Moon Jae-in
AlphaGo and Our Future
First there was shock. Then there was hope. Then there was fear and defeat. Last summer, one of the world’s best go players was defeated by artificial intelligence in a highly publicized series of matches at a five-star hotel in downtown Seoul. It was a humiliating loss of man
Who Are the Agencies Behind North Korea Tourism?
When hundreds of foreign journalists visited Pyongyang in April to cover North Korea’s latest military parade, Otto Warmbier had already been in a coma for about a year. And nobody knew. Earlier this month, Warmbier’s parents received the first update about their son’s condition since Jan. 2016,
Moonppa: A Troubled Start for the Moon Jae-in Presidency
It could just be that the rising temperatures summoned a high-pressure system and clean air, but even nature seemed to acknowledge the momentousness of the occasion. On May 9 South Koreans elected Moon Jae-in as president. And just as suddenly, the noxious spring smog that normally blankets the Korean Peninsula
KÉ Interview: Singing Against Homophobia
In the middle of Unnie Choir’s last number, Enan Ahn started to cry. She was one of the fifteen women singing “Into the New World,” a 2007 single by K-pop group Girls’ Generation. The lyrics were admittedly corny — “there’s no use in waiting for a miracle, it’
Moon Jae-in’s Nuclear Pledges Put to the Test
Making sweeping changes to South Korea’s national energy mix was never going to be easy. Before May’s presidential election, Moon Jae-in and his Minjoo Party promised strong measures to kickstart the move away from nuclear and coal energy. But now that they find themselves in power, will
Gwangju: the City of Democracy
Gwangju, in the southwest of South Korea, is admittedly hard to sell as a place to live or even visit. The economically stagnant former capital of South Jeolla Province, it doesn’t have glistening shopping malls, stunning architecture or expansive green spaces. Mixing drab residential areas with industrial
A Eulogy for Another Radical Centrist
So this upstart politician — the son of a doctor, the renegade, and a center-liberal candidate who claims to be neither right nor left — appeared to some voters in the recent presidential election to be the only hope (or the lesser evil) to prevent the worst case scenario from taking place.
Can Moon Jae-in Finally Clean up South Korea’s Prosecution?
South Korea is sometimes described as a “Republic of Prosecutors.” The unusual term reflects the abnormal amount of power wielded by the country’s Prosecution Service, which monopolizes the authority both to control investigations and to prosecute. Over the years, frustration has been mounting over the disproportionate power the
Moon Jae-in's Road to Gender Equal Cabinet
With his good-looking entourage (especially one of his campaign bodyguards), newly-elected president Moon Jae-in has excited many in South Korea and beyond. Now, he is enthralling the electorate with his choice of ministerial nominees – this time, not for their appearances but because they are women in positions previously dominated
Four Rivers Project: Explained
President Moon Jae-in has been in office for less than two weeks, but he already has a considerable list of achievements. He made radical appointments for his secretariat and cabinet, and elevated several women to positions of prominence. He ordered the abolition of the much-hated history textbooks, championed by Park
Call Me Maybe: How N. and S. Korea Actually Communicate
The new Moon Jae-in administration wants to reopen communication channels with North Korea. The two Koreas haven’t talked on the phone for over fifteen months. But back when they did, at least two calls were made each day. What do these inter-Korean channels
Military Prosecutors Seek Jail Sentence for Gay Soldier
South Korea’s military prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison sentence for “Lieutenant A,” a soldier accused of having anal intercourse with a colleague. A military court is due to pass sentence on May 24. Lieutenant A is thought to have been caught as part of the army’