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  OPINION: How to harness AI in education Consider this. AI can automate tasks but it cannot replace relationships. AI can generate content but it cannot provide judgment. AI has knowledge but teachers have lived experience. AI amplifies teachers but it does not replace them. That said, AI should not be feared but leveraged. Education now has a responsibility to equip teachers and students with the skills, tools, and ethical guidelines required for meaningful learning and responsible innovation in an AI-powered wo December 15, 2025
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  OPINION: Rethinking economic security in age of AI SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - In early December, Reuters reported that private capital would help launch the “Invest America Program,” a cornerstone policy of President Trump’s second term. Michael Dell and his wife pledged $6.25 billion to activate what are known as Trump Accounts, an initiative embedded in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law in July. Under the program, every American child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, will receive $1, December 15, 2025
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  OPINION: When a language becomes a barrier Every society reveals its anxieties in its exams. South Korea revealed quite a lot this year. The English section of the College Scholastic Ability Test, the Suneung, became so difficult that it briefly escaped the country’s borders. The BBC compared it to deciphering an ancient script. The New York Times, with a mix of bemusement and challenge, presented readers with excerpts from the test — a passage invoking Immanuel Kant, another steeped in gaming jargon &mda December 14, 2025
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  Colombia's Gripen deal raises questions beyond fighter jets Colombia’s recent decision to acquire 17 JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden’s Saab for €3.1 billion was officially framed as a long-overdue modernization of its aging Kfir fleet. Yet the controversy surrounding the deal suggests that the issue extends far beyond replacing obsolete aircraft. The Colombian government insists the selection process was transparent. Still, key details remain unclear. It is not publicly known whether the contract includes weap December 14, 2025
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  OPINION: Why China becomes more popular in 2025 SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The year 2025 has entered its final month. This year, unilateralism and protectionism have injected greater uncertainty into the world. China, however, has charted a different course. China has remained proactive, winning greater global goodwill through increasing opening up, stronger momentum of innovation, and an ever December 12, 2025
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  OPINION: Thailand and Korea: A legacy of friendship and sacrifice SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - It is encouraging to see Korea and Thailand gaining renewed momentum in their economic partnership, as demonstrated at the recent Ignite Thailand–Korea Business Forum in Bangkok. More than 500 participants, including senior officials from both nations, explored cooperation in smart agriculture, advanced manufacturing, digital December 12, 2025
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  OPINION: Won discount reflects structural weaknesses The trauma of the 1997 financial crisis still casts a long shadow over South Korea. A rising dollar-won exchange rate evokes memories of a time when the rate surged to nearly 2,000 won per dollar and the foundations of the economy shook. Today’s rate—hovering around 1,470 won—is the highest since the 2009 global financial crisis, and its persistent climb has stirred fresh unease. Research by the Hyundai Research Institute shows that South Korea’s equilibrium excha December 12, 2025
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  OPINION: Why Beijing cannot tolerate Tokyo's remark related to Taiwan Strait Recent comments by Japanese leaders linking a Taiwan Strait contingency to Japan’s “survival crisis” have triggered a strong response from China. During recent conversations, many South Korean acquaintances asked why Beijing reacted so forcefully. China considers a firm response not only necessary, but also legitimate — and I hope this commentary clarifies Beijing’s position for Korean readers. First, Japan is interfering in China’s internal a December 12, 2025
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  OPINION: The compass for Seoul's FX policy now points to Tokyo The Federal Reserve has cut its rate target range again this week, but the news barely rippled across Korean markets. The dollar strengthened, Korean stocks softened and yields inched upward — hardly the reaction one expects after a major policy decision from Washington. That muted response reflected an important shift in global finance: the Fed may still set the rhythm, but it no longer commands the stage. Markets registered the U.S. rate cut and immediately turned their ga December 11, 2025
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  OPINION: Morning 3K, Keep going My day begins with what I call a “morning 3K.” Since January, this routine has quietly reshaped my life. In summer, I rise at 5:30 a.m.; in early winter, at 6:30. As dawn breaks, I drink a glass of water and head to a nearby park. After a brief warm-up, I run three kilometers in about twenty minutes. The seasons have changed around me—spring, summer, fall, and now winter. In summer, sweat pours down, and I rinse my face with cool water. Even in late fall, I f December 11, 2025