The polarization of American politics, a trend that began long before Donald Trump ran for president, isn’t running out of steam. If anything, it’s accelerating. Last month it got a boost from a new source: a conservative Supreme Court majority pushing hot-button issues back to the states -- not only abortion, but also gun control and environmental regulation, with others likely to come. Americans were already divided over abortion rights; now, thanks to the court, they get to deba

The tiny Baltic country of Lithuania has always been ahead of the curve in predicting Russia’s aggressive intentions. Five decades under Soviet rule, and many more under Russian czars, have left few illusions about Moscow in the elegant Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Even before Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Lithuanian leaders warned about the risk he posed to Western democracies. Lithuania was the first to wean itself from Russian energy. It sent Stinger missiles to Kyiv eve

“The United States is now at one of those historic forks in the road whose outcome will prove as fateful as those of the 1860s, the 1930s, and the 1960s,” Nancy MacLean wrote in her 2017 book, “Democracy in Chains.” History is punctuated by discontinuities that alter its trajectory. The key to the occurrence of such watershed moments is less the leaders than a sociopolitical environment that is receptive to change. The current inflection point has become much more appa

The future of the Korean Peninsula in the 21st century is likely to be linked to events unfolding in North Korea, according to professor Andrei Lankov at Kookmin University. The North continues to be an existential threat to South Korea (and vice versa). Nearly 70 years of calm, and generations without memories of the war (or even links with the wartime generation), have largely numbed the collective consciousness about North Korea in the South. Public opinion polls today show that the majority

The female sea divers of Jeju are among the symbolic features of the southern island and admittedly its major tourist resource. The “haenyeo” and their age-old ocean harvesting skills are recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Back in the 15th century, however, these stalwart women flabbergasted a new magistrate on his inspection tour by bravely jumping into the cold winter sea, wearing only outfits made of thin cotton. The tender-hearted magistrate hande

It is yet another morning after. But as you stare at your bathroom mirror, on this Wednesday morning after Tuesday’s hearing, it somehow feels as if you are staring at just another news screen. And this one just keeps looping more bad news you can’t bear to see. Like one-third of Americans, you’ve always been proud to call yourself one of our 45th president’s MAGA Trumpers. You are, of course, the face and politics of that person in your mirror. It is you, a proud Trump

History is a mirror to the present. When something goes wrong in the present, we look back upon the past to see what went wrong earlier. Reading historical fiction, therefore, is a way of making a journey to the past to find out the origin of our present predicament. Oh Yoon-hee’s recently published historical novel, “The Eerie Story Club at Samgae Tavern & Inn, Book III” is a good example. Just like her previously published Book I and Book II of the same title, Book III

When it comes to the NATO summit and President Joe Biden‘s performance as global leader, there’s the good news and the bad news. Confronted with the dangerous ambitions of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, NATO appeared more unified than at any time since the Cold War. In fact, Russia‘s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has effectively revived the Cold War. Most NATO members are upping their defense budgets and pledging to upgrade their forces. A new military doctrine will increase

In May, US President Joe Biden visited South Korea and Japan with the aim of reaffirming America’s commitment to the Asia-Pacific region after the uncertainties and doubts generated by Donald Trump’s presidency. In Tokyo, Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity and participated in a summit of the Quad, an informal security grouping that also includes Japan, Australia, and India. The Quad aims to promote and secure a free, open, prosperous, and inclusive Ind

A new show currently airing gives fresh meaning to the term reality TV. Call it “American Democracy: Clear and Present Danger.” It should be required viewing. Almost 18 months after the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the US Capitol, a House of Representatives select committee is publicizing the findings of its detailed investigation into the event. The committee has interviewed over 1,000 witnesses and examined 125,000 documents. It has held six hearings so far in June, with a view to tr

The sharp rise in the price of oil over the past year is one of the primary causes of rising inflation around the world. The high cost of oil affects every sector of the economy, making it more expensive to produce and move goods at all points in the supply chain. As prices rise, workers require higher wages, which adds to inflationary pressure. Inflation affects lower income workers and retirees most because the increase in the cost of basic goods, such as food and transportation, often outpace

Last week, I introduced the paradox on the Han River: the rise of Korea’s global success and decline in hope among young Koreans. Here, I will continue to examine Korea’s choices around two pivotal areas facing the next generation -- its economic future and social inclusion.  What choices will South Korea make to sustain its economic future? An explicit focus on economic growth, rather than focusing on distribution alone such as advocated by the “degrowth” movemen

Fifty days after the governing power changed in Seoul, the distance between the South and North on the Korean Peninsula clearly looks farther. New right-wing President Yoon Suk-yeol would bring to a close the reconciliatory course toward North Korea that the leftist administration of Moon Jae-in had taken for the past five years. The successful launch of a space rocket from a south coast cape last week was like a bonfire to celebrate the new presidency. It convinced ordinary people here that w

There are things that we take for granted and thus do not appreciate until they are no longer there. In the restroom of Ground, a coffee shop in New London, New Hampshire, there is a sign that says, “You never know what you have until it’s gone. Toilet paper, for instance.” Indeed, we do not realize how important and indispensable it is to have toilet paper until it is gone. Of course, toilet paper is not alone in this. I know someone who has breathing problems due to severe

President Joe Biden has a politically risky itinerary for his scheduled trip to Israel, the West Bank and Saudi Arabia in mid-July. The question is, why he is doing this? The tour is scheduled to begin in Jerusalem, where the president plans “to meet with Israeli leaders to discuss security, prosperity and increasing integration into the great region.” All worthy topics, but not quite in sync with the moment. On Monday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced his resignation. Acco