[Yoo Choon-sik] Push for regional growth: Goals and risks

When governments design policies that will shape a country’s economic trajectory for decades, caution is not an option but a prerequisite. Such policies demand far more than clarity of intent; they require painstaking examination of their potential consequences — not only the outcomes policymakers hope for, but also the unintended effects that may emerge over time. The scale and interconnectedness of the South Korean economy mean that major policy missteps rarely remain isolated — they ripple ou

Jan. 5, 2026

[Parmy Olson] You’re in relationship with AI

Amelia Miller has an unusual business card. When I saw the title of “Human-AI Relationship Coach” at a recent technology event, I presumed she was capitalizing on the rise of chatbot romances to make those strange bonds stronger. It turned out the opposite was true. Artificial intelligence tools were subtly manipulating people and displacing their need to ask others for advice. That was having a detrimental impact on real relationships with humans. Miller’s work started in early 2025 when she wa

Jan. 5, 2026

[Wang Son-taek] Seoul needs strategy over toughness

North Korean state media have recently drawn attention by frequently reporting shows of force. On Dec. 25, the media released photographs of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visiting a shipyard where a nuclear-powered submarine is reportedly under construction. The submarine shown in the images was described as a large vessel of around 8,700 tons, an image sufficiently intimidating to amplify perceptions of threat. According to the reports, Kim emphasized that South Korea’s plan to build a nuclea

Jan. 1, 2026

[Kim Seong-kon] Adieu 2025 and welcome 2026!

The turbulent year 2025 fades away and the New Year 2026 is dawning now. In 2025, Korea experienced some good things, but also went through devastating wildfires, massive flooding and bombing accidents, in addition to the usual border tensions with the North and internal political turmoil caused by the arrest of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol. In 2025, the world, too, experienced some good things. But it also witnessed international conflicts, such as the Iran-Israel war in June, in addition to the

Dec. 31, 2025

[Jodi Bondi Norgaard] Green light for normalizing cruelty

The reaction to US President Donald Trump’s recent social media post was immediate and telling. For many, the post was stunning in its cruelty, a line so clearly crossed that it demanded condemnation. For others, it was dismissed, defended or waved away as exaggeration, provocation or “just how he talks.” That divide is the story. Because when words that demean, dehumanize and even invoke death can shock some while being excused by others, we are no longer arguing about tone. We are confronting

Dec. 31, 2025

[Vitit Muntarbhorn] Re-energizing higher education in ASEAN

Higher education, implying the tertiary level associated with universities and parallel institutions, is at an inflection point in the region where the trajectory of sociopolitical, economic and cultural development is changing rapidly. Paradoxically, there is a tightrope to be walked between progressive advancement and dispiriting conflict, exemplified by stellar progress in some countries contrasting with disruptive armed conflict in other countries. There is also a marked divergence between t

Dec. 30, 2025

[Arvind Subramanian] Rogue hegemons sabotage global economy

Although 2025 will probably be remembered as the year that US President Donald Trump upended the global trading system, the truth is that both of the world’s hegemons, the United States and China, have gone rogue. Surging US protectionism and resurgent Chinese mercantilism are now twin scourges afflicting the rest of the world, especially developing countries. While some apply the label “G-Zero” to today’s leaderless world, it is more accurate to say that we are dealing with a “G-Negative-Two” w

Dec. 30, 2025

[Yanis Varoufakis] Shocks that shook world in 2025

This was the year that the remaining pillars of the late-20th-century order were shattered, exposing the hollow core of what passed for a global system. Three blows sufficed. The first was Russia’s impending victory in Ukraine over Europe’s combined leadership. For almost four years, the European Union and NATO engaged in a perilous double game. On one hand, they committed rhetorically to a Ukrainian victory they were unwilling to bankroll. On the other hand, they exploited this never-ending war

Dec. 29, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Peace treaty should be the entry point

As 2025 draws to a close, South Korea finds itself gripped by a level of security anxiety rarely experienced in recent history. The year-end of 2024 was chaotic, triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s sudden declaration of martial law. In retrospect, that turmoil was largely internal and ultimately manageable. One year on, however, the nation faces mounting geopolitical dangers that threaten to spiral beyond control and engulf the entire Northeast Asian region. Recent news from North Kore

Dec. 29, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] 2025: A year of testing and triumph

For South Korea, one word sums up 2025: resilience. The year opened with an impeached president and prime minister, rising social anxiety and an economic slump. It ended with a new president, renewed confidence and a recovering economy. The positive turn of events over the past year prompted The Economist to list South Korea among the contenders for its annual “country of the year” designation for the country that has improved the most in 2025. How did South Korea do it? And what does it mean fo

Dec. 26, 2025

[Robert D. Atkinson] Korea’s $700b export record Is an achievement, not a growth strategy

South Korea is poised to surpass $700 billion in exports in 2025, marking the highest total in the nation’s history and a milestone for a trade-dependent economy. But let’s not be so fast with cheers. To be sure, these export figures reflect competitiveness in key global industries and resilience in the face of US tariffs, robust Chinese competition, supply chain fragmentation, and geopolitical uncertainty. Korea remains a world leader in semiconductors, automobiles, shipbuilding, and electronic

Dec. 25, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] New missions for Koreans in 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, it is natural to offer respect and comfort to the people of South Korea. Internally, the country overcame an unprecedented constitutional crisis triggered by an insurrection attempt involving a sitting president. Externally, it navigated the shockwaves of US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff campaign with a degree of composure and strategic restraint. These outcomes were made possible not by chance, but by mature citizens and solid institutions. However, to des

Dec. 25, 2025

[David Fickling] Harbinger of thirsty planet

The history of our cities has been written in water. In Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Indus Valley, the first urban settlements were built around irrigated farmland. Flooded terrace fields for rice, corn and quinoa accompanied the spread of civilization in East Asia and the Americas. Without water, the megacities that will define the 21st century would wither and perish. That's looking like a risk factor in an increasing number of locations. Cape Town and Chennai in recent years endured punishing d

Dec. 24, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] What does Christmas mean to us?

Whether we are Christians or not, many of us celebrate Christmas every December. Although it began as a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, Christmas these days has become a universal holiday for everyone to enjoy at the end of the year. Children believe that on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus comes from the North Pole to give them presents. In the spirit of Christmas, we care about the less fortunate around us and donate through the Salvation Army to help them. We also give Christmas p

Dec. 24, 2025

[Lee Jae-min] The beginning of the AI-induced structural changes

Research assignments were random and sometimes came out of the blue. They used to run until the wee hours and into weekends. Results and reports were then submitted to partners, triggering a chain of follow-up questions, which then prompted more research and summary. This was my experience almost 25 years ago when working in a law firm. Junior associates’ work and life in law firms are not that different even now. The winds are changing. AI has begun to take care of this initial work — research

Dec. 23, 2025