Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, is riding a populist wave with his declarations that he doesn’t need American military or commercial aid or agreements for U.S. forces to advise and assist the armed forces of the Philippines. He seems to want to reverse careful efforts on both […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The populist revolt against President Park Geun-Hye has grave implications for governance amid economic unease and high youth unemployment. In this uncertain transition period, Korea’s relationship with the United States is sure to undergo strains if not change while foes of her conservative pro-American policies line up in search […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The many thousands of protesters who’ve been marching toward the walls of the restored palace of Korea’s dynastic kings toward the Blue House of latter-day presidents have been ignoring a likely target. That’s the American embassy, looming large, brightly lit and carefully protected by hundreds of policemen and dozens […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk Enough, enough, we want no preachment – It’s time to vote on his impeachment! That rhyme from a Broadway classic, “Of Thee I sing,” words by Ira Gershwin, music by his brother George, comes to mind as talk of impeachment ricochets around Seoul – and Washington too. Credit the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The process of “making America great again” is filled with perils and pitfalls, nowhere more so than in Asia. The intricacies and subtleties of the Great Game for Asia often are about as incomprehensible to the experts as they are to amateurs and know-nothings. As President-elect Donald Trump and […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk Too bad President-elect Donald Trump’s phone call to President Park Geun-Hye the day after his victory may be his only chance to talk with her. Even if she’s still in the Blue House when he moves into the White House, she’ll be in no position to display her leadership […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk An air of unreality pervaded the atmosphere if not the skies over Osan Air Base this week as three of the niftiest warplanes on the planet zoomed off the runway for war games intended to strengthen their ability to work together to defeat a common foe. Circumspectly, officers of […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk [Editors’ note: South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, the country’s first female president, is facing her biggest political crisis since coming to power in 2013. A close female friend, Choi Soon-Sil, 60, is accused of selling influence. She is the daughter of late religious leader Choi Tae-Min, who befriended Park […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk Rodrigo Duterte was reputed as a killer long before his election as president of the Philippines five months ago. He countenanced the slaughter of hundreds of drug addicts and dealers while mayor of Davao, the major port city on the rebel-infested southern island of Mindanao, and has applauded the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk We hear so much about China and Japan competing on and for the Korean peninsula, now and historically, that we overlook one other great Northeast Asian power. That would be Russia, which has a 17-kilometer border with North Korea as the Tumen River flows into the sea. In the […]
