Now that former President Donald Trump has won the US presidential election, should President Yoon Suk Yeol practice golf and get used to hamburgers? By indulging in Trump’s favorites, can President Yoon win the US leader's heart and build a bromance with him for the sake of South Korea’s national interests? Unfortunately, these seemingly playful questions have become a serious topic lately in Seoul’s political and diplomatic circles. That is because as the most powerful l

ViewpointsNov. 22, 2024

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, leaders worldwide are grappling with the implications. Cooperation with the US president is critical for most countries, as it significantly affects their national interests. For South Korea, this is especially true. On issues of security and trade, collaboration with the United States is not just beneficial -- it is vital. Trump's past remarks, including a suggestion of demanding a $10 billion defense cost-sharing settlement from South Korea,

ViewpointsNov. 21, 2024

Over the past three years, one of the US’ top tech regulators has been Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan. Since publishing her remarkable Yale Law Journal article “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” in 2017, Khan has been a leading voice fighting concentrated corporate power and protecting consumers in the US Her FTC sued Amazon, and other big tech companies, for anti-competitive practices. It has also vastly improved its privacy enforcement efforts, and has compreh

ViewpointsNov. 21, 2024

Perhaps young people would not know, but for the older generation, the celebrated Hollywood star John Wayne represented America on the screen. Indeed, in the movies he starred in, John Wayne embodied traditional American values, such as the frontier spirit, true courage and unparalleled magnanimity. In his movies, Wayne was always like a caring, reliable big brother who was ready to help the weak in times of crisis, without expecting rewards, just like America in his time, which was called Uncle

ViewpointsNov. 20, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump pledged last month to eliminate “the Double Taxation of overseas Americans.” Never mind the clumsy wording -- taxes on US citizens working abroad aren’t excessive so much as excessively complicated -- this is one campaign promise that may actually be fulfilled, given the Republican control of both houses of Congress. That would be a good thing not only for those Americans but also for America. There is in fact a long-standing debate over getting rid

ViewpointsNov. 20, 2024

Horrible endings are better than never-ending horrors, or so the German saying goes. Many in Germany probably felt that way earlier this month, as they watched the collapse of the most unpopular government in recent German history, led by the most unpopular chancellor. The fierce political bickering that ensued was not particularly desirable, but it was better than more of the same. Though the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s “traffic-light” coalition -- Scholz’s Soci

ViewpointsNov. 19, 2024

In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, The New York Times reported on a clash of views between two Democratic members of the US Congress. “Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face,” said Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. “I have two little girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete

ViewpointsNov. 19, 2024

As the dust settles from the 2024 US elections, many US allies and partners, including South Korea, are wondering what happens next as Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. As with any democratic transition, uncertainty exists as a new leader enters office. But this is not any leader. This is former US President Donald Trump who speaks about dictators in friendly terms, demands up to 20 percent tariff increases from US trading partners and openly criticizes security alliances. US a

ViewpointsNov. 18, 2024

Kim Min-gi never imagined that a song with only eight lines would change his life forever. It was 1970. A freshman art major, Kim loved playing guitar and writing songs between painting. One summer morning, a stroll through a graveyard near his workroom inspired him to compose his short verse. He named it "Morning Dew” (Achim Iseul). Soon, completely unintended consequences overwhelmed him. By the standards of Korean popular music at the time, the song was stunningly innovative. Its p

ViewpointsNov. 18, 2024

The results of last week’s US presidential election shocked much of the world. Ahead of the vote, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris appeared tied, but Trump ended up winning by a comfortable margin, both in the popular vote and the Electoral College. Anger over inflation and a desire for change were too much for Harris to overcome in her short campaign. Republicans also took the majority in the Senate and narrowly held their majority in the House of Representat

ViewpointsNov. 15, 2024

The United States 2024 election results make clear: The Asian American electorate has shifted further right. The trend portends a new future for this voting bloc that bodes well for the Republican Party. And it has been brewing for years. Asian Americans did back Kamala Harris, who received 54 percent of their vote, according to Edison Research exit polls conducted with a consortium of news organizations. Yet the 39 percent who supported Donald Trump -- despite Harris’ South Asian backgrou

ViewpointsNov. 14, 2024

It's been a week since the world learned that Donald Trump would return to the White House. For many around the globe, this news brought a wave of shock and concern. His comeback has stirred a mixture of fascination and apprehension, as people brace for potential disruptions and shifts his leadership might bring. Many of us, myself included, made assumptions about this election that didn’t align with reality. Now, as we reflect on the unexpected outcome, it’s time to capture the

ViewpointsNov. 14, 2024

In poll after poll, Americans say they care about climate change. But then again, they also say they care about democracy, women’s rights and other such ideals. And yet for the second time in three elections, they have chosen to give ultimate political power to someone loudly and diametrically opposed to them. For the climate, the best we can hope is that the aftermath of the 2024 election will remain just short of catastrophic. The progress made by President Joe Biden is significant and i

ViewpointsNov. 13, 2024

Once again, Americans have elected Donald Trump as the leader of their country for the next four years. As the New York Times headline said, “his comeback victory signals a different kind of country” and it seems that Americans still want change. The world is now watching the deja vu while pondering the future of America and its allies. Supporters of Trump must be joyous because they believe that Trump will "make America great again” by banning undocumented immigrants,

ViewpointsNov. 13, 2024