[Lee Kyong-hee] ‘Arirang’ to celebrate Korea’s global moment

“On March 21, the world’s biggest band is back!” Netflix’s teaser announces BTS’ upcoming live event at Gwanghwamun Square. The concert will follow the release of the group’s first studio album in more than three years, which drops a day earlier. The 14-track album — as well as the comeback show — is titled “Arirang.” The concert is expected to be viewed worldwide through Netflix’s exclusive live streaming to more than 190 countries. Hundreds of thousands of Armys, as BTS fans are known, from ar

March 9, 2026

[Robert J. Fouser] The deal behind the war

The US and Israel’s attack on Iran on Feb. 28 shocked the world. Within hours, Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, was dead, along with a slew of high-ranking government and military officials. Iran retaliated for the attacks by launching strikes at US interests and other high-profile targets in the region. The war quickly spread with Israel launching attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The price of oil spiked and financial markets saw a surge in volatility. The prospect of a long war has rai

March 6, 2026

[Editorial] A fragile rebound

On Thursday, South Korea’s stock market staged a dramatic rebound, a day after a dizzying crash. Yet the spectacle should not be mistaken for stability. On Wednesday, the benchmark Kospi plunged 12.06 percent to 5,093.54, its steepest one-day decline since the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The selloff was triggered by escalating war fears in the Middle East. Circuit breakers halted trading as panic spread across the market. The “fear index,” the Kospi 200 volatility index,

March 6, 2026

[Adrian Wooldridge] AI proves 100-year prediction

Great minds go off on odd tangents. In 1930, John Maynard Keynes took time out from thinking about the Great Depression, which was throwing millions out of work, to write a charming essay about the “economic possibilities for our grandchildren.” What would life be like a hundred years hence, he asked. His answer: The depression would prove to be no more than a temporary blip, economic progress would resume its benevolent course, but then the real problems would start. The combination of innovati

March 5, 2026

[Wang Son-taek] Conflicting currents in stormy waters

Last week, the world was reminded that history often moves in two directions at once. The US and Israel carried out military strikes against Iran, followed by Iranian retaliation. At nearly the same time, President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea met President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil to deepen bilateral cooperation. Some weeks earlier, South American nations and the European Union moved forward with a long-negotiated agreement on economic cooperation. One set of events was marked by for

March 5, 2026

[Editorial] Cost-effective war

The US-Israeli war on Iran reveals how the paradigm of modern warfare is rapidly changing. According to Bloomberg News, Iran has continued to pound targets across the Middle East, using Shahed-136 one-way attack drones and small cruise missiles. US-made Patriot air-defense missiles have reportedly intercepted more than 90 percent of Iran’s Shahed drones and ballistic missiles. The real issue, however, is the price imbalance: $4 million interceptor missiles are being used to shoot down drones wor

March 5, 2026

[Editorial] War spreads across Gulf

Wars are often sold as swift. This one began with a promise of speed and precision, and within days exposed the illusion. On Feb. 28, the US and Israel launched “Operation Epic Fury,” a coordinated strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and targeted missile facilities. US President Donald Trump projected four to five weeks of operations, while stressing that US forces could continue far longer if required. What was framed as a decapitation strike has instead widened into a regio

March 4, 2026

[Kim Seong-kon] Jobs not to be replaced by AI

According to the Oxford World Economic Forum's Jobs Report 2025, future jobs will heavily depend on AI. The report says, “technological literacy, particularly AI and big data, alongside cognitive skills like creative thinking, flexibility, and resilience, are critical” from now on. Consequently, there will be significant changes in the job market, as AI will take over many jobs, replacing human workers who do not cope well with radical changes. The report states, “Technology, AI, and automation

March 4, 2026

[Tania Navarro] Treating migration as investment

In a country with a broken pension system that struggles to pay benefits to retirees, an injection of young laborers became crucial to increase tax revenue and keep the program afloat. It’s not the first time this country has launched a program to legalize migrants; previous experiences have shown that subsidies and benefit programs are not overwhelmed with petitions when people are legalized. On the contrary, the nation gains new taxpayers and a more stable workforce. It’s also proving that ope

March 4, 2026

[Man-Ki Kim] Supporting resilient Ukraine with humility

Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, live images of shattered cities, displaced families and exhausted civilians have filled global media. Yet alongside tragedy and destruction, the world has witnessed something profoundly powerful: the extraordinary resilience of the Ukrainian people. Before the invasion, Ukraine’s population stood at roughly 42 million. Today, millions have been displaced, communities uprooted and civilian infrastructure devastated, resulting in

March 3, 2026

[Grace Kao] YouTube breaks retirement taboo

The United States, like South Korea, has a rapidly aging population. While the US offers a national Social Security program, which most older Americans who have worked will receive, it is often not enough to fully fund one’s daily living expenses. According to the Social Security Administration, the formula for calculating the amount one will receive is based on the “average indexed monthly earnings,” which includes up to the 35 best years of earnings. In practical terms, this means that the min

March 3, 2026

[Editorial] Maintain readiness

As North Korea escalates its nuclear threats and seeks to drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States, signs of discord within the alliance are fueling concern. At last month’s Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Kim Jong-un pledged to accelerate the buildup of his country’s nuclear arsenal and broaden its deployment. He branded South Korea “the most hostile entity” and warned that its complete collapse cannot be ruled out if it were subjected to a North Korean nuclear att

March 3, 2026

[Helena Oh] Why stablecoins are moving toward public blockchains

In the late 1990s, Korea’s PC communication services operated on a simple premise: The network itself was the service. Platforms such as Chollian, NowNuri and Hitel each created their own enclosed digital worlds, where users read news, joined chat rooms and formed online communities. Yet the market did not ultimately reward the largest proprietary network. It shifted toward open standards. With the adoption of TCP/IP, HTTP and web browsers, anyone could connect using the same protocol, and anyon

Feb. 27, 2026

[Lee Byung-jong] New Zealand’s Waitangi Day

While the United States and many Western countries are trying to push away immigrants and alienate minorities, one country bucks the trend by embracing and cherishing them. New Zealand has long pursued a policy of respectful multiculturalism grounded in the peaceful coexistence of its indigenous Maori people and European and other settlers. This admirable tradition is most vividly displayed during celebrations of the country’s national day. Known as Waitangi Day, which commemorates a treaty sign

Feb. 27, 2026

[Editorial] When markets sprint

The meaning of a market milestone is rarely obvious at the moment it is crossed. On Wednesday, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi closed above 6,000 for the first time. It did not pause there. On Thursday, the index finished at 6,307.27, up 3.67 percent. A number once reserved for distant forecasts has become a daily quotation. The speed matters as much as the level. The climb from 5,000 to 6,000 took barely a month, ending decades in which investors spoke more easily of the “Korea discount” than of

Feb. 27, 2026