The Korea Herald

[Kim Seong-kon] Don’t blame your parents, forge your own future

May 8, 2018

These days, young Koreans tend to blame their parents for their disadvantages. When they feel envious of their well-off peers, they blame their parents, muttering “Because of my incompetent parents, I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. And that made all the difference.” Instead of doing their best to climb the ladder of social ascension, they easily give up from the beginning under the excuse of not being born rich and privileged. As a result, it is very difficult to find an adventuro
[Andrew Polk] China is quietly setting global standards

May 8, 2018

High-level trade talks last week between the US and China grabbed headlines around the world, but in many ways they were beside the point. In the years ahead, tariffs and industrial policy -- the main focus of the talks -- will probably matter less in the growing competition between the two countries, while another, much quieter initiative will matter more.　As China boosts overseas investment through its Belt and Road infrastructure program, it is increasingly dictating not just the terms of fin
[Jonathan Bernstein] Trump is doubling down on a self-destructive strategy

May 8, 2018

Is President Donald Trump about to talk himself into an impeachment? 　The topic du jour may be Rudy Giuliani’s bombshell about Stormy Daniels, but the more important story remains Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Russia scandal and possible obstruction of justice by the president. Trump has been taking to Twitter to make some newish arguments about obstruction, apparently trying to prove the preposterous idea that presidents cannot obstruct justice. He’s only bolstering the
[Robert J. Fouser] Moon Jae-in’s focus on the big picture

May 8, 2018

The sight of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un walking across the formal dividing line in Panmunjom to greet President Moon Jae-in amazed the tension-weary South Korean public. After a long day of talks, the summit produced the Panmunjeom Declaration in which both leaders pledged to end the Korean War by the end of this year and rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. The two leaders pledged to work together to implement agreements from earlier inter-Korean summits that did not come to fruiti
[Leonid Bershidsky] Trump may go too far in alienating Europe

May 7, 2018

President Donald Trump has been determined to confront the US’ European allies on every issue of importance, from trade to climate change to the multilateral deal with Iran. As politicians and publics on this side of the Atlantic become increasingly wary, it’s worth asking whether he really wants allies at all.　After the unsuccessful visits of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to Washington, Trump has given Europe another month’s respite from puniti
[K. Ward Cummings] Knives out: Bolton and Pompeo, may the best man win

May 7, 2018

As John Bolton took up his new role as national security adviser, a tingle rippled up the spine of those of us in Washington who like to see a good fight. Bolton brings to the job a reputation for not only being a hawk on military matters but for also being a particularly forceful and skilled bureaucratic infighter. All this will make for engaging theater as he settles into a position that has since the Truman administration been a source of contention between the White House and the Department
[David Ignatius] Should Kim get credit for Korean detente?

May 7, 2018

President Trump deserves credit for seizing the moment for negotiations with North Korea. But some little-noticed documents reveal that Kim Jong-un has been planning his denuclearization offer and opening to America for the past five years.The diplomatic pace is accelerating now as Trump and Kim prepare for their planned summit. There’s talk that North Korea may soon release three American prisoners, and Pyongyang has announced plans for a theatrical demolition of a nuclear test site later this
[Trudy Rubin] Generation Putin: Young Russians, who have never known life without him, imagine their future

May 7, 2018

One sign of how long Vladimir Putin has held power is that Russians in their late teens (or even early 20s) have known no other political leader.　As the Russian president begins his fourth term Monday -- amid much speculation about whether he’ll ever relinquish power -- many of the best and brightest of the Putin generation are growing nervous about their future.Young adults who study at good universities and live in Moscow or St. Petersburg -- cities bursting with cafes, restaurants, Western go
[Ivo H. Daalder] Four things to remember about the North Korea talks

May 7, 2018

It’s been a historic week on the Korean Peninsula. The North-South summit between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in was nothing short of extraordinary. Pictures and videos allowed us to watch history unfolding, and the excitement was reminiscent of 1989, when we witnessed the momentous thawing of relations between East and West Germany.　The welcome meeting at the Demilitarized Zone gave everybody something to root for -- after all, leaders meeting each other is much better than leaders shouting or twe
[Kim Seong-kon] Three cheers for The Korea Herald!

May 7, 2018

Sincere praise and congratulations are due to The Korea Herald, which is currently celebrating its print-run of 20,000 copies. The internationally-famed English language newspaper is an undisputed window onto the world for Korean readers, and a no less valuable source of news about Korea for foreign readers. With its fast, accurate news and insightful articles on Korean and international affairs, the Herald maintains its reputation as a major opinion leader in the international community. One of
[Bruce Klingner] Unlikely peace on Korean Penunsula

May 4, 2018

The summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was historic, impressive and inspiring. The pageantry and pledges -- in the form of the Panmunjeom Declaration -- were an uplifting show of Korean reconciliation.Kim maintained his rapid-fire charm offensive over the weekend, announcing his willingness to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear test site under international supervision and his intention to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He also sugge
[Adam Minter] How Mickey Mouse conquered China

May 4, 2018

Two years ago, Wang Jianlin, once China’s richest man, referred to his network of theme parks as a “wolf pack” that would chase Walt Disney and its Shanghai Disneyland from China. Last week, Shanghai Disney unveiled a major expansion of its $5.5 billion park, now the most popular in China. Wang, by contrast, is out of the business altogether, having sold his theme-park holdings to raise cash for his real-estate company.　Wang’s rollercoaster descent is, in part, a tribute to Disney’s global appea
[David Ignatius] US should leverage Iran‘s nuclear secrets for a better deal

May 3, 2018

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed a treasure trove of secrets on Monday about Iran’s hidden nuclear activities. But it would be a waste of this extraordinary intelligence to use it as a pretext for American withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Much better to use it as a pressure tool to squeeze Tehran.The Israeli intelligence coup should open the way for a much smarter US campaign to isolate Iran and tighten the deal -- and bring Europe, Russia and China along in a common push
[Choi Yearn-hong] ‘South Korea, US troops, and Korea’s future’

May 3, 2018

The presence of the US troops in South Korea is sure to be a crucial issue in the upcoming high-level meetings: the South Korea-US summit and North Korea-US summit. Changing the cease-fire agreement into the peace agreement will certainly bring up the issue of the US troops in Korea. The US President already tweeted about a possible peace agreement from the armistice agreement of the Korean War. The US Secretary of Defense discussed this issue of US troops after the Korean summit.　 Two of the pl
[Beatrice Fihn] Weapons of male destruction

May 3, 2018

As an advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons, I don’t have the luxury of mincing words. There are an estimated 15,000 nuclear warheads scattered around the world, and eliminating them means speaking truth -- and often hard truths -- to power. In that spirit, let me be unequivocal: Today’s leaders are too emotionally unstable to be trusted with the world’s nuclear stockpile.As I told the Nobel committee last year when accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of my organization, the Intern