The Korea Herald

[David Ignatius] Obama’s communications gap

ViewpointsJul 20, 2011

WASHINGTON ― A prominent Bush administration official was talking privately about Barack Obama last week: He’s probably going to win in 2012, this Republican said. He deserves credit for “going big” in the budget talks and capturing the center of the debate. But why isn’t he projecting his goals and philosophy more clearly to the country? Why does he so often seem to react, rather than lead? Given
[Jeffrey Goldberg] Michele Bachmann’s hazardous love for Israel

ViewpointsJul 20, 2011

Michele Bachmann, the Minnesota congresswoman and Republican candidate for president, is making a muscular showing in the polls. She is telegenic. She is clever. Some of her Republican opponents worry she may be unstoppable. But never fear, oh Republican opponents of Michele Bachmann: I’ve devised a fail-safe way to bring her to a state of cognitive paralysis. This method will require some travel
[Editorial] Scary bullet trains

EditorialJul 20, 2011

It’s really past time for Korea Railroad Corp. to stop the operations of its problem-ridden bullet trains and make a comprehensive safety check. This year alone, KTX high-speed trains have stopped 36 times for various reasons, including derailment and equipment malfunctions. This is an unmistakable sign that something is seriously wrong with Korail’s high-speed trains. In a latest incident that to
[Editorial] Unification tax

EditorialJul 20, 2011

On Aug. 15 last year, President Lee Myung-bak proposed the introduction of a unification tax to secure the funds that would be needed to finance reunification with North Korea. Given that the North is, for all intents and purposes, an economic basket case, it is impossible to dispute the need for the South to prepare for reunification. But this does not necessarily mean that the public would welco
[Kim Jong-han] A national leader should have vision

ViewpointsJul 20, 2011

Although the presidential election in South Korea is more than a year away and a field of politicians vying to succeed current President Lee Myung-bak includes more than a dozen candidates, one name surfaces repeatedly as the likely winner. Rarely in modern Korean presidential politics has one unannounced candidate become so dominant over the rest of the competition more than a year before the ele
[Sheril Kirshenbaum] Facebook might be to blame for your divorce

ViewpointsJul 20, 2011

In the 1960s, young Americans questioned social traditions one after another, ringing in the feminist movement and celebrating sexual freedom. Today they have become the divorced generation. While the overall divorce rate in the U.S. has declined over the past 20 years, it has doubled for Americans aged 50 and over. Today, more than one in three in this category has ended a marriage. No doubt, the
[Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth S. Rogoff] Too much debt means the economy can’t grow

ViewpointsJul 20, 2011

As public debt in advanced countries reaches levels not seen since the end of World War II, there is considerable debate about the urgency of taming deficits with the aim of stabilizing and ultimately reducing debt as a percentage of gross domestic product. Our empirical research on the history of financial crises and the relationship between growth and public liabilities supports the view that cu
Sportswear: marriage between fashion and athletics

FashionJul 20, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Some of the most fashion-forward looks have involved teamwork between designers of athletic sportswear and runway-worthy couture. It is what led to bikinis, bike shorts, tennis skirts ― actually skirts that hit above the ankle, in general ― and the popularization of stretch fabrics.The influence of active wear has gone beyond nitty-gritty sports since at least the 19th century, whe
Taliban deny that their leader is dead

World NewsJul 20, 2011

KABUL (AP) ― Taliban spokesmen are denying reports that the insurgent group’s leader Mullah Omar is dead.Zabiullah Mujahid told the Associated Press on Wednesday that a text message sent to journalists on his behalf was fake and the result of a phone hack.Rumors spread that Mullah Omar had died when an earlier text message allegedly sent from Mujahid announced on behalf of the group that the “Amir
Pakistan appoints first-ever female foreign minister

World NewsJul 20, 2011

ISLAMABAD (AFP) ― Pakistan’s first woman foreign minister ― and also its youngest ― was sworn in on Tuesday, ending a five-month job vacancy a week before crucial peace talks in India.Hina Rabbani Khar, 34, is also expected to meet U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the regional ASEAN forum in Indonesia this week. “On the advice of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the pr
Iran says installing new uranium centrifuges

World NewsJul 20, 2011
Israeli navy takes over Gaza-bound French ship

World NewsJul 20, 2011

JERUSALEM (AP) ― Israeli naval commandos on Tuesday seized control of a French ship attempting to break Israel’s sea blockade of the Gaza Strip and towed it into port, reporting no resistance during the takeover in international waters.The takeover was the latest in a series of run-ins on the high seas between the Israeli navy and pro-Palestinian activists trying to breach the blockade. In the mos
Fusion hansik wows expats

Food&BeverageJul 20, 2011

About 15 people from different countries delved into dishes with such names as “Kimchi Pasta” and “Seafood Pancake of Seine River” on Wednesday at the Institute of Traditional Korean Food in Waryong-dong, central Seoul. “I didn’t think that it would be this good. The purpose of my travel is to taste Asian food and I finally found things I can really enjoy. The flavors are really nice and soft. In
Seoul Phil to hold second Europe tour in August

MusicJul 20, 2011

Led by conductor Chung, orchestra to perform Edinburgh Festival debutThe Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by music director and chief conductor Chung Myung-whun, will hold its second Europe tour concerts from Aug. 19 to Aug. 27, just one month after releasing a debut album under the prestigious label Deutsche Grammophon.The SPO said it will hold a special concert on Aug. 9 at the Seoul Arts Cente
Ferrari dream comes true for Korean design students

Arts&DesignJul 20, 2011