s diplomatic engagement. His state visit to the United Arab Emirates culminated in a joint declaration with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, titled “A New Leap for 100 Years of Korea-UAE Partnership.” The declaration confirms Korea’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s long-term vision of becoming one of the world’s foremost nations by 2071, and reflects Seoul’s intention to broaden its strategic outlook beyond the traditional U.S.-China-Japan orbit to encompass emerging regions with rising geopolitical weight. The summit between the two leaders produced a substantial expansion of bilateral cooperation. Long-standing pillars of collaboration — investment, defense, nuclear energy and conventional energy — will now be complemented by joint initiatives in artificial intelligence (AI), space exploration, health care and cultural exchange. Of particular consequence is the agreement to pursue third-country nuclear power projects based on the Barakah mod

Nov 20, 2025

ED Airtight probe into public servants

The government has triggered concern with its decision to investigate officials over possible participation and cooperation in the insurrection caused by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024, looking at individuals across 49 central administrative bodies. Seeking to provide reassurance, President Lee Jae Myung stressed that "rewarding merits and punishing faults is the most basic of basics in organizational management." He wrote on social media on Sunday that "surmounting insurrection and promoting active administrative work are both tasks that we must carry out." Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Tuesday further reiterated that the investigation must go ahead. The plan is to set up a task force this week that will receive anonymous letters reporting suspicious actions on the part of government officials, including participation in or cooperation with insurrection activities. The investigations are then expected to proceed with interviews, screening of personal computers and checking mobile texts, if necessary. Since the Prime Minister's Office made the

Nov 19, 2025

ED USFK 'east-up' map

Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the 28,500 U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), explained his training method for his troops that expands upon and describes in detail what strategic military flexibility and alliance modernization would mean for South Korea. In an essay posted on the USFK website and in written responses from Korean defense press corps, Brunson reorients Northeast Asia's map east-up, reframing it so that U.S. forces already "positioned on the Korean Peninsula are revealed not as distant assets requiring reinforcement but as troops already positioned inside the bubble perimeter that the U.S. would need to penetrate in the event of crisis or contingency." This shift in view "illuminates Korea's role as a natural strategic pivot," the commander noted. He focuses specifically on the distances between major cities when the map is east-up. Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, is 158 miles (254 kilometers) from Pyongyang, 612 miles from Beijing and approximately 500 miles from Vladivostok. Thus, South Korea is "positioned to address northern threats from Russia while simult

Nov 18, 2025

ED Preventing industrial hollowing out

The joint fact sheet released last week by the White House calls, among other things, for Korea to invest $350 billion in the United States, including $150 billion in the U.S. shipbuilding sector, in return for lowered tariffs. At home, however, the scale of these investments has raised concerns about a potential industrial hollowing out. President Lee Jae Myung’s meeting with business leaders on Sunday to follow up on the trade agreement reflected this sentiment. Addressing worries over shrinking domestic investment as a consequence of Korea’s large outflows to the U.S., Lee expressed hope that Korean companies would take meaningful steps to ease such concerns. “Other things being equal, I hope our business leaders can pay greater attention to domestic investment,” he said. Companies responded swiftly with massive investment pledges. Samsung Group announced 450 trillion won ($310 billion) in domestic investments over the next five years to expand operations at home. Hyundai Motor Group unveiled a 125 trillion won domestic investment plan for 2026-30 focused on research and deve

Nov 17, 2025

[ED] Preventing industrial hollowing out

ED US backs Korea's nuclear aspirations

The fact sheet released after the recent Korea-United States summit marks a potentially historic turning point in bilateral nuclear cooperation. For the first time, the United States stated that it “supports procedures that could lead to South Korea’s peaceful enrichment of uranium and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, within the framework of the U.S.–ROK nuclear cooperation agreement and consistent with U.S. legal requirements.” This declaration is far more than a diplomatic gesture for a country that ranks among the world’s top five nuclear power producers yet remains heavily constrained in handling nuclear materials. Washington’s explicit support of Seoul represents the first institutional step toward easing long-standing restrictions, made possible through U.S. cooperation. Korea is under mounting pressure to manage its spent nuclear fuel, as storage facilities are expected to reach capacity by 2030. The current bilateral agreement prohibits reprocessing, effectively blocking a viable long-term solution. Moreover, Seoul cannot even produce low-enriched uranium -- bel

Nov 16, 2025

[ED] US backs Korea's nuclear aspirations

ED When politics overrules justice

The resignation of Noh Man-seok, acting prosecutor general and deputy prosecutor general, amid a controversy over the prosecution’s decision not to appeal the first-trial verdict in the Daejang-dong land development corruption case, marks a grave moment for Korea’s justice system. What began as a dispute within the prosecution has escalated into a full-blown political and institutional crisis — one that exposes the erosion of prosecutorial independence and the dangerous influence of political power over justice. At stake is not merely an appeal, but the integrity of the rule of law itself. By declining to appeal the ruling, the prosecution effectively relinquished the chance to reclaim over 740 billion won (approximately $540 million) in illicit profits that should have been returned to the public treasury. It also squandered the opportunity to fully uncover the truth behind a scandal that epitomizes Korea's web of politics, real estate and corruption. The Daejang-dong case, which yielded enormous profits for private developers through opaque dealings with public officials, spar

Nov 13, 2025

ED Lee's anti-hate vow needs substance

This week, President Lee Jae Myung said that racism and disinformation pose a grave threat to democracy, directing the justice minister to revise laws regulating defamation so that violators can face harsher punishment. “There are people in our society who constantly engage in discrimination based on race and background, and their hatred and extremism have deepened social unrest,” Lee said during a Cabinet meeting on Monday. He singled out political banners as a source of the problem, saying some contain “trashy phrases” that amount to little more than slurs and contempt. Lee expressed frustration that such banners cannot be removed, as those set up by political parties are protected under current law. “Political parties can put up banners whenever and wherever they want. It’s time to rethink such a law because it does more harm than good,” he said, directing Cabinet ministers to draft legislation to restrict political banners. Lee did not specify which phrases he found problematic. Political banners are ubiquitous across the country, with some carrying accusations against C

Nov 12, 2025

[ED] Lee's anti-hate vow needs substance

ED A long way to go

Following last week’s successful Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the fragile bonds that held the region’s leaders together are beginning to show cracks. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the often turbulent relationship between Korea and Japan. It was only two weeks ago that President Lee Jae Myung met with Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. In a hurriedly arranged summit, the two leaders agreed to strengthen ties and continue regular talks. The meeting was a sign that the recent uptick in bilateral relations — initiated during the previous administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol — is continuing. Yet, in a familiar, almost cyclical diplomatic dispute, Japan refused to allow the Republic of Korea Air Force’s Black Eagles to refuel at Naha Air Base in Okinawa following their recent flight training over Dokdo, a move that many in Seoul interpreted as linked to the long-running territorial dispute. Neither government is addressing the issue publicly. Both sides need to develop structural mechanisms to prev

Nov 11, 2025

Editorial