South Korea’s trade data for the first 20 days of April offers a sobering glimpse into the unfolding impact of the Trump administration’s aggressive tariff policies. The figures underscore the urgent need for Seoul to recalibrate its economic strategy to buffer against what could become a prolonged external shock. According to the Korea Customs Service, exports during the April 1-20 period fell to $33.9 billion, marking a 5.2 percent decline from the same period a year earlier. Imports also dipp

Lawfare makes for strange bedfellows. As part of his tightening grip on power, and his assault on 200-plus years of checks and balances, President Donald Trump has bludgeoned some of the nation's leading law firms into shameful submission, extracting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free legal work for his pet causes. More significantly, the vengeful felon-in-chief has sent a clear-cut message: Oppose his heedless, plainly unconstitutional actions in court — one of the only avenues left

These days, we are witnessing some extraordinary global crises: territorial disputes, trade wars and ideological clashes. Many of us are worried about severe inflation and the sharp increase in prices. Others are concerned about the worldwide decline of democracy and the prospect of Orwellian societies looming everywhere. Suffice to say, many of us feel that our future has become nebulous and grim. Recently, I watched a television drama that mirrors our present and foretells our possible future.

Since Jan. 24, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has put in place a system of a “temporary lodging facility for farming-based rural sojourn” to respond to the population decline in South Korea's rural areas. The facilities are temporary lodging facilities with a gross floor area of 33 square meters or less — not including ancillary facilities such as parking spaces and septic tanks, etc. — built on rural farmland for city dwellers to spend time at for weekend farming or farming

About a month ago, I learned that three colleagues were leaving Yale for the University of Toronto. Philosophy professor Jason Stanley, history professors Timothy Snyder and Marci Shore are not only senior scholars at Yale, all three study fascism. Stanley appeared in many media outlets — The Guardian, PBS, The Atlantic, etc. — explicitly noting that America’s slide into authoritarianism and fascism is a major impetus for his departure. Are their departures a sign of an impending mass exodus of

South Korea will hold "two plus two" trade consultations with the US in Washington on Thursday. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun will lead the Seoul negotiation team, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will be in charge of the US side. The possibility of US President Donald Trump choosing to get directly involved in the talks cannot be excluded. Last week, the US first held tariff talks with Japan at the White House,

When South Korea's former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was ousted on April 4 by the Constitutional Court, millions watched the live broadcast of the court’s ruling — read by acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae. The verdict was not only logically rigorous but also deeply resonant: Yoon had violated his presidential duties by declaring martial law on Dec. 3, a move the court deemed an unconstitutional overreach that posed a serious threat to democracy. With that, Yoon was permanently removed from off

The most important elements in real estate are said to be location, location and location. Where someone works and lives projects status. Moreover, the presidential mansion stands for the head of state’s power and authority as well as the country’s history and tradition. By June 4, a day after the early presidential election, we should know who will replace ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. The election will turn the page on a sordid tenure. The early favorites of the snap election already are pos

The White House made it clear during a visit from Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, that it plans to let Kilmar Abrego Garcia rot in the brutal prison to which — as the administration has admitted in court — he was deported by mistake. The spectacle in the Oval Office on Monday was chilling. President Donald Trump warmly greeted Bukele and called him a “great friend.” Bukele, who brands himself as the “coolest dictator” in the world, won smiles from Trump as the two men agreed that the

For a week every April, like clockwork, my sleeping habits are thrown into complete disarray. It’s not jet lag, a deadline or a marathon drama binge. No, it’s the Masters golf tournament. Each year, I find myself staying up into the early hours, eyes glued to the television, watching the iconic fairways of Augusta National unfold in cinematic glory. While the days are a blur of yawns and caffeine, as soon as the nighttime broadcast kicks in, something clicks. Suddenly, I’m wide awake, fully aler

After a long wait, the South Korean Constitutional Court removed Yoon Suk Yeol from the presidency in a unanimous decision on April 4. The decision triggered a snap election set for June 3. In the two weeks since, potential candidates have made their intentions clear, and the outlines of the race have formed. As things stand now, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is expected to receive the party’s nomination. After Yoon’s removal, the conservative People Pow