blog
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THAAD: A big pothole in Moon’s road to the Blue House
Beijing will push Seoul harder for a meaningful compromise on the THAAD issue. It is well aware of what Korea thinks and even admitted to oppressing imports of Korean cultural products when a pack of Minjoo party lawmakers visited Beijing after the impeachment bill. That the favorite candidate still thinks he can alter the course…
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The Great Crevasse that Cuts Through the Squares
Three hundred meters. From Seoul Square to Gwanghwamun Square. The psychological, if not cognitive, distance between the two, however, is far wider than the physical. While those who gathered around Gwanghwamun, with trademark candles in their hands, call for the impeachment of President Park, those who gathered in front of City Hall vehemently counter what…
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Dissecting Pres Park’s last interview
I began to write on Korean politics and whatnot for a newborn webzine The Dissolve. This was the first piece I wrote: Speech has never been President Park’s strong suit. Dull and inarticulate, the way she speaks in public haunted her aides during her (ultimately) successful presidential campaign in 2012 and after. She rarely shows her…
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역서 ‘반미주의로 보는 한국 현대사’가 출간되었습니다
작업은 작년 중반쯤에 끝났는데 우여곡절 끝에 이번에 출간됐습니다. 뭐, 이 책과 관련된 일화는 앞으로 주욱 들려드릴 기회가 있을 것입니다. 1999년부터 2002년까지 미국 대사관에서 정치과장으로 근무한 저자 데이비드 스트라우브가 당시 한국 사회에 분출했던 반미 현상을 분석하고 진단하며, 실제 미국 대사관에서는 어떤 일이 있었고 어떤 생각을 했는지를 기록한 책이다. 1999년부터 2002년까지는 한국 사회에 반미 감정이 연속적으로 표출되고…