The Korea Herald

Readers’ VOICE

Oct 17, 2011

On the Jeju base...I’m not Korean nor have I even been to Jeju, but I have seen many pictures of Jeju Island, read about it and dream to go there one day. I voted for it for the 7 Wonders of the World. I watched 1N2D go there and I was there in spirit with them as they showed me the wonders of Jeju
[VOICE] Should Jeju have a naval base?

Oct 17, 2011

With construction under way and opposition not letting up ...Should Jeju have a naval base?Battleground of ideasThe proposed naval base at Gangjeong on Jeju Island has been a source of bitter controversy since it was first announced in 2007. The South Korean Navy argues that the $970 million dollar
Readers’ voice

Oct 10, 2011

On mandatory quotas...It seems wrong to make a bill. However it is obvious many women have trouble getting promoted and feel prejudice in Korean society. Women have even more obstacles in many ways than men in South Korea.― Kim Hyeong-goo, Seoul via FacebookAbsolutely! Equal rights for all! There ar
Should we force firms to hire more women?

Oct 10, 2011

With so few Korean women executives ...Should we force firms to hire more women?The business of genderSouth Korea has one of the lowest employment rates for women in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The country is seventh-last with a female employment rate of 52.2, while th
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,
Readers’ VOICE

Sept 26, 2011

On naming suspects ...Trial by press is unacceptable for people who are just suspects. It could be argued that the West is wrong, as we have a duty to protect the identities of people ― there is a right to privacy in many countries, even if only in common law.As well, it is a moral problem; we could
Should criminal suspects be named?

Sept 26, 2011

With many of those arrested remaining anonymous ...Should criminal suspects be named?A balance of rightsUnlike in jurisdictions such as the U.S., South Korean law and media convention in many cases protect the identities of criminal suspects. In accordance with the criminal code and Korean National
Should conscientious objectors be jailed?

Sept 19, 2011

With U.N. and Korean rights panel calling for Korea to end the practice ...Should conscientious objectors be jailed?Obligations of serviceAll able-bodied Korean men are required to undertake at least 21 months of military service, a measure to maintain a strong military in face of the threat posed b
Who should win in the People vs. Apple?

Aug 29, 2011

With more than 27,000 iPhone users suing Apple over location tracking ...A man uses an Apple iPhone.Consumers bite backKorean users of Apple’s iPhone have filed a class action suit, arguing Apple had violated its customers’ right to privacy by tracking their locations, causing distress. A lawyer suc
Readers’ VOICE

Aug 29, 2011

On the Apple class-action suitWhen I read about the 27,000 South Koreans who’ve filed a joint lawsuit against Apple, contending that their right to privacy was infringed upon, I took it as a joke. iPhones have GPS built into them; many of their apps work on the assumption of a constant connection to
Should all school kids get free meals?

Aug 22, 2011

As Seoul prepares to vote ...Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon campaigns ahead of the school meals referendum slated for August 24. (Yonhap News)A rocky road to a controversial voteAfter months of political dispute, Seoul citizens will decide on free school meals in a vote on Wednesday. The referendum will ask
Readers’ VOICE

Aug 22, 2011

On school meals ...It should be subjective. Children who come from families of a low income should be able to get lunch in school for free. Those who come from higher income families should have to pay. How you decide what is high and low, I don’t know. But having a blanket system is just populist,
Do we need so many public NETs?

Aug 15, 2011

As Gyeonggi Province cuts foreign teacher numbers ... A native English teacher at the National Institute for International Education in Seoul. (Yonhap News)The future of NETs in KoreaThere are currently about 30,000 native English teachers in South Korea, a majority of whom work at private scho
Readers’ voice

Aug 15, 2011

On teacher numbers ...Even if non-native speakers of English are relatively good at teaching conversational English, it’s very difficult to teach culture, slang, idioms, customs, etc. When I taught at a public middle school, the non-native conversation teacher taught mostly in Korean. The only diffe