Opinion - The Korea Times

ED Controversy over CSAT

Educational reform calls for long-term, basic approachesPresident Yoon Suk Yeol has finally initiated his educational reform drive, which is one of his three major reform tasks, along with labor and pension. The drive comes more than a year after Yoon took office.However, the president got off on the wrong foot ― again.Last Thursday, Yoon instructed his education minister to exclude things that are not covered by public education from the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), or “suneung” as it's known in Korean. He even pinpointed test items that should not be presented, calling them “killer questions.” The remarks threw schools, students and parents into chaos. The president's intention seemed apparent ― making CSAT easier in order to free students from private tutoring institutions called “Hagwon,” in Korean. Reading the president's mind, the ministry immediately sacked a director-general responsible for CSAT and planned to audit a related agency. Still, faced with controversy over an easier CSAT, presidential aides said Yoon's remarks were n

Jun 18, 2023

ED Dominating airwaves

Public broadcasters must be better, leaner and neutralIn Korea in the early 1980s, when the clock struck nine o'clock each and every evening, general-turned-president, Chun Doo-hwan, would invariably be on the nation's TV screens. People called it “Ding Chun News.”Korean TV has come a long way since then. However, one thing that has not changed is the ruling elite's wish to control public broadcasters. There was little difference between conservatives and progressives in this regard. Whenever political power changed, governments would invariably reshuffle the top executives of the Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) and often toyed with the idea of changing the subscription fee collection system.On Wednesday, the Korea Communication Commission (KCC) took the first step to collect license fees for KBS separately from electricity bills. The shift from the near-universal charge ― of the past three decades ― to a separate bill, will sharply reduce KBS' revenue, potentially crippling its ability to function as a public broadcaster.All KBS executives and employees, senior journalis

Jun 15, 2023

ED Economic coercion

Allies need to closely discuss China's pressure By Troy StangaroneThe decision by the Cyberspace Administration of China to ban Micron Technology's semiconductors in Chinese infrastructure has put South Korea in the middle of the dispute between Washington and Beijing over the future of China's semiconductor industry. While there are immediate issues for South Korea and the United States to consider, the dispute highlights the need for South Korea and the United States to engage in deeper discussions in the medium-to-long term on how to handle economic coercion by China.The current dispute stems from efforts by the U.S. to restrict China's access to the most advanced semiconductors for reasons of national security. The development of artificial intelligence is enhanced by the increased computing power advanced semiconductors provide and is expected to have a significant impact on how wars are fought in the future. But advanced semiconductors are also critical for supercomputers to improve the flight accuracy of ballistic missiles and to power advanced fighter jets and missile defense

Jun 14, 2023

ED Freedom of assembly

Forced dispersal of nonviolent rallies abuses rule of lawPresident Yoon Suk Yeol is a global crusader for freedom. Yoon mentioned “freedom” 46 times while addressing the U.S. Congress' joint session in April. He uttered it 82 times at Harvard University during a 19-minute speech, once every 15 seconds. Americans applauded when the Korean leader said free democracies should fight together against “authoritarian forces” worldwide. However, some commentators here were concerned that the president, intoxicated by the cheers and standing ovations, might overestimate the gestures as foreign recognition and support for his leadership. Unfortunately, their worry is becoming a reality. Last Friday, police forcibly dispersed a nighttime cultural event held in front of the Supreme Court by an organization of irregular workers. It was the second forceful breakup of a nonviolent assembly following one on May 25. The reason: the event was an “unreported rally” under the guise of a cultural festival. Some participants were even injured during the police crackdown

Jun 13, 2023

ED AI and ChatGPT

Korea should double down on technological renovation Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, met President Yoon Suk Yeol and representatives of domestic startups, Friday. After visiting Europe in May, Altman also traveled to Japan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates to meet with government and parliamentary authorities there. In an unprecedented move, he met with startup entrepreneurs in Korea.Altman, called the “father of ChatGPT,” and also the CEO of the U.S.-based artificial intelligence (AI) technology company, said he would seek investment opportunities and expand cooperation with Korean firms.“We are exploring investing more in Korean startups and are very excited to explore joint chip cooperation to develop AI accelerators,” Altman told a group of some 130 startup leaders.Attendees of the event, hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, showed keen interest in the direction, ethics and regulations of AI-related technology. Minister Lee Young pointed out that more than 200,000 AI-based startups are founded in Korea every year and sought more business oppor

Jun 12, 2023

ED Undiplomatic diplomat

Has Chinese envoy forgotten his duty and place?Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming speaks fluent Korean and is one of the most diligent foreign mission chiefs in Seoul. However, the Chinese envoy often goes too far ― and in the wrong direction. Last Thursday, Xing revealed such problems again, delivering a lengthy speech on bilateral relations during his meeting with opposition leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung. Ambassador Xing unreservedly criticized the South Korean government's diplomatic policy in the meeting. “I would be very grateful if Korea could be freed from the interference of an external factor (i.e., the United States),” he said. “Those betting on a Chinese defeat (in competition with the U.S.) will surely regret it later.”It was an intolerable interference in another country's internal affairs and a thinly veiled threat. How could anyone believe these remarks came from a top diplomat representing his government whose foremost duty is promoting friendship with the host country? As glaring as the envoy's attitude was his distortion of facts. Ambassador Xing at

Jun 11, 2023

ED Release of wastewater

Stop internal strife and seek ways to reduce damageJapan has begun the countdown to release into the Pacific Ocean wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.A local TV broadcaster said Monday that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began to fill the one-kilometer-long undersea tunnel with water. It means the company has completed technical preparations and is ready to start the release as early as July. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will announce its final analysis results this month.Still, the Korean government and its party only held their “first” expanded meeting to discuss the matter recently. The event was aimed at relieving public anxiety and reducing possible damage.However, less than half an hour into it, the meeting became a forum for denouncing the opposition party. Participants accused the Democratic Party of Korea (DKP) of spreading unscientific and exaggerated stories about the damage of contaminated water, destroying the fishing industry.In short, they said, “Stop worrying about the water and trust IAEA.” We'd l

Jun 8, 2023

ED Emerging bloc dynamics

South Korea elected as a non-permanent member of UNSCBy Kim Won-sooGeopolitical dynamics among the world's three emerging blocs are turning out to be similar to, yet distinct from, those of the Cold War era.The new dynamics are akin to old Cold War relations in three ways. First, there are two blocs competing with each other. Second, a third bloc is sitting on the fence between the two. Third, the two competing blocs are trying to co-opt the third bloc into their orbit. At the same time, they are distinct in the following three ways. First, what divides the two competing blocs is no longer an ideological competition between capitalism and communism, but one concerning governance systems between liberal democracy and authoritarianism. Second, the United States remains as the leader of the liberal democratic bloc, while that of the opposite bloc is no longer Russia. It has been unequivocally replaced by China. Third, the third bloc is rising rapidly relative to the other two blocs.On the surface, the three-bloc dynamics seem to resemble those of the Cold War era in more or less the sam

Jun 7, 2023

ED Labor reform adrift

Dialogue, not repression, leads to successThe Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), the more moderate of Korea's two largest umbrella unions, will decide today whether to leave a trilateral council established to promote dialogue between labor, management and the government. If the FKTU decides to exit the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC), the committee will lose its effectiveness as a communication channel. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the more militant union, left the council in 1999.One can't help but ask: With whom will this administration discuss its labor reform plan? The government should blame no one else but itself for the situation.Last Thursday, the council was scheduled to hold a meeting but canceled it because of the FKTU's absence. A day earlier, police officers brutally ended a unionized metal worker's sit-in protest on top of a 7-meter-high steel structure, bludgeoning him in the head. The police claimed the worker wielded a machete, but video footage showed he just held it.Whoever used violence first, it was an excessive and unnecess

Jun 7, 2023

ED Time for paradigm shift

Extensive steps needed to boost exports, economy The national economy has been mired in a slump amid bleak economic indicators including exports, domestic consumption and production. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy unveiled data Thursday, showing Korea's exports stood at only $52.24 billion in May, down 15.2 percent from a year earlier.That marked eight straight months of declines, which was the longest drop since a fall in outbound shipments that lasted from December 2018 to January 2020. Worse still, the trade shortfall reached $2.1 billion, registering a deficit for 15 consecutive months. The cumulative trade shortfall amounted to $27.3 billion as of May this year.The shortfall is largely attributed to a drastic drop in outbound shipments of semiconductors, the country's No. 1 export item, which stood at only $7.37 billion in May, down 36.2 percent year-on-year. Numerous economic indicators have remained lackluster. Industrial output dropped 1.4 percent in April from a month earlier, while consumer spending also declined 2.3 percent. The inventory rate for the manufactu

Jun 5, 2023

Editorial

Editorial

ED Controversy over CSAT

ED Dominating airwaves

ED Economic coercion

ED Freedom of assembly

ED AI and ChatGPT

ED Undiplomatic diplomat

ED Release of wastewater

ED Emerging bloc dynamics

ED Labor reform adrift

ED Time for paradigm shift

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