Kim Seok-dong, the newly appointed chairman of the Financial Services Commission, has established a reputation as a troubleshooter. Since the mid-1990s, he has led many task forces formed to resolve crises in the financial and real estate markets. Kim’s appointment comes at the right time, since the domestic financial sector faces a host of problems. In the first place, Kim needs to address the dr

Prices of daily necessities are going through the roof. According to the Korea Consumer Agency, during the last week of 2010, the prices of some 90 everyday goods rose sharply from a week ago. They included sugar (38.7 percent), dishwashing rubber gloves (33.1 percent), washing powder (31.9 percent), ketchup (17.8 percent), flour (13.5 percent), tissue paper (12 percent), mayonnaise (9.8 percent),

Good news: With recession loosening its grip, about 1.1 million more Americans bought new cars last year than in 2009.Not only did sales pick up, more Americans opted for bigger vehicles. Sales of midsize SUVs like Jeep Grand Cherokees and Honda Pilots jumped 41 percent during the first 11 months of the year.That increase came at the expense of smaller economy cars, whose sales remained flat in 20

Mexico has some of the strictest gun laws in the hemisphere. Citizens are permitted to buy low-caliber firearms for self-protection or hunting, but only after a background check and approval by the defense ministry; they must also purchase the guns directly from the ministry. The goal of this parsimonious approach to allotting firearms is a society free from gun violence. Unfortunately for Mexico,

The assassination of Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, Pakistan’s largest province, has illustrated the increasingly chaotic environment in that country, which only promises to get worse in the new year. Weeks before his death, Taseer had the courage to say what his fellow politicians were unwilling to: that Pakistan’s blasphemy law must be repealed in order for Pakistan to enter the communit

China’s new policy on rare earth mineral exports is causing concern that Japan will face another reduction in supplies of the valuable raw materials from that country in 2011.Chinese authorities have announced their country will lower its ceiling on rare earth exports for the first half of this year by 35 percent from the same period last year. It appears likely that China will eventually impose t

Politicians in Taiwan are bad losers. They won’t take their losses lying down. They will whine, complain, protest, and go to court, even though they know they were beaten in elections fair and square. Tsai Ing-wen, chairperson of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, has joined their ranks after she lost the mayoral election in the special municipality of New Taipei City a little more than

“Hamheung: the Hometown of Joseon Royal Family”: Hamheung, the central city in the northeast of Hamgyeong Province, used to be regarded as “an uncultivated place far from the capital” before the mid-17th century. However, it steadily developed until it was later recognized as the hometown of the Joseon Royal Family as it is where Yi Seonggye, the founder of the Joseon dynasty, spent his youth. Aro

1. The Last GodfatherOpened Dec. 29Directed by Shim Hyung-raeStarring Shim Hyung-rae2. Hello GhostOpened Dec. 22Directed by Kim Yeong-takStarring Cha Tae-hyeon, Kang Ye-won3. The Yellow SeaOpened Dec. 22Directed by Na Hong-jinStarring Ha Jeong-woo, Kim Yoon-seok4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Opened Dec. 16Directed by David YatesStarring Bill Nighy, Emma Watson5.Tron LegacyOpened Dec. 30D