Opinion - The Korea Times

ED Shame on Yoon

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol has come under a barrage of criticism for his first public appearance following his impeachment which was neither measured nor reconciliatory. Instead, it was a calculated and troubling gesture: attending the premiere of a documentary that promotes discredited claims of election fraud. At a time when national cohesion is critical, Yoon’s actions threaten to deepen political polarization and undermine confidence in Korea’s democratic institutions while further dividing the nation. The film in question — provocatively titled “Election Fraud: A Divine Work?” — advances the notion that recent elections in Korea were manipulated. This narrative is not supported by credible evidence. As a matter of fact, the Constitutional Court, in its decision to remove Yoon from office, categorically dismissed the fraud allegations as baseless. The court emphasized that supposed “evidence,” such as adhesive-marked ballots, had already been thoroughly examined and refuted in prior legal proceedings. Yoon’s decision to give credence to this film — accompan

May 22, 2025

Memorial Day

May 21, 2025

ED Intimidating the judiciary

The separation of powers is absolutely essential to any functioning democracy. Under this principle, the three branches of government — the legislature, the judiciary and the executive — operate independently to maintain a system of checks and balances. When one branch accumulates excessive power, a nation risks sliding into tyranny or even dictatorship. This foundational principle is under threat. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leveraging its majority in the National Assembly, has taken steps that appear aimed at increasing its influence over the judiciary. It has advanced a series of controversial bills, reportedly intended to shield its presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, from legal consequences, despite strong opposition from the People Power Party (PPP). In a democratic society, rewriting or crafting legislation to protect individual politicians from legal jeopardy is unacceptable. Yet such undemocratic practices have become disturbingly routine in the DPK-dominated National Assembly. The party has targeted judges involved in cases related to Lee, subjecting them to pe

May 21, 2025

ED USFK commander's controversial remark

South Korea's security implications have been more or less put on the back burner, overshadowed by the imminent pressing tariff negotiations pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration amid the growing U.S.-China rivalry. But the new commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK), Gen. Xavier Brunson, reawakened the need to keep Korea's security commitments as well as security itself intact. Speaking at a recent forum, Brunson in stressing the need for troops on South Korea and the strategic importance of South Korea's geographical location described the country as an island or fixed aircraft carrier, floating between Japan and mainland China. "What immediately stood out to me as I looked at the map was the position of the Korean Peninsula, and the fact that it's on the Asian continent, has a sizable U.S. force posture, is inside the first island chain and is the closet allied presence to Beijing," he said. "At night from a satellite image, the Republic of Korea looks like an island or like a fixed aircraft carrier floating in the water between Japan and mainland

May 20, 2025

[ED] USFK commander's controversial remark

ED Underwhelming performance in live showdown

Televised presidential debates offer candidates a vital platform to exhibit their leadership and prove they are more prepared for the presidency than their rivals. From voters' perspective, televised debates function much like a job interview — an opportunity to evaluate which candidate is best suited for the presidency. In this sense, they serve as a powerful tool in shaping voter choice. However, the Sunday debate failed to meet public expectations. None of the four candidates — Rep. Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP), Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party and Kwon Young-kook of the Korean Democratic Labor Party (KDLP) — was able to convincingly present themselves as presidential contenders capable of guiding the nation through its various ongoing crises. Instead, the debate descended into a war of words, rather than serving as a platform to assess each candidate's leadership potential. Lee Jae-myung, the frontrunner in opinion polls, presented himself as a skilled operator, effectively sidestepping difficult quest

May 19, 2025

[ED] Underwhelming performance in live showdown

ED Lee Jae-myung’s constitutional reform pledge

Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has reignited the long-dormant debate over constitutional reform, unveiling a comprehensive proposal on Facebook Sunday. His proposal features transitioning to a four-year presidential term with one possible reelection, instituting a runoff voting system, empowering the National Assembly to nominate the prime minister and restraining presidential powers — including the veto and emergency decree authority. It also seeks to embed the spirit of Korea’s democratic struggles — such as the May 18 Democratization Movement, the June Struggle of 1987 and the 2016-17 Candlelight Revolution — into the Constitution. At face value, Lee’s plan presents a broad and thoughtful reimagining of Korea’s political architecture. By introducing a reelection option, it promises greater political accountability and the opportunity for continuity in leadership, correcting what many see as the policy discontinuity and lame-duck syndrome fostered by the current five-year, non-renewable presidential term. Coupled with a runo

May 18, 2025

[ED] Lee Jae-myung’s constitutional reform pledge

ED US House bill on EV tax credit

In the ongoing trade war under U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" policies, several Korean companies, notably Hyundai Motor, have either already invested in the U.S. or are making further investments as a quid pro quo for Korea to secure a better position in tariff negotiations. However, U.S. House Republicans drafted a bill that adds to the trade war challenge, which will heavily impact the electric vehicle sector and affect Korean motor and battery companies. Released Monday by the House Ways and Means Committee, the draft bill targets a range of incentives, including tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs) and solar and wind projects. Specifically, the draft framework aims to pull up the deadline for the Section 30D tax credit by six years, which would significantly affect companies like Hyundai Motor, the third-largest seller of EVs in the U.S. market. The original Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) stipulates that Section 30D tax credits — such as a $7,500 credit for consumers who buy an EV from an automaker whose final assembly occurs in the United States and that meets c

May 15, 2025

ED A 90-day truce

The recent 90-day truce in the U.S.-China trade war offers the global economy a temporary breath of air. As part of the agreement, both countries pledged to reduce tariffs by 115 percent and acknowledged that substantial progress had been made in resolving their differences. More significantly, they agreed to establish a consultative body to continue negotiations, with key trade discussions expected to resume at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meeting on Thursday and Friday. While markets responded positively and investor sentiment improved, this development represents a pause, not a resolution, in a geopolitical conflict that has become structural, not cyclical. For South Korea, which is economically entangled with both Washington and Beijing, the truce is an opportunity and also a warning. South Korea’s economy, reliant on global trade and deeply integrated with both the United States and China, stands to benefit in the short term. The reduction in tariffs could stabilize critical export sectors such as semiconductors, automobiles and electronics, which hav

May 14, 2025

ED Bold yet problematic AI visions

On the first day of the official campaign period, the presidential candidates of the People Power Party (PPP) and the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) launched their campaigns at contrasting yet symbolic venues. The DPK’s candidate, Lee Jae-myung, who currently leads public opinion polls with double-digit margins, kicked off his campaign Monday at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. In his opening speech, he emphasized his commitment to national unity amid deepening political polarization. His rival, Kim Moon-soo of the PPP, began his campaign at Garak Market, a major agricultural products hub in southeastern Seoul’s Songpa District. Kim, who reclaimed his candidacy after a dramatic win in a public opinion survey of PPP members late Saturday night — following a week-long dispute with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo — chose to connect with self-employed citizens. At the market, he mingled with vendors and shared a humble meal of sundaeguk (blood sausage soup) with his staff and vendors, highlighting his humble beginnings and pledging to make the voices of the underprivileged

May 13, 2025

ED Campaign kicks off for June 3

Campaigning has begun for the June 3 snap presidential election due to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration and subsequent removal from office. Three major candidates — Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party — have started campaigning. Four more candidates joined the race including Kwon Young-kook of the minor Justice Party. The campaign marks an end to the political crisis prompted by Yoon, the prosecutor who plunged into politics as a novice and ended up putting the nation on edge and eroded the country's potential. The most tangible downside manifested in this year's first quarter, which marked a 0.3 percent economic contraction during the peak of the political crisis in the wake of the short-lived martial law crisis. Legal battles still rage on. Impeached by the Constitutional Court, the former president is on trial in a criminal case on charges of insurrection. A trial for Lee, the liberal front-runner, has been postponed to after June 3. But the DPK continues to

May 12, 2025

Editorial