my timesThe Korea Times
OpinionEditorial

Editorial

ED Ukraine FM's commitment to NK POWs must be kept

The Russia-Ukraine war is now in its fourth year. What started with Russian aggression has wrought a multitude of changes in warfare and geopolitics, including renewed and rebalanced ties between Russia and North Korea. North Korea has sent soldiers and military resources in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some North Korean soldiers who fought and returned home were hailed as heroes. According to battlefield reports, some North Korean soldiers died by suicide to avoid capture. However, two North Korean prisoners of war (POW) captured in January 2025 in Kursk, Ukraine, are likely to face a different kind of return. The two have professed interviews with media and human rights groups a desire to go to South Korea, knowing that they will be in danger of persecution in North Korea. However, they still remain in Ukraine, despite talks between Kyiv and Seoul. It's time to expedite and translate into action both Ukraine and South Korea's pledges and follow international law. Ukraine has maintained that the fate of the POWs will be addressed in accordance with international humanitarian

Jul 3, 2026
[ED] Ukraine FM's commitment to NK POWs must be kept

ED When political hatred enters the classroom

Schools should be places where young people learn to think critically, engage respectfully with differing opinions and develop the habits of democratic citizenship. They should never become arenas where political hostility and ideological contempt are normalized. Yet a recent survey of Korean teachers suggests that precisely such a transformation is taking place — and that the consequences extend far beyond the classroom. According to a survey conducted by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, nearly nine in 10 teachers believe that politically charged hate speech in schools has become a serious problem. Additionally, four out of five reported frequently witnessing students using such language, while more than 70 percent said the phenomenon had intensified following the political turmoil that erupted in December 2024. The expressions cited range from insults directed at current and former presidents to xenophobic rhetoric, misogynistic slurs, historical distortions and disparaging remarks targeting minorities. Although the survey reflects teachers' perceptions rather than a

Jul 2, 2026
[ED] When political hatred enters the classroom

ED Unilateralism has no place in Assembly

The National Assembly under its new speaker, Cho Jeong-sik, is demonstrating a new aspect of unilateralism. Cho accepted the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) call to hold a plenary meeting on Tuesday. DPK lawmakers were decided to lead 11 standing committees, including the vital Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Members of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) rejected their committees placements, assigned by the Speaker. The chairs of the seven other standing committees remained vacant, which should be filled through parties' discussions and negotiations. The ruling party holds the majority, but the Assembly is not a place where unilateralism should take hold. This is not the first time the DPK has acted unilaterally. However, the Speaker using his authority although based on a law governing National Assembly to assign committees to PPP legislators is rare, even as the PPP moved slow on it. All these developments do not bode well for the legislative body. It is also regrettable that a member of the opposition party was not appointed to lead the Legislation and Judici

Jul 1, 2026
[ED] Unilateralism has no place in Assembly

ED Lee's grand plans

Korea's ambitious plan to establish a second semiconductor cluster in the country's southwest marks one of the most significant industrial policy initiatives in its history. With Samsung Electronics and SK hynix committing a combined 800 trillion won ($513 billion) to build four new semiconductor fabrication plants, the project promises to strengthen the nation's position in the global chip race while advancing the long-standing goal of balanced regional development. President Lee Jae Myung has rightly described the investment as a milestone, yet the success of this vision will ultimately depend not on the scale of the announcement but on the government's ability to turn promises into results. The administration has presented an ambitious blueprint. Alongside the new semiconductor cluster, it plans to accelerate the development of the existing Yongin cluster, bringing forward completion schedules that had previously stretched well into the future. If realized, the twin-cluster strategy would significantly expand Korea's manufacturing capacity at a time when global demand for advanced

Jul 1, 2026
[ED] Lee's grand plans

ED Summer labor strife looms

The labor rights of Korea's unionized workers have, over decades of growth, been the subject of tug-of-wars with management. The so-called “summer labor struggles” — as most companies begin wage negotiations around this time of the year — have historically been notably dynamic. While sometimes tenuous or volatile, management and labor have generally been able to reach a workable balance on Korea's path to becoming an export powerhouse. This summer, labor-management relations face new sources of strife, as more unionized workers ask companies to share the excess profit generated by the country's artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor sectors. Recent labor negotiations have also been attributed in part to the “yellow envelope law,” which took effect in March. The law amended Korea's Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act to guarantee the bargaining rights of subcontracted workers. Calls for companies to share excess profits with workers and the expected rise of negotiations between subcontractors and principal employers are not only major labor hurdles but are

Jun 30, 2026
[ED] Summer labor strife looms

ED Regional revival via megaprojects

Korea's newly unveiled "three megaprojects" represents one of the most ambitious industrial development initiatives in the nation's history. Anchored by a proposed semiconductor cluster in the southwest, a physical artificial intelligence (AI) hub in the southeast and a massive AI data center complex in the central region, the plan seeks to mobilize more than 1,000 trillion won ($647 billion) in public and private investment. If successfully implemented, it could strengthen the country's position in the global semiconductor and AI race while advancing the long-elusive goal of balanced regional development. The vision is compelling. Yet its success will depend not only on the scale of investment but also on the transparency of its execution and the credibility of its economic rationale. Korea faces a demographic crisis that is no longer a distant concern but an immediate national challenge. The country's birthrate remains among the lowest in the world, while rural communities continue to lose population to the Seoul metropolitan area. Many provincial cities have entered a vicious cycle:

Jun 29, 2026
[ED] Regional revival via megaprojects

ED World Cup humiliation demands drastic reform

Korea's elimination from the FIFA World Cup group stage is more than a disappointment. It is the culmination of years of flawed leadership, questionable decision-making and institutional complacency. The time for excuses has long passed. If Korean football is to recover its credibility and competitiveness, both head coach Hong Myung-bo and Korea Football Association (KFA) President Chung Mong-gyu should step aside immediately, and the governing body itself must undergo sweeping structural reform. Chung earlier announced he would quit after the World Cup. Now he should abide by his promise without fail. The team's failure was not simply a matter of bad luck or individual mistakes. It reflected a deeper absence of tactical adaptability and leadership. Throughout the tournament, Korea appeared predictable, reactive and unable to adjust to opponents who had clearly studied and neutralized its strengths. Modern international football rewards flexibility, meticulous preparation and in-game management. Korea displayed too little of any of these. A coach is ultimately judged not by philosophy

Jun 28, 2026
[ED] World Cup humiliation demands drastic reform

ED MSCI setback should spur deeper reform

Korea’s latest failure to secure a place on the watch list for inclusion in the MSCI Developed Markets Index is undeniably disappointing. For a country that ranks among the world’s largest economies and boasts one of Asia’s most dynamic capital markets, continued classification as an emerging market appears increasingly incongruous. However, the setback should be viewed less as a verdict on Korea’s economic stature than as a reminder that genuine market advancement depends not on size alone, but on accessibility, transparency and investor confidence. The decision by MSCI, the global index provider whose benchmarks influence trillions of dollars in investment flows, came despite years of efforts by the government and financial regulators to modernize the country’s capital market. Korea has expanded foreign exchange trading hours, reformed short-selling regulations and pursued a broad agenda of market liberalization. In terms of economic scale, liquidity and corporate competitiveness, the country already meets many of the characteristics associated with developed markets. Never

Jun 25, 2026
[ED] MSCI setback should spur deeper reform

ED An unrepentant NEC

An unrepentant National Election Commission (NEC) is drawing the ire of lawmakers. While officials offered apologies, their actions suggested a lack of remorse. On Tuesday, all nine NEC commissioners were asked to appear and testify before the National Assembly, but only two showed up. Some lawmakers described their absence as a collective act of defiance, calling it unacceptable, although five more belatedly appeared. The election commission has become a public target since the June 3 local elections. It damaged its credibility, leaving people seeing it as unreliable and untrustworthy. The NEC appears to be well aware of the public anger directed at it. Yet it is still struggling to understand what went wrong and whether it is capable of fixing its problems on its own. We Chul-whan, NEC standing commissioner, admitted that the election commission had failed to inspire public confidence and had shown itself to lack competence. However, he also shifted the blame. His criticism was directed at staff members responsible for day-to-day operations rather than at the NEC leadership. He reject

Jun 24, 2026
[ED] An unrepentant NEC
previous page
34567
next page

Top 5 stories