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Donald Kirk

China's strategy for Korea

In the first annual “Transactions” published by the venerable Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1900, James S. Gale, one of the early missionaries here, wrote, “The more we read, the more we are forced to the conclusion that Korea was under a mesmeric spell at the hands of the Great Middle Kingdom.” In refutation, H,B. Hulbert, another notable missionary, author of a classic history of Korea, argued that “the points of similarity with the Chinese are the exception and that the survival of things purely native and indigenous are the rule.”

2019-12-19 18:18

Korean masterpiece

Unlike just about every Korean, I had not heard of “Parasite” when I walked into the E Street Cinema in Washington a few weeks ago with every intention of seeing another film also being shown. Then I heard a person asking for tickets to “Parasite” and learned it was a highly rated, popular Korean film. In fact, it was so popular that showings on two screens in the cineplex were sold out. I had to see it another night.

2019-12-12 17:30

N. Korea's New Year's deadline

By my rudimentary arithmetic - which is by no means infallible - as of Friday (Dec. 6), we're 25 days away from the end of the year. When the clock strikes midnight, Dec. 31, we'll pass the deadline set by the North Koreans for the U.S. to cave in to their demands and come to terms on a nuclear deal.

2019-12-05 17:25

ASEAN 'co-prosperity'

BUSAN - Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, had his hands in his pockets and a bored expression on his rugged face as President Moon Jae-in extolled high-tech Korean manufacturers on the big day of his summit with the leaders of 10 Southeast Asian countries.

2019-11-28 17:46

Slashing U.S. forces

WASHINGTON - Here's a view I've been hearing around here about why President Donald Trump is demanding huge sums from both Japan and South Korea for the privilege of having U.S. bases and forces on their soil.

2019-11-21 17:53

America's political drama

WASHINGTON - Inside the Beltway surrounding the American capital, a single topic these days excites the elitists, politicians, lobbyists, bureaucrats, journalists and intellectuals who compete to run the country.

2019-11-14 17:16

Korea versus Japan

WASHINGTON - Koreans have innumerable reasons to resent Japan's sense of superiority and also every reason to get over it. Astonishingly, apologists for North Korea deride U.S. attempts at persuading South Korean and Japanese leaders to get along with each other. It's as though they really think South Korea and Japan should go to war - or at least avoid contact - while favoring North-South reconciliation on terms favorable to the North.

2019-11-07 17:24

Mount Geumgang evokes so many memories. The first time I went there, in April 1995, was with a group of Korean-Canadians who had gone to North Korea ostensibly to attend the Pyongyang International Sports and Culture Festival, featuring the Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki and the American Ric Flair, two of the greatest of all-time. This group, which I had joined at the suggestion of a diplomat in North Korea's UN mission, had not gone there to watch the wrestling.

2019-10-31 16:57

Trump, the unguided missile

WASHINGTON - We hear a lot about North Korea's missiles but sometimes forget our own unguided missile. That would be Donald Trump, who's likely to go shooting off in any and all directions with little or no warning or planning.

2019-10-24 17:36

Down to the wire on Brexit

LONDON - Brexit, Britain's exit from the European Union, is getting so tiresome, you wish the Brits would just get on with it and get out.

2019-10-17 17:19

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