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Audio recordings of the Korea JoongAng Daily's in-depth, on-the-scene news articles and features informing readers around the world of the issues of the day in Korea. Under the slogan "Your window to Korea", the Korea JoongAng Daily is an English-language news organization focused on Korea that strives to publish factual, timely and unbiased articles.

  1. 4d ago

    Challenges greet President Lee upon return as approval sinks below 50 percent (KOR) Related Article This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native

    After his deal-filled trip to the United States and South America, President Lee Jae Myung must now confront falling approval ratings, market turmoil and backlash over his administration's legal reforms. President Lee Jae Myung returned home Monday from his tour of the United States and South America, but the news upon coming back to Korea was hardly welcoming. A Realmeter poll showed that 50.5 percent of respondents disapproved of his performance — the first time his negative rating has surpassed 50 percent since he took office. His approval rating also fell to a record low of 45.9 percent. During his seven-night, 11-day trip, the longest overseas tour of his presidency, Lee secured cooperation worth some $950 billion between Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and global technology giants, while also expanding agreements with Brazil, Chile and Argentina on critical minerals and energy supply chains. Yet there was little time for celebration. Just three hours after returning home, Lee convened a meeting to review the real estate and stock markets. The problems at home have reached a critical point, leaving little room to recover from the grueling diplomatic schedule. The housing and stock markets are showing unprecedented signs of instability. The benchmark Kospi plunged 22.19 percent in July, its steepest monthly decline since the 23.13 percent drop during the global financial crisis in October 2008. After surpassing 9,000 in June, the index at one point fell below 6,000. The introduction of single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds has been cited as one factor behind the heightened volatility, and Kim Yong-beom, the presidential policy chief who spearheaded the measure, was sued on Monday on allegations including abuse of authority. The government has been seeking solutions to the housing crisis through a series of public debates, but Seoul apartments continue to experience a "triple rise," with sales prices, jeonse (lump-sum deposit) and monthly rents all climbing simultaneously. The tax reform announced on Monday, which focuses almost entirely on raising taxes, also risks creating further distortions. The ruling Democratic Party's public briefing on Monday on amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act was another case of putting the cart before the horse. The ruling party has pushed through sweeping changes to a criminal justice system that had remained in place for 72 years without sufficient deliberation and is now trying to sell the public on a supposedly "better" system. The backlash from victims and even some members of the ruling party underscores the deep divisions the legislation has created. President Lee must squarely face the reality that his government and ruling party are causing public anxiety and confusion, and make his position clear. Controversial proposals, including a constitutional amendment to allow presidential re-election and an expansion of grounds for dismissing criminal cases inserted into the procedural law, will not be put to rest without a clear stance from the president. With polls showing that more than 60 percent of the public opposes the criminal procedure amendments, the case for a presidential veto is growing stronger. This is the time for President Lee to demonstrate that he takes his constitutional duty to protect the safety and property of the people seriously. 부정평가 50% 넘은 날 귀국한 이 대통령에게 주어진 과제 이재명 대통령이 미국·남미 순방을 마치고 어제 귀국했지만 그를 마중한 건 달갑지 않은 소식이었다. 리얼미터의 여론조사에서 이 대통령의 국정수행 부정평가가 50.5%로 취임 이후 처음 50%를 넘겼다. 긍정 평가도 45.9%로 최저치였다. 취임 이후 가장 긴 7박11일의 순방에서 이 대통령은 삼성전자·SK하이닉스와 글로벌 빅테크의 1390조원대 협력을 연결하고 브라질·칠레·아르헨티나와 핵심 광물 및 에너지 공급망 협력을 확대하기로 하는 등의 성과를 거뒀다. 하지만 생색도 내지 못하고 귀국 3시간여 뒤 부동산·주식시장 점검 회의를 했다. 숨가쁜 외교 일정의 여독을 풀기에는 내치의 문제가 임계점에 도달한 상황이다. 부동산과 주식 시장은 말 그대로 '역대급'의 불안을 보이고 있다. 7월 한 달간 코스피는 2008년 10월 금융위기(-23.13%) 이후 최대 수준인 22.19% 하락했다. 6월에 9000을 넘겼던 지수가 한때 6000선 아래까지 밀렸다. 변동성 확대 원인으로 단일종목 레버리지 ETF 도입이 꼽혔고, 그것을 주도한 김용범 청와대 정책실장은 직권남용 등의 혐의로 어제 고발당했다. 국민 대토론회를 열어 부동산 정책 해법을 찾아나서고 있지만, 서울 아파트는 매매·...

  2. 5d ago

    Challenges greet President Lee upon return as approval sinks below 50 percent Related Article This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native Engli

    After his deal-filled trip to the United States and South America, President Lee Jae Myung must now confront falling approval ratings, market turmoil and backlash over his administration's legal reforms. Opinion Desk Opinion Desk Published August 4, 2026 - 11:46 a.m. Modified August 5, 2026 - 8:32 a.m. President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hye Kyung greet officials upon arriving aboard Air Force One at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 3, after completing their trip to the United States and three South American countries. JOINT PRESS CORPS President Lee Jae Myung returned home Monday from his tour of the United States and South America, but the news upon coming back to Korea was hardly welcoming. A Realmeter poll showed that 50.5 percent of respondents disapproved of his performance — the first time his negative rating has surpassed 50 percent since he took office. His approval rating also fell to a record low of 45.9 percent. During his seven-night, 11-day trip, the longest overseas tour of his presidency, Lee secured cooperation worth some $950 billion between Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and global technology giants, while also expanding agreements with Brazil, Chile and Argentina on critical minerals and energy supply chains. Yet there was little time for celebration. Just three hours after returning home, Lee convened a meeting to review the real estate and stock markets. The problems at home have reached a critical point, leaving little room to recover from the grueling diplomatic schedule. The housing and stock markets are showing unprecedented signs of instability. The benchmark Kospi plunged 22.19 percent in July, its steepest monthly decline since the 23.13 percent drop during the global financial crisis in October 2008. After surpassing 9,000 in June, the index at one point fell below 6,000. The introduction of single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds has been cited as one factor behind the heightened volatility, and Kim Yong-beom, the presidential policy chief who spearheaded the measure, was sued on Monday on allegations including abuse of authority. The government has been seeking solutions to the housing crisis through a series of public debates, but Seoul apartments continue to experience a "triple rise," with sales prices, jeonse (lump-sum deposit) and monthly rents all climbing simultaneously. The tax reform announced on Monday, which focuses almost entirely on raising taxes, also risks creating further distortions. The ruling Democratic Party's public briefing on Monday on amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act was another case of putting the cart before the horse. The ruling party has pushed through sweeping changes to a criminal justice system that had remained in place for 72 years without sufficient deliberation and is now trying to sell the public on a supposedly "better" system. The backlash from victims and even some members of the ruling party underscores the deep divisions the legislation has created. President Lee must squarely face the reality that his government and ruling party are causing public anxiety and confusion, and make his position clear. Controversial proposals, including a constitutional amendment to allow presidential re-election and an expansion of grounds for dismissing criminal cases inserted into the procedural law, will not be put to rest without a clear stance from the president. With polls showing that more than 60 percent of the public opposes the criminal procedure amendments, the case for a presidential veto is growing stronger. This is the time for President Lee to demonstrate that he takes his constitutional duty to protect the safety and property of the people seriously.

  3. 5d ago

    Preparing for the 3 million foreign resident era (KOR) Related Article This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All

    The author is a professor of Economics, Sungkyunkwan University The number of foreign nationals residing in Korea reached 2.91 million as of July and is expected to surpass 3 million by the end of this year. Of the nation's 227 municipalities, 142 now have immigrant populations exceeding 5 percent. About 1.1 million foreign nationals work in small and medium enterprises, agriculture, fisheries and livestock farming — sectors many Koreans avoid. Meanwhile students from immigrant backgrounds now exceed 200,000. Although immigrants have become vital to easing labor shortages in an aging society, public perception remains slow to change. The Migration Research and Training Center's Immigrant Social Integration Index shows that while many Koreans acknowledge immigrants' economic contributions, they remain hesitant to accept them as full members of society. This gap between a growing foreign population and limited public acceptance raises a crucial question: Is Korean society truly prepared for an era of 3 million foreign residents? Without careful preparation, marginalization and social conflict could become unavoidable. Korea should closely examine the experiences of Western nations that struggled with isolation and social tensions due to insufficient institutional safeguards during early migration waves. If Korea misses its window to strengthen social integration, it risks repeating the same mistakes. The first priority must be reforming the governance structure overseeing immigration. While the Ministry of Justice's Korea Immigration Service has fulfilled its role thus far, expanding immigration scope has led to conflicting roles across multiple agencies. To respond effectively, Korea must strengthen overarching policy coordination and grant the agency true central coordinating authority. In her 15-volume historical narrative series about the Roman civilization, author Nanami Shiono attributed Rome's longevity to its openness and inclusiveness. Crucially, this was not a policy of unconditional acceptance, but a system that integrated newcomers into Rome's established order and structure. How, then, can we expand such openness and inclusiveness? Simply asking the public to embrace the virtues of humanitarianism or universal brotherhood is not enough. People must first come to recognize that immigrants are not free riders but members of society who make positive contributions. Korea should significantly expand Korean-language education to reduce misunderstandings and conflicts caused by communication barriers. That will naturally require funding. Yet asking taxpayers to shoulder additional costs solely for immigrants is not a realistic solution. A different approach is needed. Relying exclusively on the general budget means immigration programs are often pushed to the bottom of funding priorities because of their specialized nature. Instead, Korea should establish a dedicated funding mechanism using revenues already paid by foreign nationals, such as visa and nationality application fees. Legislation to create such a system has already been proposed in the National Assembly. Social integration cannot be achieved through language education alone. It also requires stable funding, consistent policies and a national immigration strategy. Immigration should no longer be viewed merely as an extension of welfare or labor policy but as part of the country's long-term growth strategy. Many major economies already use immigration as a national strategy to attract skilled talent and revitalize regional economies. If Korea hopes to recruit entrepreneurs and other essential workers needed by industry, it must first comprehensively overhaul its fragmented visa system to better reflect public sentiment and policy goals. It should also establish an integrated system to project the number of entrants by visa category and manage the overall inflow of foreign workers. The debate over whether Korea should open its doors to immigration is over. Th...

  4. 5d ago

    Real estate policies fuel housing anxiety and punitive taxation (KOR) Related Article Lee's approval rating falls for second consecutive week: Poll Property divide leaves more employed Koreans in their 30s living with parents Parliamentary speaker clari

    The Lee Jae Myung administration has held five policy forums on housing supply, finance and taxation, promising to hear a wide range of views from the market. Yet the tax reform plan announced on Monday came down to one thing: higher taxes. President Lee's pledge that he would "not use taxes as a tool of housing policy" has vanished, as has the Presidential policy chief Kim Yong-beom's call to "shut up and just build" more homes. Instead of expanding supply and encouraging transactions, the government has shifted its focus to raising the long-term burden of property ownership and transactions. In the end, it is simply "shut up and just raise taxes." The government says it is normalizing property taxes, which are low compared to other major economies, while protecting genuine homebuyers. But the reality is different. The threshold for the comprehensive real estate tax on single-home owners has been raised from 1.2 billion won to 1.4 billion won ($839,500 to $979,5000) in assessed value, while the basic deduction for nonresident single-home owners has been cut from 1.2 billion won to 900 million won. At the same time, the cap on annual increases in the tax burden will rise from 150 percent to 200 percent, while the fair market value ratio will increase from 60 percent to 70 percent next year. The tax rate on ultrahigh-end homes will nearly double, while rates on homes in the 600 million to 1.2 billion won taxable value bracket will rise from 1 percent to 1.3 percent. The government is also making it harder to sell homes. Long-term capital gains deductions will be based more heavily on years of residence, while new limits will be imposed on the deduction. This runs counter to the basic principle of a functioning housing market: If property taxes rise, transaction taxes should be lowered to encourage homes to come onto the market. President Lee had also promised before taking office to expand inheritance-tax deductions so that people would not have to sell their longtime homes because of taxes. That pledge is absent from the latest plan. With neither transaction-tax relief nor expanded inheritance-tax deductions, homeowners will face heavier burdens when they own, sell or pass on their homes. The policy amounts to punitive taxation of homeowners. The consequences could be severe. The completion rate for Seoul apartments fell 58.4 percent in the first half of this year, while the average jeonse (lump-sum deposit) surpassed 700 million won. Regulatory side effects are spreading beyond southern Seoul into northern districts and the wider capital region, worsening rental-market pressures. The lessons of the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations are clear: Housing markets cannot be stabilized by taxes alone. Higher costs will eventually be passed on to tenants. The solution is equally clear. If property taxes are raised, transaction taxes must be boldly cut. Reconstruction and redevelopment should be encouraged, and housing supply expanded. Only a steady stream of new homes can restore the hope of homeownership, stabilize prices and normalize the market. By trying to overpower the market, the government is leaving ordinary citizens to bear the burden of a tax bomb. 집값 불안 키운 부동산 정책, 징벌적 과세만 더 강화했다 이재명 정부는 공급·금융·세제 등을 주제로 다섯 차례 부동산 정책 토론회를 열며 시장의 다양한 의견을 듣겠다고 했다. 그러나 정부가 3일 발표한 세제개편안의 결론은 결국 증세였다. "세금을 주택 정책의 수단으로 쓰지 않겠다"던 이재명 대통령의 약속도, "닥치고 공급"을 강조했던 김용범 청와대 정책실장의 호언장담도 자취를 감췄다. 정책의 무게중심은 공급 확대나 거래 활성화가 아니라 장기적인 보유세·거래세 부담 확대에 쏠렸다. 남은 것은 결국 '닥치고 증세'뿐이다. 정부는 주요국보다 낮은 보유세를 정상화하고 실수요자를 배려한 정책이라고 설명하지만 현실과는 거리가 멀다. 1세대 1주택자의 종부세 과세 기준은 공시가격 12억원에서 14억원으로 높였지만, 비거주 1주택자의 기본공제는 12억원에서 9억원으로 낮췄다. 보유보다 거주를 중시하는 방향으로 세제를 바꾸겠다는 취지다. 그러나 동시에 종부세 세부담 상한은 직전 연도 세액의 150%에서 200%로 크게 높이고, 종부세 공정시장가액 비율도 현행 60%에서 내년 70%로 인상한다. 과세표준 12억원(시가 약 45억원) 이상 초고가 주택은 종부세율이 현행보다 두 배 수준으로 높아지고, 과세표준 6억~12억원 구간의 중산층 주택도 세율이 1%에서 1.3%로 오른다. 정부는 부동산 거래의 퇴로도 막고 있다. 양도소득세 장기보유특별공제는 보유 기간 공제를 없애고 거주 기간 중심으로 바꾸는 데 그치지 않고, 기존 장기거주특별공제를 폐지하는 대신 장기거주소득공제를 신설했다. 장기...

  5. 5d ago

    The military academy lost in 'Purple Clouds' (KOR) The military academy lost in 'Purple Clouds' (KOR) Related Article This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then

    Columns Korea should strengthen military education with better funding, Seoul-area training and service-specific expertise rather than merging the academies. Opinion Desk Opinion Desk Published August 4, 2026 - 9:33 a.m. Modified August 4, 2026 - 10:52 a.m. Newly commissioned Navy ensigns toss their service caps into the air and cheer at the commencement and commissioning ceremony for officer candidates of the Navy and Marine Corps on the grounds of the Naval Academy in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on May 28. ROK Navy Song Ho-keun The author is a columnist at the JoongAng Ilbo, a chair professor and director of Doheon Academy, Hallym University. On the night of April 21, 1951, Britain's Gloucestershire Regiment dug in on Mount Gamak in Paju to confront Chinese and North Korean troops crossing the Imjin River toward Seoul. Outnumbered, 750 soldiers fought until their final rounds. As Andrew Salmon recounted in "To the Last Round" (2009), their sacrifice bought time to establish a line at Mount Umyeon. Defending the capital remains just as vital 75 years later. If an adversary advanced simultaneously through Goyang, Mia, and Guri, which of the Han River's 32 bridges would commanders destroy? That is not a question ChatGPT can answer. Lose the capital region in war and defeat is all but certain. Kyiv remains heavily fortified for precisely that reason. Yet do our future Army, Navy, and Air Force commanders know the terrain of the Seoul metropolitan area as instinctively as GPS? Despite this, the service headquarters sit at the foot of Gyeryong Mountain in Chungnam, far removed from the pulse of modern society. Can future national security leaders sharpen their understanding of the nation while spending their formative years around Gyeryong Mountain? Military academies are not tools for balanced regional development. Recently, defense officials and lawmakers signaled legislation to merge the three military academies under the banner of "integration," to be located at Jaundae — its name alone evokes drifting purple clouds. But blending soil, water, and sky makes little academic or tactical sense. Operations from World War II's Iwo Jima to the Chosin Reservoir succeeded because joint operations rested on deep, distinct domain expertise. In academia, interdisciplinary programs fail without foundational excellence in specific disciplines. Jointness cannot replace expertise. Ultimately, military strength relies on one prerequisite: attracting outstanding young talent. If top students stop choosing the academies, national defense begins its decline. Decades ago, military officers held high social standing. Today, online marriage rankings place officers near the bottom, only slightly above manufacturing workers at small enterprises. Between political controversies and a perceived loss of prestige, the profession has lost its luster. Meanwhile, while leading civilian universities have seen budgets surge and facilities modernize, military academies resemble impoverished villages. The Korea Military Academy's 2026 education budget stands at 28.4 billion won ($20.5 million), with the Naval and Air Force academies at roughly 21 billion won each. While touted as high per-student expenditures due to specialized equipment, the campuses remain outdated, and faculty morale has withered. This is how the nation treats those willing to risk their lives for security — and we are told merger alone will fix it? How, then, should we truly enhance jointness and military strength? First, expand the Korea Military Academy campus in Taereung to establish a shared liberal arts curriculum for first- and second-year cadets from all three services. In their third year, cadets should move to Taereung, Jinhae or Cheongju for specialized training, introducing joint operations tracks later in their early officer careers. Second, allocate funding commensurate with the value of national security to attract top-tier cadets and faculty. Over the past four...

  6. 5d ago

    Preparing for the 3 million foreign resident era Preparing for the 3 million foreign resident era Related Article

    Columns As the foreign population surges, Korea must overhaul immigration policy, funding and integration systems to turn demographic change into growth instead of conflict. Opinion Desk Opinion Desk Published August 4, 2026 - 12:01 a.m. Modified August 5, 2026 - 8:57 a.m. International students tour the dormitory during a move-in ceremony in Yeongdo-gu, Busan, on March 11. This facility, designed to house five international students, serves as a prime example of adding new value to abandoned urban housing through collaboration between the local community and the university. Yonhap News Jeon Yong-il The author is a professor of Economics, Sungkyunkwan University The number of foreign nationals residing in Korea reached 2.91 million as of July and is expected to surpass 3 million by the end of this year. Of the nation's 227 municipalities, 142 now have immigrant populations exceeding 5 percent. About 1.1 million foreign nationals work in small- and medium-sized enterprises, agriculture, fisheries and livestock farming — sectors many Koreans avoid. Meanwhile, students from immigrant backgrounds now exceed 200,000. Although immigrants have become vital to easing labor shortages in an aging society, public perception remains slow to change. The Migration Research and Training Center's Immigrant Social Integration Index shows that while many Koreans acknowledge immigrants' economic contributions, they remain hesitant to accept them as full members of society. This gap between a growing foreign population and limited public acceptance raises a crucial question: Is Korean society truly prepared for an era of 3 million foreign residents? Without careful preparation, marginalization and social conflict could become unavoidable. Korea should closely examine the experiences of Western nations that struggled with isolation and social tensions due to insufficient institutional safeguards during early migration waves. If Korea misses its window to strengthen social integration, it risks repeating the same mistakes. The first priority must be reforming the governance structure overseeing immigration. While the Ministry of Justice's Korea Immigration Service has fulfilled its role thus far, expanding immigration scope has led to conflicting roles across multiple agencies. To respond effectively, Korea must strengthen overarching policy coordination and grant the agency true central coordinating authority. In her 15-volume historical narrative series about the Roman civilization, author Nanami Shiono attributed Rome's longevity to its openness and inclusiveness. Crucially, this was not a policy of unconditional acceptance, but a system that integrated newcomers into Rome's established order and structure. How, then, can we expand such openness and inclusiveness? Simply asking the public to embrace the virtues of humanitarianism or universal brotherhood is not enough. People must first come to recognize that immigrants are not free riders but members of society who make positive contributions. Korea should significantly expand Korean-language education to reduce misunderstandings and conflicts caused by communication barriers. That will naturally require funding. Yet asking taxpayers to shoulder additional costs solely for immigrants is not a realistic solution. A different approach is needed. Relying exclusively on the general budget means immigration programs are often pushed to the bottom of funding priorities because of their specialized nature. Instead, Korea should establish a dedicated funding mechanism using revenues already paid by foreign nationals, such as visa and nationality application fees. Legislation to create such a system has already been proposed in the National Assembly. Social integration cannot be achieved through language education alone. It also requires stable funding, consistent policies and a national immigration strategy. Immigration should no longer be viewed merely as an extension of welfare or labor policy b...

  7. 5d ago

    Real estate policies fuel housing anxiety and punitive taxation Real estate policies fuel housing anxiety and punitive taxation This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It

    Editorials President Lee Jae Myung's real estate tax plan burdens homeowners, discourages transactions and risks worsening supply and rental pressures. Opinion Desk Opinion Desk Published August 4, 2026 - 12:01 a.m. Modified August 5, 2026 - 8:58 a.m. President Lee Jae Myung, fifth from left and on screen, speaks during the national debate on real estate policy at KBS in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 23. JOINT PRESS CORPS The Lee Jae Myung administration has held five policy forums on housing supply, finance and taxation, promising to hear a wide range of views from the market. Yet the tax reform plan announced on Monday came down to one thing: higher taxes. President Lee's pledge that he would "not use taxes as a tool of housing policy" has vanished, as has the Presidential policy chief Kim Yong-beom's call to "shut up and just build" more homes. Instead of expanding supply and encouraging transactions, the government has shifted its focus to raising the long-term burden of property ownership and transactions. In the end, it is simply "shut up and just raise taxes." The government says it is normalizing property taxes, which are low compared to other major economies, while protecting genuine homebuyers. But the reality is different. The threshold for the comprehensive real estate tax on single-home owners has been raised from 1.2 billion won to 1.4 billion won ($839,500 to $979,5000) in assessed value, while the basic deduction for nonresident single-home owners has been cut from 1.2 billion won to 900 million won. At the same time, the cap on annual increases in the tax burden will rise from 150 percent to 200 percent, while the fair market value ratio will increase from 60 percent to 70 percent next year. The tax rate on ultrahigh-end homes will nearly double, while rates on homes in the 600 million to 1.2 billion won taxable value bracket will rise from 1 percent to 1.3 percent. The government is also making it harder to sell homes. Long-term capital gains deductions will be based more heavily on years of residence, while new limits will be imposed on the deduction. This runs counter to the basic principle of a functioning housing market: If property taxes rise, transaction taxes should be lowered to encourage homes to come onto the market. President Lee had also promised before taking office to expand inheritance-tax deductions so that people would not have to sell their longtime homes because of taxes. That pledge is absent from the latest plan. With neither transaction-tax relief nor expanded inheritance-tax deductions, homeowners will face heavier burdens when they own, sell or pass on their homes. The policy amounts to punitive taxation of homeowners. The consequences could be severe. The completion rate for Seoul apartments fell 58.4 percent in the first half of this year, while the average jeonse (lump-sum deposit) surpassed 700 million won. Regulatory side effects are spreading beyond southern Seoul into northern districts and the wider capital region, worsening rental-market pressures. The lessons of the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations are clear: Housing markets cannot be stabilized by taxes alone. Higher costs will eventually be passed on to tenants. The solution is equally clear. If property taxes are raised, transaction taxes must be boldly cut. Reconstruction and redevelopment should be encouraged, and housing supply expanded. Only a steady stream of new homes can restore the hope of homeownership, stabilize prices and normalize the market. By trying to overpower the market, the government is leaving ordinary citizens to bear the burden of a tax bomb.

  8. 5d ago

    The military academy lost in 'Purple Clouds' The military academy lost in 'Purple Clouds' Related Article Lee wants an integrated military academy. What does that mean for South Korea's future defense and security? Daejeon mayor sees unified national mi

    Columns Korea should strengthen military education with better funding, Seoul-area training and service-specific expertise rather than merging the academies. Opinion Desk Opinion Desk Published August 4, 2026 - 12:00 a.m. Modified August 5, 2026 - 8:59 a.m. Newly commissioned Navy ensigns toss their service caps into the air and cheer at the commencement and commissioning ceremony for officer candidates of the Navy and Marine Corps on the grounds of the Naval Academy in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on May 28. ROK Navy Song Ho-keun The author is a columnist at the JoongAng Ilbo, a chair professor and director of Doheon Academy, Hallym University. On the night of April 21, 1951, Britain's Gloucestershire Regiment dug in on Mount Gamak in Paju to confront Chinese and North Korean troops crossing the Imjin River toward Seoul. Outnumbered, 750 soldiers fought until their final rounds. As Andrew Salmon recounted in "To the Last Round" (2009), their sacrifice bought time to establish a line at Mount Umyeon. Defending the capital remains just as vital 75 years later. If an adversary advanced simultaneously through Goyang, Mia, and Guri, which of the Han River's 32 bridges would commanders destroy? That is not a question ChatGPT can answer. Lose the capital region in war and defeat is all but certain. Kyiv remains heavily fortified for precisely that reason. Yet do our future Army, Navy, and Air Force commanders know the terrain of the Seoul metropolitan area as instinctively as GPS? Despite this, the service headquarters sit at the foot of Gyeryong Mountain in Chungnam, far removed from the pulse of modern society. Can future national security leaders sharpen their understanding of the nation while spending their formative years around Gyeryong Mountain? Military academies are not tools for balanced regional development. Recently, defense officials and lawmakers signaled legislation to merge the three military academies under the banner of "integration," to be located at Jaundae — its name alone evokes drifting purple clouds. But blending soil, water, and sky makes little academic or tactical sense. Operations from World War II's Iwo Jima to the Chosin Reservoir succeeded because joint operations rested on deep, distinct domain expertise. In academia, interdisciplinary programs fail without foundational excellence in specific disciplines. Jointness cannot replace expertise. Ultimately, military strength relies on one prerequisite: attracting outstanding young talent. If top students stop choosing the academies, national defense begins its decline. Decades ago, military officers held high social standing. Today, online marriage rankings place officers near the bottom, only slightly above manufacturing workers at small enterprises. Between political controversies and a perceived loss of prestige, the profession has lost its luster. Meanwhile, while leading civilian universities have seen budgets surge and facilities modernize, military academies resemble impoverished villages. The Korea Military Academy's 2026 education budget stands at 28.4 billion won ($20.5 million), with the Naval and Air Force academies at roughly 21 billion won each. While touted as high per-student expenditures due to specialized equipment, the campuses remain outdated, and faculty morale has withered. This is how the nation treats those willing to risk their lives for security — and we are told merger alone will fix it? How, then, should we truly enhance jointness and military strength? First, expand the Korea Military Academy campus in Taereung to establish a shared liberal arts curriculum for first- and second-year cadets from all three services. In their third year, cadets should move to Taereung, Jinhae or Cheongju for specialized training, introducing joint operations tracks later in their early officer careers. Second, allocate funding commensurate with the value of national security to attract top-tier cadets and faculty. Over the past four ...

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Audio recordings of the Korea JoongAng Daily's in-depth, on-the-scene news articles and features informing readers around the world of the issues of the day in Korea. Under the slogan "Your window to Korea", the Korea JoongAng Daily is an English-language news organization focused on Korea that strives to publish factual, timely and unbiased articles.

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