Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

This article is by Noh Yu-rim and read by an artificial voice.

GS25, the local convenience store chain operated by GS Retail, announced Monday that it will launch two new delivery services beginning Dec. 29, both of which guarantee next-day delivery for parcels received before 6 p.m.

The names of the services each translate into "Next Day Half-Price" and "Next Day Courier."

"Next Day Half-Price" follows the same format as GS25's existing low-price delivery service, requiring customers to drop off and pick up packages at GS25 locations. The difference is that the existing service typically took a couple of days. Prices range from 2,400 won ($1.6) for packages up to 500 grams (1.1 pounds) to 3,200 won for those up to 5 kilograms, with total dimensions under 80 centimeters (31.5 inches).

"Next Day Courier" offers standard door-to-door delivery. Customers can send parcels up to 20 kilograms and a combined size cap of 160 centimeters, with rates starting at 3,500 won for 350 grams and going up to 9,100 won for the maximum weight.

The services will initially be available at select GS25 stores in Seoul, with plans for nationwide expansion. A GS Retail spokesperson said the services reflect growing consumer demand for both fast delivery and reasonable pricing, adding that the company aims to increase its logistics platform using its extensive national network, including GS25 and GS The Fresh.

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 AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Kim Ji-ye and read by an artificial voice.

Seeing Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung together was enough to generate buzz for Disney+'s upcoming series "Made in Korea." But its star-studded lineup doesn't end there - it also includes Cho Yeo-jeong, Woo Do-hwan and Jung Sung-il, all of whom are widely popular and praised actors in Korea.

"I think this may be the most fun I've ever had working on a project," said director Woo Min-ho, who also helmed hit films like "Harbin" (2024) and "The Man Standing Next" (2020), during the series' news conference held at a hotel in southern Seoul on Monday. He added that he was "lucky" to be able to gather such a cast.

"I'm not sure if I should say this, but out of all my works, this may be the most entertaining."

Though Woo has built his career primarily in film, he emphasized that the series was approached with the same mindset, prioritizing cinematic quality despite its streaming format.

"We approached it very much like making a film. I didn't really draw a distinction just because it was a series or a work for a streaming platform," the director said. "I wanted the project to achieve the same level of quality as my previous works, if not exceed them."

Set in the 1970s, the series follows Ki-tae, played by Hyun Bin, a man who is an agent by day and a smuggler by night, driven by his ambition for wealth and power. However, prosecutor Geon-young, played by Jung Woo-sung, stands in Ki-tae's way, and the two do whatever it takes to bring each other down.

The series is one of Disney+'s tentpole projects this year, with a second season already in the works. Its production cost is estimated at 70 billion won ($47.5 million), although director Woo did not confirm the numbers at the press event. "It's true that the production costs were high, given the overseas locations and the need to recreate a period setting," he said,

Despite the show being set in the 1970s, the director said that it remains deeply relevant to today's audiences.

"Much like today, that era was marked by turbulence and chaos, with people rushing headlong toward their desires," the director said. "I think viewers will quickly and easily sense how closely that time mirrors the world we live in now. I believe it will be fun for the viewers to compare the past with the present."

"Made in Korea" also marks Hyun Bin's first-ever project on a streaming platform and his second collaboration with director Woo, with whom he also worked for the historical film "Harbin" (2024). The actor shared his excitement about connecting with global audiences through Disney+.

Compared with his role in "Harbin," in which he portrayed independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun (1879-1910), Hyun Bin revealed that he gained around 13 to 14 kilograms (28.6 to 30.8 pounds) for the upcoming series - viewers can expect to see him with a noticeably larger physique.

"I think this is probably the biggest physical figure I've had among all the characters I've played so far," Hyun Bin said.

"One of the reasons for that change was that my character, at the time, was a man who belonged to the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, the most powerful institution of that era," he said. "I wanted some of that authority and intimidation to be reflected in his physical presence as well."

Jung, who portrays prosecutor Geon-young, described his character as "a man of relentless determination."

The actor also briefly mentioned his personal life, including his recent marriage and the controversy over fathering a child out of wedlock, but he refused to go into detail.

"Since today's event is a gathering of many actors in support of 'Made in Korea,' I ask for your understanding that I won't be able to speak in detail about personal matters or changes in my family life today," he said, adding that he "hopes the viewers would truly enjoy it."

The series also draws inspiration from real historical events, while expanding on them through the director's own imagination. The se...

This article is by Park Hae-lee and read by an artificial voice.

LS Cable & System is making another major investment in the United States with a large-scale rare-earth magnet manufacturing facility in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The company, which is already building a 1 trillion won ($677 million) submarine cable plant in Chesapeake, announced on Friday that it will invest an additional $689 million to build a facility that will produce recycled copper and rare-earth magnets.

The facility will secure recycled copper - a core material for cable production - from scrap, and manufacture high-end magnet wires for automotive and industrial use, as well as rare-earth magnets essential for electric motors and advanced defense systems. Construction will begin next year, with operations targeted to start by the end of 2027.

"Two years ago, we committed to the LS GreenLink project, an undertaking that represents one of the most important investments in our company's history," said LS Cable & System CEO Koo Bon-kyu during the investment announcement ceremony held in Chesapeake on Friday. "That project has been a major commitment for [our company] and reflects our belief in the long-term strength of U.S. manufacturing and the critical role the United States plays in energy dominance."

"Today we are building on that commitment," Koo added. "The investment we are announcing will be the largest capital investment ever made in the Hampton Rose region."

LS GreenLink, a subsidiary of LS Cable, broke ground last year on the submarine cable plant in Chesapeake. It drew attention as the first project of its kind to begin construction under U.S. President Donald Trump's second administration.

With offshore wind power expected to rapidly expand in the United States, LS Cable anticipates rising demand for submarine cables.

Industry analysts say the new plant's recycled copper can be used by the submarine cable factory, creating synergy between the two facilities.

Although LS Group did not disclose detailed plans at the time, it confirmed North America as a long-term investment destination and pledged to invest a total of $3 billion by 2030.

"Today's announcement demonstrates that Virginia is leading the nation in reshoring American manufacturing and securing the critical supply chains that power and protect our country," said Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. "LS GreenLink has already brought hundreds of millions of dollars to Hampton Roads, and these three projects from LS Cable & System will build on that momentum."

"Now more than ever on the geopolitical stage, access to copper smelting and rare earth minerals tied to our targeting systems that our military uses need to be made here in this country," Youngkin added.

China, the dominant producer of rare-earth magnets, has recently taken aggressive steps such as suspending exports, escalating tensions with the United States.

"These capabilities are not simply an extension of our product lines," Koo said. "They are strategic investments that strengthen U.S. domestic supply chains, reduce reliance on foreign sources and support U.S. national security priorities."

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 AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Kang Ki-heon and read by an artificial voice.

Lotte Group will acquire the site of the hotel Lotte New York Palace in Manhattan for $490 million as part of broader efforts to secure long-term operational stability for the hotel and strengthen its global brand value, Lotte Hotels & Resorts announced on Monday.

Lotte Hotels & Resorts acquired the five-star then-New York Palace Hotel in Manhattan in 2015. However, it only purchased the building and has continued to pay rent to the Archdiocese of New York, which renews the ground lease every 25 years.

Lotte Hotels & Resorts plans to finance the land acquisition by liquidating assets and attracting outside investors. The company said it aims to secure long-term operational stability for Lotte New York Palace and strengthen its brand value through full ownership of the site.

"Acquiring the Lotte New York Palace hotel site will mark an important turning point in expanding our global business and enhancing brand value," a Lotte spokesperson said. "We will continue working to establish ourselves as a leading global hotel brand."

U.S. media have reported that the Archdiocese of New York decided to sell the hotel site to raise funds for compensation payments to victims of clergy sexual abuse.

The archdiocese plans to allocate $200 million of the sale proceeds toward the victims and use the remaining funds to repay loans previously taken out to cover settlement payments.

The transaction requires final approval from the New York Supreme Court before it can be completed.

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 AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Yi Woo-lim and read by an artificial voice.

Samsung Electronics' breakthrough trifold smartphone is selling like crazy, but a high production cost that leaves almost no room for profit margin has kept the company from popping champagne bottles just yet.

In fact, consumers have been lining up outside Samsung Electronics stores around the country to get their hands on Samsung's latest technological achievement, the Galaxy Z TriFold, during its launch. Even at temperatures of minus 3 degrees Celsius (26.6 degrees Fahrenheit), 80 customers were already in line at the Samsung Electronics store in Seocho District, southern Seoul, waiting for the store to open on Friday at 8 a.m.

One of them was an office worker surnamed Jeong who took the morning off to get in line for the device. Jeong and fellow fans in the queue even tried purchasing from Samsung's online store when it opened at 9:30 a.m. because of the obvious bottleneck at the offline store.

"There wasn't going to be a lot of stock, so I tried both online and in-store," said Jeong. "Thankfully, I managed to buy one at the store at around 11:20 a.m."

Samsung sold out of the Galaxy Z TriFold's initial domestic stock on Friday, the same day it launched, according to the IT industry on Sunday. Early reviews of the device have also been favorable.

However, despite the strong reception, the mood inside Samsung Electronics is not completely upbeat. The company has definitely shown its engineering capabilities with the TriFold, but it is struggling to make much money on each sale.

However, Samsung's primary goal with the TriFold was to demonstrate its technological prowess, not make a profit.

Although Samsung was the first in the world to release a foldable smartphone in 2019, Chinese rival Huawei beat them to the punch in the tri-fold race. Huawei released its first tri-fold phone, the Mate XT, in September last year, followed by the second-generation Mate XTs in September this year. With its TriFold this week, Samsung wanted to make it clear that it, too, was capable.

Roh Tae-moon, co-CEO and head of Samsung Electronics' device division, first officially confirmed the TriFold's 2025 release at the Galaxy Unpacked event in July, saying at the time that the company was preparing to launch the phone within the year.

Reactions to the phone's performance have been largely positive.

Samsung's TriFold adopts an inward-folding G-shaped design, which improves durability compared to Huawei's Z-shaped in-and-out folding design. It is also equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which is seen as outperforming Huawei's in-house Kirin 9020 chip used in its Mate XTs. The Trifold also achieves an ultra-slim folded thickness of 3.9 millimeters (0.15 inches), quite similar to Huawei's 3.6 millimeters.

The TriFold's price came in lower than expected, with an official retail price of 3.59 million won ($2,430). This is roughly 600,000 won cheaper than the Huawei Mate XTs 512GB model, which sells for 19,999 yuan ($2,830).

Lim Sung-taek, vice president of Samsung Electronics' Korea division, alluded to the pricing strategy during a media briefing on Dec. 2, saying it was "a price made difficultly, by cutting everything possible."

The challenge, however, lies in profit margins. The TriFold requires an organic light-emitting diode panel and a high-end processor. Rising memory prices are also increasing production costs.

"Contract prices for DRAM in the fourth quarter will rise more than 75 percent year-on-year," said market research firm TrendForce in a forecast report. "Considering that memory accounts for 10 to 15 percent of total smartphone component costs, smartphone prices are expected to increase by about 8 to 10 percent this year."

"There's pressure from costs, but pricing it too high would make consumers shy away, so Samsung had to make a tough call," said Lee Jong-hwan, a professor of system semiconductor engineering at Sangmyung University. "It's a structure...

This article is by Seo Ji-eun and read by an artificial voice.

Seoul's ambassadors are often gastronomes keen to share a taste of their home cuisine. In this series, the Korea JoongAng Daily asks the diplomatic corps to introduce our readers to their favorite restaurants representing cuisine from their homelands, while chatting about issues of interest to our Korean and global audience. - Ed.

"He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."

This Maori whakatauki (proverb), which translates to "What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people," perfectly captures New Zealand Ambassador Dawn Bennet's philosophy of connection and community. It's a saying she has woven into the fabric of her diplomatic life in Seoul.

Bennet believes in shared values - "democracy, the rule of law and valuing people" - with Korea, saying Koreans who go to New Zealand often find the values easy to relate to, as the two societies tend to "see the world in quite a similar way."

Her personal diplomacy is a testament to this belief.

She has traveled twice to Baengnyeong Island in Incheon, where New Zealand soldiers served during the 1950-53 Korean War, to personally deliver scholarships funded by New Zealand veterans. There, children greet her with the Maori welcome, ' kia ora,' symbolizing a lasting connection forged by history.

Bennet stepped into a recent interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at Neighbours, a New Zealand brunch restaurant in Yongsan District, central Seoul, dressed in a black, modern, sheer hanbok (traditional Korean dress).

Modern hanbok is an outfit she often wears to official receptions, a choice she says has been "very useful" in her diplomatic work, as it naturally sparks conversation while showing respect for Korean culture. She paired the look with Cheomseongdae-inspired earrings from the Silla era, her favorite chapter of Korean history, underscoring her deep appreciation for Korea's heritage.

Her modern engagement with Korea is equally deep.

She is a passionate K-pop listener, learning Korean by studying Korean through the lyrics of BTS - particularly those of Suga, which she described as resembling "ancient poetry." This contemporary link echoes a historic one - the Maori love song "Pokarekare Ana," widely cherished in Korea as "Yeonga."

Following a busy Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where Korea and New Zealand elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the ambassador is focused on a new chapter that deepens cooperation far beyond trade and security.

The following are edited excerpts from the interview, edited for length and clarity.

Korea hosted an excellent APEC. My prime minister stayed four days and left very happy. The gala dinner was outstanding. G-Dragon was an amazing performer. The event blended tradition, modern art and technology.

Korea focused on AI and demographic change - both important for the region's future. The Gyeongju Declaration emphasized inclusive growth and sustainability. APEC is also valuable as a platform for leaders to meet - Korea's relationships with partners were strengthened.

New Zealand and Korea launched a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). The CSP includes increased and more institutionalized strategic dialogues. Our foreign ministers will now meet annually. We launched a new strategic dialogue at deputy minister-level that goes into more modern areas. We also have a focused dialogue on economic security, which is increasingly important.

We are establishing initiatives such as an Antarctic research collaboration, a science program on quantum technology and critical minerals and cooperation under the Minerals Security Partnership.

We also have a new agreement on emergency management response to increase resilience. It takes the relationship beyond traditional trade and security cooperation.

Our prime minister's plane landed so early that the military air base wasn't open yet, ...

This article is by Woo Ji-won and read by an artificial voice.

Shin Heung Art Market in central Seoul's Haebangchon was originally a bustling traditional market that opened in 1969. It serviced the local area through the 1980s but stood abandoned for decades until a wave of young creatives moved in. Now it's one of Korea's coolest hangout spots.

Among the creatives is chef-owner Lee Keewuk of Neighbours, a brunch cafe by day and a bistro serving wine and cocktails by night.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Lee originally had no intention of settling in Seoul. But while waiting out the Covid-19 pandemic in Korea four years ago, he found himself visiting the market in Haebangchon - literally meaning "Liberation Village" - an area he fell in love with and eventually opened restaurants in.

"In a sense, it's kind of humbling or kind of ironic how the North Koreans came down to Haebangcheon and then they found this place, and I also found refuge in Seoul because of Covid and I ended up in Haebangchon," the 35-year-old said.

After the Korean War, Haebangchon was a refuge for displaced people, including those from the North, and the market served as a key place to buy necessities for daily life.

Today, Neighbours is one of the spaces driving the market's vibrant energy.

One of the best-selling dishes at Neighbours is the avocado toast, a classic in terms of New Zealand brunch fare. For the Neighbours version, fresh avocado from Australia or New Zealand is piled onto soft house-made Focaccia and topped with sun-dried tomatoes that cut through the richness of the dish. It is then finished with a bright avocado-basil green Gades sauce. The secret is the caramelized onion tucked beneath the avocado, adding a sweet but savory depth.

Another item that screams New Zealand is the sausage roll. The croissant-like pastry is wrapped around seasoned minced meat mixed with seasonal vegetables, such as carrots and mushrooms, and spices. The sausage has a bold, peppery heat that pairs well with the soft, flaky pastry. The pastry is also made with New Zealand kiwi butter, lending a rich, clean flavor.

While Lee defined the brunch cafe as "Australian, New Zealand," he said it's also "a mixture of things I like personally - a bit of Spanish, bit of Australian, French-based."

"The best way to describe it would be the menu itself is a reflection of me, where I've worked or what I enjoyed eating. And New Zealand is such a melting pot of cultures, so the food reflects that." Lee has worked in restaurants across the world, including San Francisco, Hong Kong and Paris.

Neighbours is known for its distinct interior, which combines two adjoining buildings - one inside the market and another just outside - into a single space, creating a stylish split-level second floor and a rooftop view of Namsan Tower. Despite the alterations, Lee wants to maintain the original vibe of the space where he can.

"I just want to keep it grounded in its roots," said Lee, who opened Neighbours in 2024.

Traces of the past are everywhere: children's scribbles left untouched on the walls, cement marked with the imprint of an old staircase and traditional objects, such as a stone mill and wooden money containers - first found in or near the building - dotted throughout the space.

Among the dishes, the Chicken Caesar stands out visually and in flavor. Rather than placing chicken alongside the salad, Neighbours serves a crisp fried chicken thigh as the centerpiece, with a creamy Caesar salad on top. The saltiness of the crust and the mild salad balance each other, while the thigh remains tender and juicy until the last bite.

Neighbours isn't Lee's first project at Shin Heung Art Market. Since 2022, the chef-owner also operates European-style dining and wine bar Vinvin - an establishment that has played a somewhat influential role in revitalizing the market and remains one of its defining restaurants.

Still, Lee is modest. "I can't take all the credit. We were just in the right p...

The author is an architect and a former president of the Korea National University of Arts.

Archangel Michael is revered as the supreme commander of the heavenly host, a divine warrior who defeats the forces of evil. Across medieval Europe, monasteries and churches were dedicated to this guardian angel. Among them, seven sites have long attracted particular attention for forming an almost perfectly straight line stretching from Ireland to Israel, a phenomenon venerated as the "Line of St. Michael."

At the western end of the line lies Skellig Michael, a remote rocky island off Ireland's coast. Dedicated to Archangel Michael around the 10th century, the monastery was abandoned by the 13th century. In recent years it gained global recognition after appearing as a Jedi sanctuary in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015) and "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017). In England's Cornwall stands St Michael's Mount, a rocky islet crowned with a fortress and church that becomes an island at high tide. It was modeled on, and closely resembles, Mont-Saint-Michel across the Channel in France.

Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy is the most famous of all Michaelic sanctuaries worldwide. Founded in 708, it boasts more than 1,300 years of history and a dramatic landscape that has made it one of Europe's most celebrated pilgrimage destinations.

Further south, in Italy's Piedmont region, the Sacra di San Michele rises seven stories high atop a mountain ridge in the Alps. The fortresslike abbey is widely believed to have inspired Umberto Eco while he was writing "The Name of the Rose" (1980). In Apulia, at Monte Sant'Angelo, a cave sanctuary was created around 500 to commemorate an apparition of Archangel Michael. Across the Aegean Sea, on the Greek island of Symi, stands the Monastery of Archangel Michael, a Byzantine-style complex by the shore known for its three-meter-tall statue of the archangel. The easternmost site is the Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel in Israel, traditionally believed to be where the Prophet Elijah, aided by Michael, triumphed over the priests of Baal.

The seven sanctuaries are aligned along a 4,190-kilometer straight line, with deviations of only 0.3 to 1 percent. This precision has inspired the belief that the line represents "Michael's sword," striking down Satan, and has elevated the route to one of Christianity's most symbolic pilgrimages.

Skeptics note that Europe contains more than 100 shrines dedicated to Archangel Michael, making some degree of linear alignment statistically plausible. Yet believers point out that the line corresponds to the sunrise on Michael's feast day, May 8, and that its eastern end marks a gateway to Jerusalem, reinforcing its sacred meaning.

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 AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

The author is an editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo.

In Mapo District in western Seoul stand two institutions that symbolize the twin pillars of Korea's modern history: industrialization and democratization. The Park Chung Hee Memorial Hall and the Kim Dae-jung Library occupy the same neighborhood, a physical proximity that recently led their representatives to convene a joint academic conference. The theme was "Korea-Japan relations opened by Park Chung Hee and broadened by Kim Dae-jung," with discussion focused on the partnership's future. Scholars who study the president identified with industrialization and the president who led democratization rarely gather in the same room. Yet seen through the continuity of modern Korean history, the pairing is hardly strange. Industrialization and democratization are not competing values but two pillars that shaped today's Korea. The observation by historian E.H. Carr that history is an unending dialogue between past and present fits neatly here.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. Within that history, the 1998 Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration stands out as a turning point that redirected bilateral ties toward the future. Many emphasize Kim's political courage in making that decision. Less often noted is the economic backdrop that gave that decision force. Kim's diplomatic vision could be realized because it rested on the fruits of industrialization driven by Park Chung Hee. The Miracle on the Han River was not merely a shift in economic indicators. It was a structural transformation that compelled Japan to reassess Korea. Without the manufacturing competitiveness and national stature accumulated through industrialization, Japan would have had little reason to treat Korea as an equal partner. In that sense, the expansion of national power underpinned by industrialization was the fundamental engine of the Kim-Obuchi Declaration.

Yet the partnership envisioned by that declaration never moved far beyond symbolism. Even Korea's relationship with China, which normalized ties later, progressed to a free trade agreement and was elevated to a "strategic cooperative partnership." By contrast, Korea-Japan relations have not been upgraded even once in the 27 years since 1998. Instead, disputes over historic issues such as wartime sexual slavery and forced labor have repeatedly dragged relations back to square one, like Sisyphus pushing his boulder uphill only to see it roll down again. Japan's export restrictions imposed in 2019 illustrated how quickly bilateral ties can slide into emotional confrontation.

Korea and Japan are neighbors who cannot move away from one another. That reality argues for coexistence and mutual benefit. The reshaping of global trade triggered by strategic competition between the United States and China further heightens the need for close coordination. Washington has grown more explicit in its transactional approach to diplomacy, treating even allies through a realist lens. Multilateral cooperation has therefore become more important. In this environment, Korea has little reason to continue hesitating over joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade framework led by Japan.

The prerequisite for such cooperation is sustained strengthening of Korea's economic power. With growth rates already slipping toward the 1 percent range, it is not excessive to suggest Korea may be approaching the threshold of a "lost 30 years" similar to Japan's experience. The speed and impact of low fertility and rapid aging are even more severe in Korea. Korea's economic size remains about 43 percent of Japan's. If that gap widens further, Japan could easily revert to viewing Korea as a lesser partner. Even amid relatively stable bilateral ties, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has not softened her hard-line remarks regarding Dokdo, a reflection of Japan's rightward dr...

The author is a senior columnist at the JoongAng Ilbo.

In 1982, researchers at the University of Cologne in Germany published the results of a three-year psychology experiment known as the ultimatum game. In it, one participant - the proposer - was given between four and 10 Deutsche marks and told to divide the money with another participant - the responder - however they wished. If the responder accepted the offer, the money was split accordingly. If the responder rejected it as unfair, both sides received nothing.

The rational choice would seem obvious. Receiving even one mark is better than nothing. Yet the results defied simple logic. Proposers typically offered between 30 and 50 percent. When offers fell below 20 percent, however, about half of responders rejected them outright. The experiment has since been widely cited as evidence that humans value a certain standard of fairness beyond narrow self-interest.

Kim Hak-jin, a neuroscientist at Korea University, has argued that the desire for fairness stems from self-esteem and the wish to be recognized by as many people as possible within society. When individuals perceive unfairness, he has explained, the insular cortex, a brain region associated with unpleasant pain, becomes activated, as confirmed by neurological observation (Monthly JoongAng interview, April 2022). In Korea, fairness has long ranked as a top social value. According to a 2022 Gallup Korea survey, 32.4 percent of respondents cited fairness as more important than freedom, the rule of law or justice. The yearning for fairness is particularly strong among younger generations facing countless choices and competitions, a reflection, perhaps, of their sense that society remains fundamentally unfair.

Fairness, however, is notoriously difficult to define. It is often discussed in terms of equality of opportunity, equality of outcomes and equality of conditions. Equality of opportunity is relatively straightforward. Equality of outcomes, by contrast, tends to generate confusion by downplaying differences in ability, achievement and contribution, an approach often associated with progressive or socialist thinking. In recent years, the concept gaining traction in complex modern societies is equality of conditions. Formal rules guaranteeing equal opportunity are no longer seen as sufficient. True fairness requires conditions free from favoritism, opacity, tacit solicitation, special treatment, quid pro quo arrangements, corruption and backroom collusion.

This equality of conditions is closely tied to trust in those who hold power. Even when laws and institutions appear to provide equal opportunity on the surface, it is the responsibility of governing authorities to remove the hidden contaminants embedded in practice. To do so, power itself must consistently uphold fairness. Conversely, power that loses fairness has neither moral legitimacy nor political durability. A government that ignores the dignity and self-respect of the citizens who elected it cannot expect to endure.

In recent months, a series of developments in Korea have fueled perceptions that those in power are undermining fairness. Authorities have pursued allegations involving the Unification Church's provision of money and mobilization of followers to benefit opposition People Power Party (PPP) figures with striking intensity. At the same time, investigations into allegations that ruling Democratic Party politicians received money have been conspicuously muted. The special prosecutors' office has argued that related testimony does not clearly fall within the scope of its mandate in terms of individuals, materials or timing. Critics, however, ask when Korean prosecutors became such scrupulous guardians against investigating related cases.

On the eve of a closing statement by Yoon Young-ho, a former Unification Church headquarters official who claimed to have provided money to figures on both sides of politics, President Lee Jae Myung said religious...