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SCMP
Asia

The Korea Times

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Columnists

Eugene Lee

Day of reckoning: US has got work to do

Rule No. 1 when conducting foreign policy is to leave your morals outside the door. It is your national interest that drives your judgment - that has been the first commandment since the ancient Greeks, who laid the foundation for a proto-idea of a state. Yet, today, we see the world in very different terms, and we try to distinguish what is right and what is wrong. Essentially, international law after World War II was exactly about it.

2023-03-22 16:59

A case for government monopoly on energy prices

Higher utility prices, particularly for heating and gas, have hit us all in recent months. And according to the government, it isn't the end of the matter - there is a plan to increase the prices even further. It is time to cry foul at this administration's acts as examples of administrative incompetence.

2023-02-22 16:40

Economic crisis and global standards

Amid rising commodity and energy prices and falling property prices, Korea is reeling from the burden of decreasing exports and a depreciating won. Many are desperate for a breather from the troubles and are wondering what the best solution is for the future. My take is to follow global trends and adjust the economy according to international standards.

2023-02-01 16:40

On patriotism, nationalism and other -isms, or, let's not burn the house down

What motivation drives a decision maker's choices in his policies? A number of theories in the field of public administration, ranging from the psychological ones all the way to the grand development theories, may provide an answer. However, in order for one to understand what public administrators in South Korea have on their minds, one must do their fair share of digging.

2022-12-25 16:50

Stop thinking of “Your own bowl of rice” and start running the country

You don't need to know much to realize that South Korea has a governance problem. If you open a newspaper or turn on your TV, you'll see a number of news articles showing the current administration is in a deep legitimacy crisis or a state of cognitive dissonance. And it all begins and technically ends, with the first family. Instead of the much-desired shroud of mystery, the first family is being followed by a swirl of conspiracy theories.

2022-11-29 14:15

Itaewon tragedy and bad governance as its cause

I like writing on political issues and governance and do it often. However, it breaks my heart to have to write this piece. I must start with words of condolence to all those affected. I wish them strength in the face of the irreplaceable losses that took so many lives last Saturday in Itaewon. What was supposed to be a night of fun turned out to be one of horror, especially so for the victims and their close ones. Inside, I am agonizing with outrage because this tragedy was possible to prevent. It didn't have to happen!

2022-11-01 17:18

When designing foreign policy, think bigger than just diasporas

Today, the world is a huge hodgepodge of people of different sorts, constantly moving from one corner to another. Among these nomads are groups of people who eventually settle and form a community, which we often call a diaspora. Most of the time, the main characteristic that distinguishes this group from any others is ethnicity. Some diasporas go back in history for millennia - for example, Jewish diasporas - and the word "diaspora" itself primarily entered use while describing these communities.

2022-09-27 14:39

On governance, law and morality

In today's media, you'll find a very much disarray in opinions voiced over what is lawful and what is moral when it comes to issues of state governance. I've decided to offer a little bit of interpretation of what is what and how it all needs to be treated. We, humans, throughout all our history have been striving for many things, and the best type of governance is one of them.

2022-07-28 16:45

On leadership and vision

In the face of many mounting crises, South Korea is beginning to struggle on multiple fronts. It's got rising market volatility paired with inflationary pressure on the monetary and fiscal systems of the country, a brewing housing market bubble getting ready to pop along with rising product and energy prices, and unhappy labor and even government employees in between.

2022-07-14 16:42

Politics of patriotism and contemporary history of Korea

Doing research on contemporary Korean history is like walking through a minefield. My recent research into the life of one relative inadvertently taught me a thing or two about the contemporary history of South Korea and how it is being accepted. A relatively small discovery has grown into massive research that has also guided me through various institutions, meetings with interesting people and learning about government processes and regulations.

2022-04-27 16:34

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