Mar 26, 2020

[Serendipity] This time, get it right on sex crimes

Reading the news on secret chat rooms on Telegram where videos of sexual exploitation were traded feels like wading through filth. So much so, I consciously stayed away from it as much as possible until Wednesday, when it was no longer possible. Leaving Jongno Police Station in Seoul on Wednesday, Cho Ju-bin stood in front of a photo line for the press. Without a mask or cap to cover his face, there stood the 24-year-old man who is alleged to have blackmailed dozens of women and minors into f

Mar 25, 2020

[Kim Myong-sik] Ridiculous election system breeds disposable parties

History shows that even raging wars do not restrain politicians’ fervor for power. The nation is now at war against the new coronavirus. Guns are not being fired, but so many warriors in imperfect protective gear are fighting an invisible but ubiquitous enemy while casualty numbers are updated on a daily basis. Despite the atmosphere of public desperation and panic, politics goes on in full vigor ahead of parliamentary elections. During the Korean War, President Syngman Rhee carried out t

Mar 25, 2020

[Shang-Jin Wei] Beating the virus and the economic pandemic

Shang-Jin Wei

Mar 24, 2020

[Stephen L. Carter] Ethics of shopping in a pandemic

When my local supermarket opened for business at 6 a.m. the other day, I had my plan of action in place. The instant the door was unlocked, I hurried to the pharmacy aisle, where I found, to my surprise and delight, three bottles of rubbing alcohol. But now I faced a puzzle. Should I play homo economicus and buy them all? Should I follow the Lockean proviso and leave as much and as good in common for others? Torn by competing priorities, I bought two of the three bottles, leaving the third for

Mar 24, 2020

[Kim Seong-kon] Remembering Korea’s charms in these difficult times

Due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, we are now unable to travel to foreign countries freely. Some time ago, however, a South Korean could visit virtually any place on earth and feel at home wherever he went. For example, he could watch Korean movies and television shows on Netflix or Amazon anywhere, anytime. Korean cuisine and groceries were available everywhere. He could even drop by a karaoke room, easily available in many foreign cities, to sing his favorite Korean songs. As someone wh

Mar 23, 2020

[David Fickling] Looming fall of Gulf’s oil empire

For much of the world, oil wealth is a curse. Endowed with ample reserves of hydrocarbons, the likes of Nigeria, Angola, Kazakhstan, Mexico and Venezuela frittered the benefits away. Only in the Persian Gulf has oil been a nation-building blessing. The discoveries of petroleum in the mid-20th century turned an anarchic, desperately poor region into one of the most affluent places on the planet. Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are all richer than Switzerland. Even Saudi Arabia, Bahrai

Mar 23, 2020

[Stephen Mihm] Roosevelt’s public-private alliance can help beat virus

It would be charitable to describe the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic as sloppy and uncoordinated. Thankfully, there is a model for an epic national comeback. It dates back to the weeks following the attack on Pearl Harbor in late 1941, when President Roosevelt created the War Production Board, one of the most dynamic public-private partnerships in history. The US entered World War II woefully unprepared. It possessed staggering economic power, but almost none

Mar 23, 2020

[Shin Hyun-gon] Overcome adversity, prepare to face new challenges　

The coronavirus outbreak is grabbing global headlines. It first appeared in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China, in December 2019 and spread to East and South Asia -- including South Korea, Japan and Singapore. In only three months, virus infections have spread to almost all countries and territories around the world -- Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. Many countries have tried to prevent travelers from coronavirus hot spots from entering with immigration and flight restrictions. But it

Mar 23, 2020

[Contribution] What US can learn from Korea about fighting coronavirus

South Korea has been recognized internationally for the effectiveness of its response to the novel coronavirus pandemic and impact of the COVID-19 disease. As the number of cases continue to rise in the US, what lessons can America take from South Korea? Drive-through testing: Korea created a highly efficient system of drive-through COVID-19 test centers that have helped the nation of 51 million perform fast and extensive testing. With a capacity to test up to 15,000 patients daily, the expans

Mar 22, 2020

[Xun Wu, Donald Low] How big virus crisis will become is up to us

For the people of a growing number of countries, the coronavirus outbreak is no longer something they read about in the news or on TV as the virus spreads to their cities, communities, and even families. COVID-19 has already evolved into a full-blown global public health crisis: the confirmed cases of infection outside of China grew to over 115,000 as of March 18, with the death toll exceeding 4,700. The World Health Organization has already declared it as a global pandemic. While much attenti

Mar 20, 2020

[Digital Simplicity] ‘Infodemic’ is as lethal as coronavirus

About three weeks ago, I watched a news segment online showing Japanese shoppers rushing to buy toilet paper. Shelves were stripped bare quickly across Japan. The reason for the panic buying was allegedly linked to the fatal coronavirus pandemic. A sense of urgency hit my brain. Wait, what if I run out of precious toilet paper at home? If an emergency happens in relation to my bodily functions, should I hail a taxi and speed through the now eerily quiet Seoul streets to go to the office wher

Mar 19, 2020

[Ferdinando Giugliano] Euro area’s virus response still insufficient

Christine Lagarde warned European leaders last week that the COVID-19 epidemic risked pushing the economy into a new 2008-style crisis. So far, the response from politicians to the president of the European Central Bank has been late and insufficient. The elements for a comprehensive response are clear: Governments should unleash a large-scale fiscal stimulus, while the ECB launches a credible and sizeable bond-buying program to ensure there is no adverse market reaction. The euro zone may even

Mar 19, 2020

[John Manzella] Coronavirus gives Trump an opportunity to correct missteps on China

President Donald Trump’s intention to persuade China to play by long-established international trade rules is commendable. But focusing on the US trade deficit with China, and imposing tariffs to eliminate it, has proven ineffective. Now, the coronavirus has given Trump an opportunity to shelve that failed strategy and immediately eliminate tariffs on Chinese imports. This shot in the arm will likely be reciprocated by China, stimulate our economies, and give Trump the opportunity to cha

Mar 19, 2020

[Kevin Skeoch] Education during the days of COVID-19

Amid the growing concerns of COVID-19 spread in South Korea, international schools are planning and have instituted online learning programs that were rolled out to all students during school closure. Now a global pandemic, international schools in Seoul, are in their fourth week of online learning. Dwight’s online learning program’s stated mission is to harness innovative technologies while keeping its core principles in mind -- personalized learning, global vision, and community,