Moon Jae-in
President Moon Jae-in: Between Everyman Persona and North Korea
On the morning of Mar. 10, the eyes of the nation were on the constitutional court, which unanimously ruled that impeached president Park Geun-hye had to go. One journalist, however, was in Hongeun-dong, Seoul, evidently to scrutinize a plastic bag in front of a modest apartment. The bag featured the
Meet Tory, South Korea's Potential First-Dog-To-Be
Tory is a South Korean mixed-breed dog whose fortunes may be about to change drastically. After being rescued from an abusive owner and given refuge in an animal shelter, Tory’s next stop might just be the most prestigious home in the nation: that of newly-elected president Moon
Can S Korea's Blue House Reporters Ask More Questions Now?
On his first day as president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in held a press conference in Chunchugwan, the Blue House’s press building. After talking for a little less than 10 minutes, Moon left without a Q&A session. His top aides stayed behind for nearly 20
The Triumph of Yearning
On Tuesday night in Seoul, the scent of victory mingled with the aromas of stale beer and fried chicken. At a crowded bar and chicken joint in Seoul’s Mapo district, several dozen supporters of new South Korean president Moon Jae-in gathered to watch the results of the national election
After S Korea's Presidential Race: What's Next?
Just when the whole world seemed to be lurching to the right, France stepped away from a presidency under Marine Le Pen on Sunday. South Korea has now followed suit, kicking its conservatives into the wilderness after almost a decade in power and choosing progressive candidate Moon Jae-in
S Korea Election Day: Voter Snapshots in Seoul
A year ago today, Park Geun-hye probably would have had no idea how May 9 2017 would unfold. She would’ve imagined carrying out her official duties as president, albeit a lame duck president. She would’ve been thinking about the presidential election that would take place&
The Potent Force of S Korea's Regionalism
Regionalism remains a potent force in South Korea. “If the U.S. has racism, South Korea has regionalism,” said a 2008 article by wire agency Yonhap. There’s even a special word for regional rivalry: jiyeok gamjeong, which literally means “regional enmity.” The most historical and emotionally charged regional rivalry
Captivating Moments from South Korea's Unexpected Election Season
In less than three weeks, South Korea will have a new president. It’s a little crazy how quickly things have moved in the past few months: Former president Park Geun-hye’s ouster from office on Mar. 10, which immediately kicked off the 60-day presidential race, and the fierce competition
Reading List: Our 2017 Election Coverage
2017 is an interesting year for South Korean politics. A president has been ousted from office for the first time under the democratic constitution. The ruling conservative party is in shambles, splintered into three parties. The leading presidential candidates are mostly those that identify with the left, which means the
Baseball Hero Choi Dong-won's Legacy Is Felt to This Day
A pair of grainy, low-resolution photographs is going viral, and bringing back memories of a much-beloved baseball star. (Source: Unknown) In one photo, an elderly lady wearing a bright yellow jacket is looking up at the bronze statue of a pitcher throwing a baseball. In another, she
Top Presidential Contenders Pledge to Fix South Korea's Air Pollution
South Korea is in the midst of the country’s first springtime election campaign since 1971. And it has brought the issue of fine particle dust to the fore, as voters are irritated by air pollution in the lead-up to the May 9 vote. At this point, the 60-day race
South Korea's E-Commerce System Sucks; Moon Jae-in Agrees
South Korea may have the world’s fastest internet speed and stable 4G LTE network connection on subway lines, but its people have been suffering from the chronic inconvenience of living with an outdated online banking and ecommerce system. Moon Jae-In, the frontrunner of the upcoming presidential election, pledged to