Opinion - The Korea Times

ED Korea's damage control in Cambodia

The Korean public is outraged over the government’s inaction as its nationals faced increasing peril from organized crime in Cambodia. The internet is now awash with harrowing accounts from survivors who risked their lives to escape what they described as a hellish detention at the hands of Chinese-led criminal syndicates in the Southeast Asian country. One escapee recounted making a desperate call to the Korean Embassy in Phnom Penh, terrified he might be spotted by the criminals who had kidnapped him. Instead of receiving immediate assistance, he was told by an unnamed embassy official to contact the Cambodian police himself. When he explained he didn’t speak the local language, the staffer reportedly advised him to use Google Translate. Families of other missing Koreans have also come forward, sharing the pain and helplessness of waiting for news from Cambodia. While their individual experiences vary, they all echo the same sentiment: The Korean government was not there when its citizens needed help the most. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun came under intense scrutiny during a National

Oct 15, 2025

ED Trade specter over APEC

After seemingly avoiding direct clashes in their four rounds of trade talks this year, China and the United States have upped the ante with expanded export controls and retaliatory tariffs two weeks ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, later this month. Naturally, the markets were rattled, and the Korean won hit a new low Monday, prompting a verbal intervention from the Korean government. The U.S. and China then began to dial down the tension a bit, with U.S. President Donald Trump posting on social media Sunday (local time) that Chinese President Xi Jinping "doesn't want Depression for his country, and neither do I." He also added that the U.S. doesn't intend to hurt China and wants to help. China, for its part, said it is ready to talk but also to fight. With tensions calmed for the time being, the planned summit between Trump and Xi is expected to go ahead, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Bessent also added that “The 100 percent tariff does not have to happen,” referring to Tru

Oct 14, 2025

ED North Korea's dangerous show of force

North Korea unveiled new weapons of mass destruction at a military parade held Friday, including a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the United States, along with a hypersonic missile. The ICBM, named Hwasong-20, is an upgraded version of the Hwasong series reportedly capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. The parade, held at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, underscored the continued sophistication of the regime’s weapons program. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was seen applauding as the new ICBM passed by. Notably, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also attended the event. This created a powerful visual signal of strengthening ties among the three autocratic regimes. Kim standing shoulder to shoulder with top representatives from China and Russia shows that the trilateral partnership among China, Russia and North Korea is not a one-off diplomatic gesture. It highlight

Oct 13, 2025

[ED] North Korea's dangerous show of force

ED Koreans kidnapped in Cambodia

Cambodia, once a popular destination for culture-savvy and budget-conscious Korean travelers, has become an increasingly dangerous place following a sharp rise in the kidnappings of Koreans by Chinese crime rings operating in the Southeast Asian country. The number of Koreans reported to have been kidnapped or missing in Cambodia has soared in recent years. In 2023, around 30 Koreans were reported as having been abducted while traveling there. The number jumped to 220 the following year, and surged again to 330 as of August this year. Most victims fell prey to employment scams promising high-paying jobs in the IT sector. Upon arrival, they were taken to compounds run by Chinese criminal syndicates and forced to work in online scams. Survivors say victims were subjected to severe beatings and torture when they failed to meet performance targets. Some died under such abuse, including a Korean college student found dead near Bokor Mountain in August. His body has yet to be repatriated, fueling public outrage in Korea. The Korean government has faced criticism for its sluggish response to t

Oct 12, 2025

ED Korea's steel industry at a crossroads

The European Union announced a sweeping revision of its steel import safeguard measures: It will reduce the global duty-free import quota by half and double tariffs on imports exceeding that quota from 25 percent to a steep 50 percent. This move, following a similar U.S. decision earlier this year, signals a rising tide of protectionism among major economies. For Korea, the world's sixth-largest steel producer and a major global exporter, this development could not come at a worse time. The EU's decision is driven by its desire to shield domestic producers from surging imports, especially from China, whose steel glut continues to depress global prices. The European Commission has made it clear that the changes are intended to preserve market stability amid mounting global overcapacity and to strengthen Europe’s negotiating position in trade talks with the United States. However, the consequences for Korea are severe. In 2024, Korea exported $4.48 billion worth of steel to the EU, surpassing even the $4.35 billion shipped to the United States. The EU has functioned not only as a critic

Oct 9, 2025

[ED] Korea's steel industry at a crossroads

ED Lee's OPCON gamble

President Lee Jae Myung has once again emphasized the importance of a self-reliant military, weeks after sparking debate by referring to the U.S. forces stationed in South Korea as "foreign troops" that are not indispensable to the nation’s defense. “We have every reason to be proud of and confident in our military capabilities. Based on that confidence, we must pursue a stronger military to achieve peace and prosperity for this country. This is the direction our nation must follow,” Lee said during a speech marking Armed Forces Day on Wednesday. In his address, Lee used the term “self-reliance” three times and, for the first time since taking office on June 4, directly called for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States to South Korea. It remains unclear whether his remarks signal a shift in policy on wartime command or if he intends to use OPCON as leverage to pressure Washington into breaking the deadlock in stalled tariff negotiations. During a July 15 confirmation hearing, then Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back stated that the Lee admi

Oct 2, 2025

ED Kakao's update woes

KakaoTalk, the ubiquitous messenger app, will roll back its first major update implemented in 15 years. Users were up in arms after the company unveiled the update last week, which changed the familiar, alphabetically listed format for the Friends tab into a grid-style scrolling feed similar to Instagram. Kakao Corp. said the update was intended to evolve the service into a comprehensive social media platform. It was supposed to increase use time on the app, which would allow for the placing of ads, thus benefiting the company. But users clamored for the simple functionality of the messaging app, and the company backed down earlier this week, saying it will bring back the list-style format for the Friends tab on the main app page and move the new feed-style posts to a separate one. Kakao, a tech giant, has every right to pursue change and profit. The nation's 15th-ranked business, however, stumbled with the update. Criticism centered around the company's move to make profits while knowing its users are long-accustomed to the simplicity of the messenger app and cannot change their habit

Oct 1, 2025

ED Fear of Chinese tour groups

Korea’s decision to implement a temporary visa-free entry policy for Chinese tour groups is a pragmatic and timely move aimed at reviving the country’s struggling tourism sector and strengthening diplomatic ties with its largest trading partner. From Sept. 29 until June 2026, Chinese citizens traveling in groups of three or more may enter Korea without a visa for stays of up to 15 days. This policy marks a significant shift, coming eight years after the 2017 deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system, which led to a sharp deterioration in Korea–China relations. The government estimates that this measure, paired with the upcoming Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and President Xi Jinping’s anticipated visit to Korea for the APEC summit in October, could attract more than 1 million additional Chinese tourists within the first half of next year. This is welcome news for Korea’s battered retail, tourism and duty free sectors, many of which are still recovering from the pandemic and sluggish domestic consumption. Chinese tourists have historically accounted for

Sep 30, 2025

ED Data center failure

A fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) in Daejeon Friday reveals a disturbing truth: Korea has not learned from its past mistakes. A similar outage occurred three years ago when a fire broke out at the data center of KakaoTalk, the country’s leading instant messaging and online services platform, disrupting messaging and related services for several days. Kakao was heavily criticized at the time for lacking a proper backup system — something that could have ensured uninterrupted service despite the damage. Last week, a nearly identical disaster struck again — this time at the national data center tasked with operating, securing and managing centralized information systems and communication networks for central and local governments, as well as public institutions. Despite the painful lessons from the KakaoTalk shutdown, the NIRS faced the same failure. It, too, lacked a redundant system that could have prevented the service outage. The NIRS fire has caused unprecedented disruptions, immobilizing several vital services and creating major inconveniences for citi

Sep 29, 2025

ED Trump’s alarming overreach

U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent demand that South Korea provide a $350 billion “up-front” investment in exchange for tariff relief is a stark and troubling departure from the principles of mutual respect and reciprocity that should underpin the Korea-U.S. alliance. Not only is the figure equivalent to nearly 84 percent of Korea’s foreign exchange reserves, but the demand that it be delivered in cash — with Washington alone determining how and where the funds are invested — is an alarming overreach. The Korean government has consistently explained that the proposed investment would be structured primarily through loans, guarantees and other financial instruments. Nevertheless, Washington appears to have reversed its position mid-negotiation, now insisting on a Japan-style cash injection. The result has been immediate and severe: The Korean won plummeted past 1,400 to the dollar — an important psychological barrier — while equity markets suffered a sharp decline. The uncertainty surrounding the talks is already reverberating through the economy, prompting fears of c

Sep 28, 2025

Editorial