Leftist party decides to oust 2 pro-N. Korean lawmakers
A progressive party decided Wednesday to oust two pro-North Korean lawmakers at the center of political controversy in the new National Assembly session. The move by the beleaguered Unified Progressive Party (UPP) will apparently spur efforts by conservative lawmakers to deprive Reps. Lee Seok-gi and Kim Jae-yeon of their seats. The duo has faced weeks […]
Retooling business model
Kakao Talk to enter social commerce market Kakao Talk, Korea’s most popular mobile messenger service, has acquired a social commerce company as part of its efforts to turn lucrative. But experts say the firm will face difficulties ahead. “There’s no guarantee that Kakao Talk’s bet will pay off as the local social commerce market is […]
‘Medical tourism is next big thing’
Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)’s chief Lee Charm sees medical tourism as the next big thing for the nation’s tourism industry. “The prospect for medical tourism is fantastic. The area of medical service has unlimited growth potential.” Lee said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “Korea’s medical services are at a high level not […]
English divide deepens further
The massive gulf between the rich and poor contributes to a dramatic disparity in English skills, government researchers said Monday. With the economy in decay, low-income earners are unable to pay for private language courses while the quality of public education just isn’t cutting it. This marginalizes them in society even more as English proficiency […]
What’s in a neighborhood name?
The Seochon neighborhood that sits between Mt. Inwang and Gyeongbok Palace is no stranger to controversy. For most of the 2000s, debates over apartment-style redevelopment riled the neighborhood. In 2008, the city of Seoul stopped redevelopment plans for most of the area and began drawing up plans for preserving the remaining traditional-style Korean houses, or […]
High TOEIC scorers not fluent in English
Park Jai-sang, a 27-year-old college graduate in Seoul, is nicknamed a “TOEIC genius” among his peers because every time he takes the English proficiency test, he scores higher than 900. Considering his score, his level of proficiency should be excellent. When he applied to work at a major trading company, he was even asked by […]
‘Korean dream’ has a long way to go
Shift from brain drain to talent circulation Brain drain has long been issue for Korea because of the large numbers of students and professionals who move abroad. But now, foreign talent is choosing to come here, and encouraging professionals from abroad to continue working in Korea is a priority. S. Imtiaz Ali is a veteran […]
Relations among Koreas and China
The trade relations between China and the two Koreas have been changing dramatically in recent years. It would be interesting to figure out how the changing trade relations would affect the future of the relation between South Korea and North Korea. This is the issue that I will be addressing during my presentation at the […]
Myanmar Authenticity expects warm welcome
With the ASEAN-Korea Center unveiling its fourth ASEAN Culture and Tourism Fair this week, much attention is being drawn to a dance troupe from Myanmar, called Myanmar Authenticity. The country that used to be a thorn in the ASEAN community’s side has ended a dark chapter by opening up itself. The national heroine Aung San […]
When art meets business
Collaboration with Korean artists in vogue For many years, the term “collaboration”often heralded new trends in the worlds of fashion and music. Now, more artists and businesses are collaborating on products such as wine labels for a new brand, luggage, ladies purses, clothes and even delivery boxes for shipping home appliances. Collaboration is a synergistic […]
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Trump, Kim, and the Three P’s of Summit Diplomacy: 
