Asia

When Kim Jong-il died in 2011, the world held its breath as North Korea entered uncharted waters. No other communist dictatorship in the last century – for that matter no…

On June 25, 1950, North Korea launched a surprise invasion of South Korea and started a war that is still technically ongoing. But it was – as North Korea’s Kim…

The North Korean economy is changing – we know this because of widely reported growth of private markets since the famine of 1990s. But black markets and illicit activities are…

In May, The Korean-born Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin was named The National League Pitcher of the Month. When you think of Asians and baseball, you might think first…

What Happened As vaccines begin wider distribution in Korea, the digitally literate youth are at a significant advantage in finding appointments over the elderly who are at a greater risk of infection. Police reported that social media users admitted to using tools like automated keystroke sequences to increase their chances of finding vaccine appointments. Vaccine scarcity and the zeal of…

As a result of more South Koreans choosing to stay at home since the start of the pandemic, Netflix saw its subscribers soar in the country. This rise in demand has prompted the streaming giant to invest USD 500 million in creating new Korean content and cement its position as a leader in the Korean streaming market.…

What Happened Lawmakers have proposed two new bills to ban the discrimination of individuals based on gender, ethnicity, age, and other identities. A petition calling for the bill to be brought to the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee has gained traction, receiving over 100,000 signatures within 30 days. Even with overwhelming support from the public, anti-discrimination laws have…

What Happened South Korea plans to resume in-person classes for all students in the fall. Ahead of this full reopening, the government expanded the maximum in-person attendance for middle school students in the Seoul metropolitan area in mid-June. This decision comes on the heels of a new study that showed declining academic achievement levels among some middle school students. Implications: The…