opinion_
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North Korean nuclear program: what can and what cannot to be done about it
North Korean nuclear program: what can and what cannot to be done about it. Back in the 1990s, a recently appointed Vietnamese ambassador to the United States jokingly remarked that one of his major tasks would be persuade Americans that “Vietnam is the name of a country, not a war”.…
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South East Asia
[Australia Report] Prime Minister Gillard releases “White Book” on future policy
Amid the anxiousness of super power countries on the changing of global power that is predicted to take place in 20 to 30 years, Australia feels the need to reevaluate its foreign policy. “Foreseeing future is risky, but the bigger risk is the absence of planning our own future. As…
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East Asia
Taiwan’s ‘peace initiative’
While the world’s attention has been focused on the rivalry between China and Japan over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, Taiwan, which has the same territorial claims as China, has come up with what it calls a “peace initiative’’ involving all three parties. On Aug. 5, a month…
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Looming uncertainty
Single candidacy must be completed soon With barely 50 days to go before the Dec. 19 presidential election, a mountain of uncertainty looms large. That’s largely because the main standard-bearer of the opposition camp has not been determined yet. Moon Jae-in, the candidate of the main opposition Democratic United Party…
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South East Asia
[ASEAN Report] Indecent Malaysian advertisement offends Indonesians
A recent advertisement in Malaysia saying “Indonesian Maid on Sale!” raised protest from Indonesia. Malaysia Ministry of Labor and Transmigration promised to investigate those related to the advertisement. Malaysian government said the person who made the advertisement is recognized as Rubini. Responding to Indonesian protest, Indonesian Minister of Labor and Transmigration Muhaimin Iskandar asked…
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East Asia
The Difference between the Korean and the Japanese Perspectives on “Dokdo”
The arguments about Dokdo issue between the Japanese and the Korean people seem to be gradually increasing with the Senkaku(“Diaoyu” in Chinese) territorial issue. I think that there is the fundamental difference between the Japanese and the Korean Perspectives on Dokdo issue and to understand it is very important to…
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Asian rivals in US
Washington should be more active judge, arbiter Many Koreans might have felt quite uncomfortable listening to a series of news stories from the United States over the weekend. In New York and New Jersey, some Japanese ultra-rightists ― who else could it be? ― perpetrated acts of vandalism, insulting the…
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World
Rome has come to you
A recent Korea Times editorial advised American-retail store Costco to recall the old saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Sage advice, sure, but its expiration date has come and gone. That old saying needs to be updated as, “Rome has come to you.” “When in Rome, do…
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If election is about women, what are they gaining?
Hey, women! The election is suddenly about you. Sort of. This was supposed to be the election about job creation (although we’re still waiting for specifics). But in recent days it is about President Barack Obama losing women voters to Gov. Mitt Romney. It’s about Republican candidates for the Senate…
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East Asia
Psy phenomena: World goes Gangnam style
Psy has taken the world by surprise with his global success. Recently the Korean entertainer visited Australia where he is No. 1 in the charts, as he is in more than 30 countries. When he arrived in Sydney, Australian immigration asked him to dance “Gangnam Style.” He appeared on Australia’s…
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