OPINION: South Korea at crossroads after president is impeached – here's what will happen next

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - South Korea's National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec. 14. The vote marks the third time a president has been impeached in the country's constitutional history. Out of 300 assembly members, 204 voted in favor of the motion, 85 voted against, three abstained, and eight votes were declared invalid. This outcome indicates that at least 12 votes in favor came from Yoon's conservative ruling People Power

December 18, 2024

OPINION: FIFA has human rights policy, so how could it award Saudi Arabia 2034 soccer World Cup?

SEOUL, December 17 (AJP) - Last week, FIFA officially awarded Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup. The Gulf Kingdom was the sole bidder after the Asian Football Confederation made it clear it would not support an Australian bid. Supporters of the decision, including respected sports journalist Tracey Holmes, argue a World Cup in the kingdom offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to foster positive change. A range of celebrities and players also congratulated the Saudi Arabian Footbal

December 17, 2024

OPINION: Trump wants China's help in making peace in Ukraine

SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has invited China's president Xi Jinping to his inauguration on Jan. 20 in a surprise move which appears to be part of a plan to involve Beijing in ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine. Just after his recent meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris, Trump posted, "There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin," and "China can help." That latter remark has sudd

December 16, 2024

OPINION: South Korea shook presidential power grab – failure to impeach now risks damaging democracy

SEOUL, December 13 (AJP) - Days after announcing – and then rescinding – martial law in South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol's future remains uncertain. Immediate efforts to impeach the president over the attempted power grab have failed, due to the boycott of the vote by Yoon's ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP). But that won't be the end of the matter; on Dec. 9, 2024, South Korea's Justice Ministry banned Yoon from leaving the country until t

December 13, 2024

OPINION: Taiwan president's trip skillful, successful

KENOSHA, December 12 (AJP) - "Peace is priceless, and war has no winners." Taiwan President Lai Chin-te, also known as William Lai, included that statement in a Honolulu address to an audience of Hawaii and U.S. government officials, including members of Congress. Lai was on a brief two-day “transit” stop in Hawaii, carefully choreographed to show U.S. support for Taiwan without indicating formal diplomatic relations. This reflects ongoing tensions with m

December 12, 2024

OPINION: Why Trump's election could hasten end of US dollar dominance

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Donald Trump's victory in November's U.S. presidential election saw the U.S. dollar strengthen. It surged to a one-year high within two weeks, and has since retained its strength against its major peers. His election has also again brought the prospect of U.S. tariffs on imports, and attention has focused on the disruption to global trade that these may bring. As part of this, Trump made a not-so-veiled threat of steep levies on the Brics group of

December 12, 2024

OPINION: The west is already at war with Russia. And large-scale conflict may not be far off

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Russia is already at war with the west. It has been so since its occupation of Crimea in 2014, when Russia sought to secure its access to Sevastopol as a base for its Black Sea Fleet and as a potential lever of influence over Kyiv's political direction. Even in 2014 – at the annual Valdai security conference – Vladimir Putin was referencing an escalation towards conflict with the west. He later described the west as having "crossed a l

December 11, 2024

OPINION: The struggle for truth in the digital age

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - The current era presents not only novel opportunities but also significant challenges for humanity. In an era characterised by the rapid generation and circulation of information, the communications ecosystem is undergoing a profound transformation. However, this transformation process encompasses moral, cultural, and humanitarian challenges alongside positive advancements. Artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms, as they are integral to daily life in

December 10, 2024

OPINION: Abu Mohammed al-Golani may become face of post-Assad Syria

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - The fall of President Bashar al-Assad has left a critical question: After a half-century of brutal dynastic rule has come to an end, who speaks for Syrians now? One group staking a major claim for that role is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which, under the leadership of Abu Mohammad al-Golani, spearheaded the opposition advance that toppled Assad. But what does the group stand for? And who is al-Golani? The Conversation turned to Sara Harmouch, an expert on Isl

December 10, 2024

OPINION: Long-standing American principle of birthright citizenship under attack from Trump allies

SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - As President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to implement sweeping policy changes affecting American immigration and immigrants, one of the issues under scrutiny by his allies appears to be birthright citizenship – the declaration in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution that anyone born on U.S. soil is a U.S. citizen, regardless of their parents' nationalities or immigration status. Some prospective members of Trump's team, including anti-imm

December 9, 2024