The Korea Herald

A cure for round-the-clock ‘communication’

ViewpointsOct 4, 2011

“Only connect,” E.M. Forster advised.He had no idea.I once worked for a company so wired that the boss told me, “The real test of a relationship is how quickly you can get out of bed after making love to check your email.”That was a decade ago. Now almost everyone I know is armed with an iPhone or a
[Jonathan Turley] Obama: A disaster for civil liberties

ViewpointsOct 4, 2011

With the 2012 presidential election before us, the country is again caught up in debating national security issues, our continuing wars and the threat of terrorism. There is one related subject, however, that is rarely mentioned: civil liberties.Protecting individual rights and liberties ― apart fro
[Kim Seong-kon] Korean people now want a ‘normal’ man as president

ViewpointsOct 4, 2011

Since its founding in 1947, the Republic of Korea has had 10 presidents. Some of them were good and some of them were not. Unfortunately, however, nearly all of them seemed to suffer certain psychological problems, which inadvertently affected their policies and ruling styles. Of course, it was the
On K-pop in the U.S. ...

Oct 3, 2011

On K-pop in the U.S. ...There’s nothing wrong with desiring a larger market, but there’s Europe and the rest of Asia where K-pop is already familiar. Knowing the U.S., they’d pirate it anyway.Few things are destined to fail ― the market just isn’t what it used to be. When industry giants like Clear
[Voice] Can K-pop break the U.S.?

Oct 3, 2011

With the Korean Wave making noise overseas ...Can K-pop break the U.S.?The Korean Wave statesideAs part of the Korean Wave, K-pop has enjoyed considerable commercial success outside of South Korea. Groups such as KARA and Girls’ Generation have made major inroads in Japan and other Asian countries,
[Editorial] President-party relations

EditorialOct 3, 2011

Gone are the days when the president concurrently held the presidency of the ruling party. The cabinet in the presidential office used to be the main source of the governing party finance, including funds for election campaigns. If these are the legends of the past dictatorial rule, the relations be
[Editorial] Chinese tourist rush

EditorialOct 3, 2011

The Chinese national holiday celebrating the Oct. 1, 1949, founding of the People’s Republic of China stretches seven days, extending to the Oct. 8-9 weekend this year. An estimated 300 million people will be traveling during the long holiday. The China Tourism Agency expected that about 2.2 million
Tech battles call for simplicity, thrift, customer focus

ViewpointsOct 3, 2011

High technology, once again, is packed with battles for market supremacy. Amazon.com Inc. is introducing a tablet computer that takes aim at market leader Apple Inc. Another prominent showdown involves Netflix Inc.’s efforts to capture the lead in online movie streaming. Eye-catching as each joust m
[Robert Reich] A good fight on taxing the wealthy

ViewpointsOct 3, 2011

The big fight in the months ahead ― and perhaps the defining battle of the upcoming election ― won’t be over cuts in Medicare. President Obama agrees with Republicans that some cuts may be necessary. The battle won’t even be over President Obama’s jobs program. Republicans have signaled that they mi
[Jonathan Weil] What Europe’s leaders mean when their mouths move

ViewpointsOct 3, 2011

The error most Americans make when trying to understand the European debt crisis is this: They fail to realize that the euro isn’t just a doomed currency, but a language unto itself. Too often the great mishaps of our era can be ascribed to a failure to communicate ― from the lip-synching scandal th
[Rachel Marsden] Obama’s international leadership outsourcing

ViewpointsOct 3, 2011

To gauge President Obama’s lack of direct involvement on the international stage, you only have to look at the popularity polls in Europe, where his approval numbers still soar at around 75 percent. In Europe, leaders often become better liked as their visibility, leadership and influence decrease.
[Yuriko Koike] A wayward China in Africa

ViewpointsOct 3, 2011

TOKYO ― As Libya’s National Transitional Council attempts to establish a functioning government for a newly liberated country, the truth about what went on under Col. Muammar el-Gadhafi’s regime is starting to come to light. Various treasures have been unearthed from Tripoli mansions that were hasti
[Editorial] Left out of limelight

EditorialOct 2, 2011

The liberal opposition groups are set to select their joint candidate on Monday, stealing the show from their divided conservative adversaries. Through the selection process, they are consolidating their unity ahead of the Oct. 26 Seoul mayoral by-election.But the ruling Grand National Party has yet
[Editorial] Speed up ratification

EditorialOct 2, 2011

U.S. President Barack Obama is reportedly planning to send the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement to the Senate for ratification as early as this week. The United States is speeding up the process of ratification, with President Lee Myung-bak scheduled to make a state visit to Washington on Oct. 13.The
[William Pesek] China as J.P. Morgan might have to save world

ViewpointsOct 2, 2011

China and the U.S. finally found something to agree on: Europe is doomed and might take the world’s two biggest economies down with it. Neither officials in Beijing nor Washington are actually using the “D word.” They don’t need to, not with Zhou Xiaochuan, China’s central bank governor, talking mat