Welcome back to Korea Kontext. It’s time for me to increase the tempo to bring you more timely analysis. My new format will be two or three ‘rapid fire’ brie...
On the surface, President Lee’s first 100 days in office appear to be a resounding success.
Just as in any corner of the developed economies, you can see NIMBYs in Korea. If you stroll through the streets of Hongdae, you’ll see placards condemning t...
It started with a police motorcade. A friend who visited us a few days before the election saw one pull into my neighborhood. On the same day my wife saw a g...
Han Duck-soo: veteran technocrat’s career ends in farce May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju is a shrine of democracy every politician with ambition should...
What Constitutional Court’s ruling means While the Constitutional Court gave out the unanimous decision to expel Mr Yoon from the office, the full text of it...
Little is known about what’s happening inside the Constitutional Court. As speculation fills this information void, chaos ensues. Some claim the court is del...
Looks like there’s nothing on my bingo card. So don’t ask me about whether President Yoon walking out of custody before the court ruling was on it.
Korean leftists’ Tucker Carlson + Joe Rogan is the darkest symptom of Minjoo’s deterioration as a mass party
Yoon’s gone. Much sooner than I predicted in my previous newsletter. I was more than happy to be proven wrong here, but it’s worth examining what led to this...
Minjoo’s premature attempt to seal Yoon’s fate would prolong the chaos.
Lee Jae-myung is likely to be the next president, but there’s one uncertainty factor.
The Whirlwind, while not a K-drama masterpiece, explores South Korean politics uniquely, highlighting power dynamics and cultural narratives shaping public p...
Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win highlights the growth of Korean literature globally, opening doors for more voices while underscoring the importance of accurate t...
I got my (im)peaches out in Yeouido
Plus, ‘Democracy’ knocking on judiciary’s door; Min Hee-jin, or the archetype of Korean psyche.
Winners and losers; Talent crisis in politics; Partisan media’s novel development
In this year’s election, a total of 59 parties are asking for a vote.
Until he was nominated as his party’s presidential candidate in 2022, Lee Jae-myung had been an outsider in the Minjoo Party. He was elected twice as a mayor...
What should President Yoon do to improve his dismal approval rating?
President Yoon doesn’t cling to approval ratings. He has repeatedly said so, and even his administration seems indifferent (or incapable) in trying to improv...
Journos are glass half-empty type of guys, but I recently realized, talking to my non-journo friends, that I am not alone in thinking that things are not wha...
Lee has a much smaller pool of people for his designated hitter for the next election.
Past twelve months have revealed much more about who he actually is as a politician. And it’s not good.
Lax regulations and the lack of scrutiny have made the South Korean financial market a hotbed for fraud and corruption.
Jeonse is still considered one of the first rungs for working-class citizens to climb the ladder of South Korean asset-based welfare.
Moon, even after his failure to sustain Minjoo’s hold on power, is still the only pivotal figure around which Minjoo politicians can gather.
Why didn’t President Yoon meet Pelosi? Politicians can do little about South Korea’s posture toward China The new wave of technocrats emerges as Yoon ...
Minjoo’s traditional support base falling apart After election: schisms in losers and winners alike Why Moon recommended a China apologist book to the...
What happened last week? Is this about jarring factions within the party? How big a help Park was to Minjoo? How will she fare after election?
Assessing Yoon so far: is the move to Yongsan a success?
Even greater fall on hot battlefield It’s not gonna be easy for Lee What’s behind Minjoo’s plunge? Extremists holding sway Ostracizing moderates
Why does Minjoo hate Han so much? What did Han say at his inauguration? Yoon’s reform: pension, labor, education June election: PPP still leads in p...
Stans are everywhere (including politics) Homophobic presidential aide finally quits Taking candidate nomination to court
International solidarity for freedom On North Korea Han Dong-hoon hearing Lee Jae-myung reaches for low-hanging fruit
With the new President to be sworn in next week, it would be a good time to reflect on the Moon administration’s legacy.
No country for local election Will Lee Jae-myung run for lawmaker? Generation gap in housing
Last time I felt this nervous while watching an interview was when Steve Rosenberg interviewed Alexander Lukashenko.
What’s the compromise bill? Why did PPP flip-flop? Is the referendum feasible?
What’s the point of the reform? Is this something new? Why now? What’s the latest situation? Any concerns about side effects? Will they succeed?
Yoon is having his own Cho Kuk moment PPP is in the lead for June election but how long will it last? Why BTS label’s first girl group has no Chinese ...
Who is Han Dong-hoon? Yoon meets Park and Moon meets Sohn
Imagepolitik Generation gap Quasi-religious character What will be Moon’s legacy?
Yoon nominates Han Duck-soo as the next Prime Minister Politicians regroup for the June local election Housing market will decide the winner of the el...
Moon & Yoon: well, at least they met now Hiring: Prime Minister… but who really cares? Everything you know about class voting may be wrong Park ...
What all this is about: to protect Moon’s legacy (or stay away from jail) Biggest trigger: BAI committee What would Moon fear? What can Yoon do abou...
Moon clashes with Yoon again: this time on Presidential office relocation Is moving the office to Yongsan really a good idea, btw? A look at the Yoon’...