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East Asia
Crouching tigers, hidden Christian message
While world media attention was heavily focused on the Olympics this summer, another Olympics of a slightly more wordy nature may have escaped your attention: The Alphabet Olympics, that saw representatives from over 26 nations flock to Bangkok for “The Second World Alphabet Olympiad’’ ― a linguistic marathon, designed to…
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Column
Magic numbers for Korea’s long-term prosperity
Korea’s economic miracle comes of age. According to U.S. economist Paul Krugman, Korea’s small open economy has entered a low-growth phase owing to the country’s heavy reliance on exports, and negligence in fostering domestic demand and curbing population decline. Indeed, the current stagnant economy is likely to be a long-term…
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Rough waters in NE Asia
Do presidential candidates have sailing strategies? In most countries, presidential elections are about domestic issues, mainly the economy and public welfare. In Korea this year, both voters and candidates can hardly afford to focus solely on the economic wellbeing of individuals. At stake is the entire nation’s diplomatic survival amid…
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N. Korea’s ‘tax bomb’
Keeping Gaeseong complex benefits both The joint industrial complex in the North Korean border city of Gaeseong is the only pipeline linking the two Koreas due to their strained relations, especially since President Lee Myung-bak took office in February 2008. The possible tinderbox for renewed inter-Korean relations after the December…
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Column
[Korea Report] Culture shock of living in Seoul ends up making familiar to things Korean
Culture Shock and Homesick are two words that we often hear about when we talk to foreigner living in a country away from their motherland. Despite of all the excitements and adventures in a foreign land, obstacles cannot be disregarded easily. As an Indonesian student, living in Seoul, I am…
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Welfare and tax increases
Two key words should be fairness, efficiency Like other emerging economies, Korea is moving toward a welfare state, as shown by the competitive pledges presidential candidates are making for various public services free of charge. The problem is financing, more explicitly money, an inconvenient truth most politicians avoid facing. It…
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Column
Hangeul, a uniquely Korean Script
It is an immensely positive sign for the nation that a growing number of foreigners are undertaking the study of the Korean language and Hangeul, the Korean alphabet in the wake of “Hallyu” ― the Korean Wave, which refers to the spread of Korean pop culture around the world. Furthermore,…
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Tragedy in West Sea
China must act resolutely to uproot illegal fishing Another tragedy took place in the West Sea Tuesday and this time, a Chinese fisherman died after being hit by a rubber bullet. It’s sad to continue to see a string of tragic incidents due to illegal fishing by Chinese trawlers in…
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Column
[Indonesia Report] Living in a foreign country is exciting, adventuresome experience
Psy concert in City Hall, Seoul (October 4, 2012) (Photo: www.kzoz.com) Living in a foreign country with different language and cultural background could be an exciting as well as adventuresome experience. Especially when one has to be involved in the society where majority does not adopt English in their daily life. When…
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Collapse of security
Nation’s military and police is like Swiss cheese If we compare countries to humans, today’s South Korea is like a blind person with a hole in its heart. The story of a North Korean soldier who defected to the South earlier this month is closer to a dark comedy. The…
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