The Korea Herald

[Park Soo-gil] In facing the North, politics should stop at the DMZ

ViewpointsSept 4, 2011

A leading South Korean newspaper recently published a three-part series of interviews with Kim Hyun-hee, one of the two North Korean agents who bombed KAL 858 in November 1987, killing all 115 persons on board.The articles stirred up a complex strand of painful memories for me, as it probably did fo
[Editorial] Verdict on ‘comfort women’

EditorialSept 2, 2011

The Constitutional Court has ushered in a new phase in the long-running dispute between Seoul and Tokyo over compensation of Korean “comfort women” and nuclear bomb victims for their suffering and human rights abuses during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea. On Tuesday, the court ruled on a petition fi
[Editorial] New drug pricing policy

EditorialSept 2, 2011

The government’s plan to cut drug prices by an average of 17 percent starting next year has triggered vehement protests from the domestic pharmaceutical community. On Thursday, an alliance of 10 pharmaceutical-related organizations issued a joint statement, declaring an all-out struggle against the
[William Pesek] Rock ‘n’ roll line rings true in deflation nation

ViewpointsSept 2, 2011

Japan needs an Arab Spring. If you’d told me 10 years ago, when I moved to Tokyo, that today I’d be writing about an eighth leader, I never would’ve believed it. Yet here we are, analyzing and philosophizing about whether Yoshihiko Noda will last longer than the last five. In April 2001, Junichiro K
[Malcolm Fraser] America’s self-inflicted decline

ViewpointsSept 2, 2011

MELBOURNE ― If the broad post-World War II prosperity that has endured for six decades comes to an end, both the United States and Europe will be responsible. With rare exceptions, politics has become a discredited profession throughout the West. Tomorrow is always treated as more important than nex
DPJ must revive itself through generation change

ViewpointsSept 2, 2011

The Democratic Party of Japan-led administration has for the first time a leader with a steadfast political style and well-grounded policies.In the DPJ’s presidential election Monday, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda defeated Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Banri Kaieda in a runoff. It was a dra
Jobs’ influence overshadows presidents, terrorists, turmoil

ViewpointsSept 2, 2011

As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 draws near, it may be remarkable to argue that the person who changed the way of life the most in the past decade is neither late al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, U.S. President George Bush, who started the so-called “War on Terror” or his successor, Barack Obama, the
[Andrew Sheng] Putting finance to work for the real economy

ViewpointsSept 2, 2011

Finance is a service industry, but in the past three decades it seems to have gone its own way. The functions of the finance sector are to protect property rights for the real sector, improve resource allocation, reduce transaction costs, help manage risks and help discipline borrowers. Financi
[Editorial] Session in jeopardy

EditorialSept 1, 2011

The regular session of an outgoing National Assembly is the least productive as its members often shun debate on issues of concern to the public, deliberation on pending bills and participation in voting. Instead, they tend to make a final pitch in constituency work in their electoral districts in p
[Editorial] Change in N.K. policy?

EditorialSept 1, 2011

Signals are coming from those close to President Lee Myung-bak that he is considering changing his anti-North Korea policy in favor of improving relations with the communist state. If he is really considering such a shift in policy, he will have to think about a backlash from his conservative suppor
[Michael Smerconish] Some political gaffes really say something

ViewpointsSept 1, 2011

During his recent visit to China, U.S. Vice President Biden mistakenly said we own 85 percent of U.S. Treasury securities, while the number is actually 54 percent. But who am I to criticize?Sitting in front of a live microphone can be dangerous. I know because I do it for 20 hours each week for my n
[Robert Reich] Workers need marches, not parades

ViewpointsSept 1, 2011

Labor Day is traditionally a time for picnics and parades. But this year is no picnic for American workers, and a protest march would be more appropriate than a parade.Not only are 25 million unemployed or underemployed, but American companies continue to cut wages and benefits. The median wage is s
Navigating the road map to a post-Gadhafi Libya

ViewpointsSept 1, 2011

WASHINGTON ― As the Libyan rebels continue to mop up resistance inside Tripoli and extend the nominal authority of the Transitional National Council to the rest of Libya, it is important to remember that the establishment of a new Libya will take time and face challenges even greater than those requ
Mexican president correctly hits cartels’ terrorist threat

ViewpointsSept 1, 2011

Mexican President Felipe Calderon issued a long overdue warning to drug cartel leaders last week that their murderous rampage has crossed a threshold and deserves to be labeled what it really is: terrorism. His acknowledgement will help change the mindset about the true nature of this menace and cou
[Frida Ghitis] Someone wants a war in the Middle East

ViewpointsSept 1, 2011

Something extremely important and exceedingly dangerous is unfolding in a most explosive part of the globe, but it is receiving only minimal attention by the media and by world leaders. An outbreak of violence in Southern Israel, Gaza, and along the Egyptian border, triggered by a recent attack agai