Opinion - The Korea Times

ED 'Han Duck-soo factor'

Four of the eight politicians vying for the People Power Party's (PPP) presidential nomination have advanced to the next stage of the competition. The four are former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo. Their selection was based on the results of a public opinion poll conducted among 4,000 respondents. However, the PPP has not disclosed the percentage of support each candidate received. The four remaining candidates will participate in five rounds of debates to determine the final nominee. If one candidate secures more than 50 percent support in a subsequent public opinion poll later this month, he will be declared the winner immediately. If no candidate surpasses the 50 percent threshold, a runoff will be held, with the final nominee to be announced on May 3 — exactly one month ahead of the snap presidential election on June 3. So far, the PPP primary has failed to impress the public. The two debates held during the first round were widely criticized as dull and unproductive. Rather than presenting po

Apr 23, 2025

ED China’s provocative actions

China has once again demonstrated a troubling disregard for international norms and regional cooperation, this time in the West Sea, where it has constructed unauthorized structures in the Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ). These actions are not only a blatant violation of prior agreements with Korea but also part of a broader pattern of expansionist behavior that risks igniting regional tensions. The PMZ was established as part of a bilateral understanding between Seoul and Beijing to prevent territorial disputes and maintain stability in contested maritime zones. It mandates mutual consultation before either party undertakes any activity that could affect the status quo. Yet, China has consistently acted unilaterally, first by installing movable maritime structures in 2018 and again in 2022. Most egregiously, China erected a fixed installation — anchored to the seabed with steel pillars and resembling an oil exploration platform — without any prior notice or consent from the Korean government. This fixed structure goes far beyond ambiguous interpretation of agreements and stands as

Apr 22, 2025

ED Folly of 'Yoon Again'

How does it sound when someone suggests that a recently impeached president might mastermind the creation of a new political party — one even named after him? At first glance, it seems absurd, if not downright surreal, as it indicates that a leader ousted from power is trying to steer the political landscape from behind the scenes, clinging to influence to advance the causes he couldn’t achieve while in office. Surprisingly, however, such a plan was indeed taking shape — until the organizers backed off abruptly, believing the timing wasn't right. Last week, a group of five lawyers stood at the center of controversy with plans to hold a press conference announcing the formation of a new conservative party, tentatively named “Yoon Again.” They argued that a fresh political force was needed to respond to the growing demand among millennials and Generation Z, many of whom had rallied to support President Yoon Suk Yeol during his impeachment trial. All five lawyers were part of Yoon’s legal defense team. But just four hours before the event, the group canceled the announcement, re

Apr 21, 2025

ED No to ‘One Theater’ idea

Japan’s recent articulation of a “One Theater” doctrine — encompassing the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula — marks a troubling shift in strategic thinking that risks destabilizing Northeast Asia. Proposed by Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and seemingly welcomed by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, this doctrine is being presented as a pragmatic response to a volatile regional security environment. In reality, it threatens to undermine national sovereignty, disrupt the delicate geopolitical balance of the Indo-Pacific and draw democratic allies into conflicts not of their choosing. At its core, the “one battlefield” concept posits that regional flashpoints — such as Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula and the East China Sea — are so interconnected that they must be treated as a unified operational theater. While this might serve military planning purposes, it dangerously flattens political nuance in favor of operational efficiency. It treats sovereign nations not as independent actors with unique security needs, but as interchangeable assets

Apr 20, 2025

ED Korea's image distorted

A recent audit by Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has laid bare an unsettling truth: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has failed to adequately address a range of serious historical and factual inaccuracies about Korea in overseas school textbooks. Based on a 2021–23 survey by the Academy of Korean Studies, educational materials in 81 countries were found to contain deeply flawed information about Korea — misrepresentations that are not only factually wrong but also damaging to the nation’s image, identity and diplomatic standing. The examples are alarming. In the United Kingdom, some textbooks falsely locate Korea in Southeast Asia and claim it produces amphetamines — an egregious combination of geographical and criminal mischaracterization. In Laos, Korea is portrayed as a predominantly agrarian society, with an outdated and exaggerated claim that 63 percent of its population are farmers, ignoring Korea’s transformation into a global leader in technology and innovation. Another Laotian textbook claims Russia occupied Korea from 1864 to 1875. A Spanish textbook

Apr 17, 2025

ED No hurry, be cautious

Korea and the United States will embark on bilateral negotiations next week regarding tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has named Korea as one of the five priority negotiation partners along with the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Japan. The impending negotiations have been portrayed in a positive light, with acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stressing that he will try to continue the "friendly momentum" in the trade discussions between the two nations. Han also said he would talk directly with Trump if needed. Trump recently issued a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs, which for Korea were set at 25 percent. Han said that Seoul and Washington "may establish a negotiation system for all sectors and begin negotiations at an early date to produce detailed measures." He also broke the issues into three key areas: trade imbalance,shipbuilding and Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said Tuesday he will travel to meet with Bessent next week, and several other Korean officials are

Apr 16, 2025

ED Conservatives at crossroads

With less than 50 days to the June 3 snap presidential election, there has been a lot of activity among members of the once-ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP). With the impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol undergoing a criminal trial for insurrection, there were hopes that candidates would emerge from within the party. Anticipation has dwindled, though, as figures considered more centrist and moderate, such as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, have bowed out of the race or declined to enter. Another potential candidate, Yoo Seong-min, also said he would not run in the party race. Instead, acting President Han Duck-soo has been touted as a possible presidential candidate. As a long-time technocrat with a focus on trade, as well as a former ambassador to the United States and a two-time prime minister, his track record and temperament are a strong fit with the PPP's needs in the coming election. "I will fulfill my last mission along with the Cabinet members," is all the acting president has said so far. Even so, a recent poll found support for him has risen. The PPP faces strong oppo

Apr 15, 2025

ED Haven for foreign spies

South Korea faces growing concerns about becoming a safe haven for foreign espionage due to the lack of legislation enabling law enforcement to detect and prosecute such activities. Since last year, there has been a noticeable increase in reported cases — primarily involving Chinese nationals — suspected of engaging in espionage. This highlights the urgent need for legal reforms to empower investigators with the necessary measures to identify and detect foreign spies and hold them accountable. In March, police apprehended two Chinese teenagers photographing fighter jets at an air base in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. They had entered Korea days earlier on tourist visas. One of the teens had visited the country three times, each time staying four to five days. The other had been to Korea twice with similar durations of stay. Investigators discovered thousands of photographs on their cameras, which included images taken at several Korean air bases and a U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. The photos captured fighter jets taking off and landing, as well as air traffic co

Apr 14, 2025

ED Shame on Yoon

The Constitutional Court made history on April 4 by removing President Yoon Suk Yeol from office — a decisive and unprecedented moment that affirmed a core democratic truth: no one is above the law, not even the president. The ruling was a constitutional triumph, a product of South Korea’s hard-won democratic evolution. Yet in the days since, Yoon’s response has fallen dangerously short of the humility and responsibility this moment demands. Rather than accepting the court's ruling with grace, Yoon has acted as though nothing has changed. He recently moved out of the presidential residence and returned to his private home in southern Seoul. But this symbolic retreat into private life has not meant an exit from the political stage. On the contrary, Yoon immediately resumed political activities, met with lawmakers from the People Power Party (PPP) and made public appearances invoking the slogan, “Make Korea Great Again.” This phrase — brazenly modeled after U.S. President Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric — represents a disturbing turn for Korean politics. “Make Korea Gr

Apr 13, 2025

ED Need for balanced deal

U.S. President Donald Trump has fortunately paused his reciprocal tariffs on most countries including Korea for 90 days. But this issue and many others still remain. His recent phone call with Korea’s acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo reignited long-standing debates around cost-sharing and trade within the Korea-U.S. alliance. During the conversation, Trump raised the need to increase Korea’s defense cost contributions while also broaching topics such as Korea’s trade surplus with the U.S., liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchases, shipbuilding and energy cooperation initiatives like the Alaska gas pipeline. He later described this approach as a “beautiful and efficient” example of “one-stop shopping.” While Trump’s remarks reflect his well-known transactional diplomacy style, they also serve as a timely reminder that Korea must be prepared for a return to more hard-nosed negotiations. These remarks shed light on the broader challenge Korea faces in balancing its strategic partnership with the U.S. while safeguarding its economic interests. On the surface, b

Apr 10, 2025

Editorial