[James Stavridis] The Gaza peace plan will fail without US troops

When I led the US European Command from 2009 to 2013, Israel and the Levant were part of my geographic area of responsibility. I often went to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the West Bank and, yes, the Gaza Strip. It was a daunting part of my remit, and I sought advice from a longtime mentor: Henry Kissinger, who knew a thing or two about the Middle East. He gave me a great deal of advice, but one thing he said has really stuck with me — and I think is very much of the moment. “The key to understanding th

Oct. 21, 2025

[Sohn Jie-ae] Yeosu — the ocean at night

My family spent the long Chuseok holiday in Yeosu. The southeastern coastal city is not new to me. I remember the city decked out and festive while it hosted the International Expo in 2012. But after that visit, I had little reason to go back. Then, just a couple of years ago, I rediscovered Yeosu during an impulse trip to a newly opened hotel on the beach. And ever since, the city has become my favorite place to visit in Korea -- to drink in the energy of the spectacular jade-colored ocean that

Oct. 21, 2025

[Lee Kyong-hee] Gyeongju: Its golden splendor and scars

Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is a wondrous place resonating with history and culture. Once the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom, it stands as a living museum of Korea’s cultural and spiritual heritage. Myth and truth intertwine in the countless monuments scattered across its landscape. Silla ruled for nearly a millennium, enjoying a golden age of prosperity and artistic brilliance, leaving behind treasures that still dazzle the modern eye. During its heyday, Gyeongju was home to near

Oct. 20, 2025

[Kori Schake] America's real enemy within

Since its founding almost 250 years ago, the United States has been uniquely fortunate that its military has never once become a threat to its democracy. But that could now change because President Donald Trump is trying to use the military as a cudgel against his political adversaries, whom he describes as “the enemy from within.” The American military hasn’t been pushed into partisan politics like this since at least the constitutional crisis of 1867, when President Andrew Johnson and the Repu

Oct. 20, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Wave of Gen-Z protests and S. Korea

A wave of youth-led protests has swept across the globe in 2025, from the streets of Kathmandu to Rabat, Lima to Antananarivo. The rise of Generation Z-led protests across the Global South suggests that this generation is following in the footsteps of previous young generations, including those in South Korea, who took to the streets to demand political and social change. These demonstrations share common threads: demands for accountability, frustration with corruption and a generation’s refusal

Oct. 17, 2025

[Lee Jae-min] Just one task for APEC 2025

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s Economic Leaders’ Meeting is about two weeks away. Leaders of its 21 member economies are coming to Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, for their annual gathering on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. It will be a critical meeting at a critical time. Amid the global turmoil triggered by unprecedented trade and investment measures in 2025, both governments and companies worldwide are watching the upcoming APEC closely as the first multilateral trade event of the tumultuo

Oct. 16, 2025

[Wang Son-taek] Some signals from Pyongyang

A few days ago, North Korea held a grand military parade in Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea. On Friday evening, tens of thousands of North Korean soldiers and civilians filled Kim Il Sung Square, moving in perfect formation despite the steady autumn rain. Such parades are typically designed to demonstrate the might of the North Korean military and to send deterrent signals to potential adversaries. However, this year’s parade carried far more

Oct. 16, 2025

[David Fish] Getting fired for social media posts

Americans think the First Amendment protects their speech. It doesn’t — at least not at work for most of us. Just ask the executives, teachers, lawyers and even a Secret Service agent disciplined after posting about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. A single Facebook update or tweet — whether mocking, angry or careless — can now end a career overnight. The line between our personal and professional lives has collapsed. Strangers online don’t just argue over posts they find

Oct. 15, 2025

[Kim Seong-kon] Korea reflected in Pak Kyongni’s 'Land'

Few Koreans are unaware of Pak Kyongni’s monumental epic novel “Toji,” or “Land.” It is an undisputed masterpiece that brilliantly depicts how the swift tide of sociopolitical disruptions can sweep everything away, and how tumultuous times affect the lives of ordinary people. In that respect, Pak Kyongni’s “Land” resonates with Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone with the Wind.” Written over 25 years, between 1969 and 1994, Pak’s “roman fleuve,” which consists of five parts and 16 volumes, portrays the co

Oct. 15, 2025

[Andrew Sheng] Six rules for new abnormal

In Hong Kong for the Asia Global Institute forum on Navigating the Tariff War, the consensus was that no one is immune to structural uncertainty where everything is happening all at once, with no one knowing what exactly comes next. Navigation is about planning and executing a journey, but you need maps, compasses and points of reference to know where you are and where you are going. Journeys across time and space need sound navigation, especially in troubled waters. Sailing is all about teamwor

Oct. 14, 2025

[Grace Kao] Young adults and financial literacy

As a sociology professor, I lecture not only on K-pop, but also about race, immigration, stratification and inequality. Personal finance is not a typical subject matter for a college course, but maybe it should be. After the 2008 financial crisis in the US, I talked about how more houses were “underwater” when I realized that college students did not understand the structure of mortgages. Since then, I’ve given an entire lecture on mortgages by explaining interest rates, credit scores, amortizat

Oct. 14, 2025

[Elizabeth Shackelford] Gen Z protests spreading

Around the world, Generation Z -- roughly comprising young people under 30 -- is leading a wave of anti-government protests. It is the most significant spike in global dissent since the Arab Spring 15 years ago, with a geographic reach already to four continents. Though the proximate cause of protests in each country differs, all are driven by young people who are angry at rising government corruption, poor government services and mismanaged economies. In cities across Morocco, young people have

Oct. 13, 2025

[Yoo Choon-sik] Stock market’s boom should not be destination

South Korea’s stock markets are on a record-breaking rally, grabbing headlines in most major news media outlets and helping improve sentiment not only among stock investors but also among the general public toward the future. Higher stock prices are always welcome for various reasons, including the most direct and obvious positive effect on the cash flows of many households. The local stock market’s benchmark Kospi jumped 1.73 percent to 3,610.6 on Friday, marking its second straight all-time hi

Oct. 13, 2025

[Lee Byung-jong] A Korea–Japan economic tie-up

The notion of a South Korea–Japan Economic Community may sound utopian — an idea fit only for idealists. Given the deep scars of Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula and unresolved territorial disputes, most observers would dismiss the concept as naive or politically impossible. Yet one of Korea’s most influential business leaders, SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won, has long argued that deeper integration between the two economies is not only desirable, but necessary to survive the growing

Oct. 10, 2025

[Robert J. Fouser] Hangeul Day thoughts

October 9th is one of my favorite holidays: Hangeul Day. The holiday is the only public holiday in the world to honor a writing system and one of the few to honor language. North Korea honors Hangeul on January 15th as a national, not a public, holiday. Over the years, I have been honored to share my thoughts on Hangeul, particularly from a linguistic perspective. As a writing system, it is a wonder of simplicity and linguistic engineering that remains perhaps Korea’s greatest contribution to hu

Oct. 3, 2025