With demands on public finances rising and growth flagging ...What can boost the economy?If all three main presidential candidates share a common campaign theme, it’s their focus on greater economic equality and fairness. Social welfare and “economic democratization” have dominated the rhetoric of Ahn Cheol-soo, Moon Jae-in and Park Geun-hye alike, pushing the issue of economic growth, a major plank of the platform of then-candidate Lee Myung-bak, onto the backburner. Yet, the recent news on the

With consumers weighed down by massive borrowing ...How should Korea tackle private debt?In a sea of developed countries saddled with heavy government borrowing, Korea is a rare example of a wealthy country with low levels of public debt. For this and other reasons, the nation recently saw its credit rating upgraded by the three major crediting agencies: Moody’s, Fitch and Standard & Poor’s. The state’s relative fiscal soundness, however, masks a more precarious reality in the private sector: Ko

After a first for the country at the Venice Film Festival ...What is the future of Korean film?Director Kim Ki-duk’s grand prize win at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 8 marked a new high for Korean cinema. The Golden Lion Award for “Pieta” was the first time for a Korean director to take the top prize at one of the “Big Three” film festivals of Berlin, Venice and Cannes. The win was no less than the “biggest triumph in Korea’s film history of the last century,” in the words of Busan Film Fest

With the brutal rape of a child in Naju shocking the nation ...How should Korea combat pedophilia?The kidnap and rape of a 7-year-old girl in Naju, South Jeolla Province, earlier this month has reopened the debate on how to deal with society’s most reviled criminals. Like the case of Cho Doo-soon, who brutally raped an 8-year-old girl in 2008, Ko Jong-seok’s heinous act has sparked a raft of proposals from lawmakers and law enforcement to deal with those who prey on children. In the days after t

In light of a Seoul court’s ruling in Samsung vs. Apple...Is the patent system working?The recent wins and losses in Samsung and Apple’s ongoing patent war have rekindled an age-old debate about the nature of innovation. At what point does inspiration become flat-out imitation? And do patents do more to stifle new thinking than promote it? Though overshadowed by the $1 billion judgment against Samsung in the U.S. on Aug. 25, it was a Seoul court’s ruling a day earlier that shone a light on Korea

With tensions running high across the region ...How can N.E. Asia improve relations?Northeast Asia has long been a region characterized by uneasy relations between neighbors. This month vividly demonstrated that reality as long-standing territorial disputes involving Japan, Korea and China flared up. President Lee Myung-bak’s unexpected visit to Dokdo on Aug. 10 began a series of hostile exchanges between Korea and Japan, the conclusion of which is yet to be seen. Just days after Lee’s visit, a

With drug abuse having spread to more sectors of society ...Is Korea’s drug policy working?If law enforcement figures are any guide, Korea’s illegal drug problem pales in comparison with much of the rest of the world. There were 7,011 arrests for drug offenses in 2011, according to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, a 7 percent drop from the previous year. The U.S., by way of comparison, in 2010 made more than 1.6 million drug arrests, more than 36 times Korea’s figure, even after differences in p

With growth in demand far outpacing increases in supply ...How can Korea ensure energy security?An unusually hot summer is raising fears of a repeat of last year’s country-wide blackouts. The Korea Power Exchange last week issued a number of power shortage warnings as scorching weather pushed people to crank up their air conditioners, causing reserve levels to drop below 3 million kilowatts. While Korea’s longest heat wave since 1994 has certainly stretched energy reserves, the country’s energy

With expectations for success ever growing ...How can Korea nurture better Olympians?It has been a tumultuous first week for Korea at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The disqualification of four of its badminton players, a number of controversial judging decisions and underwhelming performances have led to an at times rocky competition for the nation. Nevertheless, team Korea had by Sunday easily met its goal of 10 gold medals and looks certain to make a top-10 finish in the medal standings. Kore

With ambitious new development on the rise ...Do planned cities work?Brasilia, Canberra, Sejong and Songdo all share a common trait: They are planned cities. Despite mixed assessments of the success of cities built from scratch worldwide, South Korea has repeatedly embraced the concept. The Seoul satellites of Ilsan and Bundang were built as planned developments in the 1990s. Today, the partially completed Songdo International Business District and Sejong City stand as the latest experiments wit

With increasing numbers of Korean teens having sex ...What should schools teach about sex?In a country where sex is not to be spoken about, it is no surprise that sex education in schools is a sensitive issue. Deciding what content is both relevant and appropriate is invariably contentious. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology currently requires all schools to provide 10 hours of sex education per year. Nevertheless, teachers can be reluctant to broach the subject, with some educato

With risky drinking on the rise ...Should the law be tougher on alcohol?Korea’s regulation of alcohol is decidedly laissez faire by international standards. Unlike in much of North America and Europe, alcohol is sold at convenience stores 24/7, bars and nightclubs close at their digression and drinking is permitted in public places. The population is free to drink more or less whenever and wherever it pleases, and drink it does: In 2005, the last year for which the World Health Organization prov

With parties’ nomination processes in focus ...Are open primaries necessary?With the presidential election six months away, the process of how political parties choose their candidate is in the spotlight. Three Saenuri Party presidential hopefuls, rivals of favorite Park Geun-hye, last month called for the introduction of an open primary allowing all citizens to vote regardless of party affiliation. The call, from Reps. Chung Mong-joon and Lee Jae-oh and Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo,

After the Rio summit’s failure to adopt specific measures ...Is green growth working?“Green growth” has been an oft-used phrase in political, environmental and scientific circles in recent years. President Lee Myung-bak first announced his vision for environmentally sustainable, low-carbon economic growth in an address to the nation in August 2008. In July 2009, the government unveiled the Five Year Plan for Green Growth, which allocated some $84 billion for investment in growth drivers and infr

With the most hours clocked up in the OECD ...Should Koreans work less?It’s no secret that Koreans work the longest hours of any developed nation. In 2010, each worker put in an average of 2,111 hours. Workers in Korea also take some of the fewest holidays. Just 53 percent take all of their holiday time, compared to 89 percent of the French, according to a 2010 poll by IPSO. On the back of this work ethic, Korea has risen from poverty to become the world’s 13th-largest economy. But after decades