Some policies pushed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government are causing controversy and confusion.That is because they were announced abruptly without gathering sufficient public opinions and consulting related ministries beforehand.　A project to redesign Gwanghwamun Square is a case in point.Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon unveiled a plan last week to reconstruct the symbolic area.But the project faced a strong backlash. Park and Minister of the Interior and Safety Kim Boo-kyum clashed over it. The pro

Like all other criminal cases, conclusive judgement on the case of former Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae should be given only after the final court verdict. Nevertheless, even at this stage, the case has exposed dark sides of Korean society.Yang, who was taken into custody last week, is the first former chief justice to face criminal indictment for something he had done while in office. That the court issued an arrest warrant for Yang as requested by prosecutors highlights the gravity of what happe

Stalled negotiations on South Korea’s share of the cost for stationing US troops here should not be allowed to go adrift further, as it could damage the alliance between the two countries on the path to removing nuclear threats from North Korea.Despite 10 rounds of discussions last year, the two sides have not agreed on the amount and other terms of Seoul’s payment for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea. A five-year cost-sharing agreement expired at the end of last year.South Korean

While the global economy grew 3.7 percent last year, South Korea’s growth marked a six-year low of 2.7 percent.Government spending, however, surged 5.6 percent, the largest increase in 11 years. Growth contribution by government expenditures in the fourth quarter reached 1.2 percentage points, the highest since the first quarter of 2009, while the private sector’s contribution shrank to negative 0.3 percentage points in the quarter.Last year’s growth was effectively propped up with taxes. Howeve