• Senior Korean mountaineer hits Nepalese host on the head at reception

    An unbelievable happening took place at an international gathering to mark the opeing of the ‘Nepal House’ on 23th August. Lee In-jung, 67,  president of the Korean Alpine Federation, hit K.P. Sitoula on the back of his head, throwing dirt at him. Sitoula, 44, is the president of the Nepalese Association in Korea and…

    Read More »

  • Rating upgrade and Japan

    Maintaining fiscal soundness should be prioritized Moody’s Investors Service has raised its sovereign rating on Korea by one notch from A1 to Aa3. As reasons for its rating upgrade, the global credit appraiser cited the country’s strong fiscal fundamentals, resilience to external economic shocks and the continued status quo of…

    Read More »
  • Column

    Noda & Lee, Apple & Samsung

    A foreign correspondent I once knew observed at the end of his Korean stint, “Korea is a heaven for journalists.” Few in our line of work would disagree because this country offers an unlimited supply of news both on domestic front and from overseas. Noda Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda…

    Read More »
  • Column

    Rationing system in N. Korea

    It was reported recently, that ― obviously, following a reformist drive, the North Korean leaders decided to scale down the rationing system. In order to understand the significance of this change, we must keep in mind that for a few decades North Korea was a society where rationing was taken…

    Read More »
  • Column

    Faithfulness, affection and reasonableness

    Recently, one of my college alumni explained how a Chinese scholar categorically observed the traits and characters of the people of three Northeast Asian nations. According to the Chinese scholar, with regard to interpersonal relationships the Chinese value “faithfulness,’’ while the Koreans tend to emphasize “affection,’’ and the Japanese respect…

    Read More »
  • Column

    Are we about face deflation?

    Korea’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter grew only 2.4 percent on a year-on-year basis, hitting a record low since the third quarter of 2009. Private consumption, which accounts for more than half of GDP, has grown only 1.2 percent over the same period. Investment measured by total…

    Read More »
  • Column

    Gangnam Style, Dokdo Style

    Two very different stories have been making the headlines this week in Korea. One about two bickering neighbors, and another about an aging Korean pop star’s music video going viral worldwide. But what have the two got in common? Can we draw parallels? No. Some might say that’s ludicrous. Because…

    Read More »
  • Column

    Presidents Of Sri Lanka, Maldives Get Together

    Maldives President Mohammed Waheed (2nd L) shakes hands with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa (2nd R) in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, Aug. 23, 2012. Maldives President Mohammed Waheed arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday for a two-day official visit. <Xinhua=Pushpika Karunaratne> news@theasian.asia

    Read More »
  • Column

    Good-bye, my Japanese friend

    It may be quite provocative to bring up a story about a Japanese friend while the atmosphere between Korea and Japan is becoming increasingly more belligerent these days. Far more so if the friend is not an ordinary citizen but a diplomat, who stands at the forefront of bilateral confrontation.…

    Read More »

  • Opposition’s littleness

    DUP should stand on its own feet The main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) appears nervous as public attention is shifting toward Ahn Cheol-soo, the software entrepreneur-turned-professor, in the wake of Park Geun-hye being elected the presidential candidate of the ruling Saenuri Party. The DUP launched a vitriolic attack on…

    Read More »