KoreaTimes - Columnists

The Korea Times

Entertainment & Arts

SCMP
Asia

The Korea Times

Entertainment & Arts

SCMP
Asia

The Korea Times

Opinion

Columnists

bernard Rowan

Violence, women and marriage

I'm writing about another cause for high divorce rates in South Korea. Violence against women in marriage (and outside it) remains unambiguously high. Not just in South Korea, mind you. This column discusses South Korea. Why do women divorce? Tragically, they must run for their lives! Too many women suffer physical and mental abuse at the hands of other men, including their husbands. It gives me no pleasure to write about it, but it's one of the leading causes of trouble in Korean marriages and families.

2019-06-23 17:47

Few of my favorite things

I'm not feeling sad, a la the Julie Andrew's song from “The Sound of Music.” I'd like to tell you about some of my favorite Korean keepsakes. I don't have a treasure trove or anything monetarily valuable to speak of. However, my favorite things are icons of humanity. They keep me thinking about Korea around the year!

2019-06-06 17:11

Recently, I wrote about the high incidence of divorce in Korea as a social problem. Today, I'm writing about a contributing reason to divorce, the gender gap and unequal economic prospects for women here. This continuing lag, more of a critical drag, in equalizing opportunities and results for women is the No.1 barrier to further advancement.

2019-05-24 18:00

Korean refreshments

I've devoted several columns to different types of Korean drinks, including alcoholic drinks and types of tea. I'd like to write this time about nonalcoholic drinks, including juices and types of pop. This isn't a health foods column. I'm writing for foreigners to appreciate how to get a quick, refreshing drink. I enjoy the unusual kinds of drinks in Korea.

2019-05-06 17:23

Divorce in Korea today

According to the Statistics Korea website, the divorce rate here was 4.4 per 1,000 people in 2017. Divorces have declined from early 21st century highs. Yet over 100,000 occur each year. More occur among older Koreans. “Twilight divorces” are increasing; couples with 20 to 30 years of marriage are now calling it quits. They think of later life too. More Koreans apply for divided pensioner benefits, and divorced spouses can claim part of their ex's pension.

2019-04-23 17:50

Korean terms of respect

Present-day Korea remains a Confucian society in several respects. Respect for elders matters. So do the family and family ties. Less-discussed but equally central are networks of seniors and juniors organized around professions and education.

2019-04-12 17:58

Banchan - Korean eating paradise

I'm writing about Korean side dishes or banchan. These wonderful and varied fruits of land and sea make a beautiful accompaniment to any meal. They also may serve as a meal, with delicious Korean sticky rice, enriched with beans. Banchan represents healthy eating in a time of obsession with meat. They remind us of simplicity, balance, and good taste. Let's learn a bit about the eating paradise of Korean side dishes - a taste of Korean side dishes, as it were.

2019-03-26 17:29

Korean regard for English

I am a student of Korea. Thanks to my friendship with a fellow graduate student from South Korea, I began a journey to Korea in 1998 that has meant everything for my lifelong learning, professional development and personal fulfillment.

2019-03-13 17:34

Marriage and the times

Advancing human society isn't a story of monotony or constancy about marriage and the family. As societies advance, at least many of them, family size decreases, marriage occurs later or not, and there are fewer children. This reflects what's going on in South Korea today, and in other places, including the United States. How does marriage in Korea change with the times?

2019-03-08 18:16

Korean soups and stews

It's winter in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and despite the growing effects of global climate change, it's cold. In Chicago, we experienced a polar vortex with some of the coldest temperatures on record last week. I also traveled through parts of South Dakota and Iowa that had even colder temperatures and blizzard conditions. Amid all this, I found myself wanting to take some wonderful Korean bowls of soup, and I did so. Let's discuss delicious Korean soups and stews.

2019-02-15 17:23

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Top 10 Stories

1	Korea eyes launch of 4th Nuri space rocket in 2025

2	Memorial Day 2023

3	Korea's household debt-to-GDP ratio highest among 34 major economies

4	Japanese destroyer flies controversial flag as it arrives in Korea for joint drill

5	Seoul on alert over Pyongyang's imminent spy satellite launch

6	Vietnam emerges as major market for Korean chipmakers

7	ANALYSISChina's ban on Micron tests Washington-Seoul alliance

8	Korea's diplomacy put to test amid signs of thaw in US-China relations

9	Top 20% of income earners fuel increase in Q1 consumption as pandemic ends

10	Local governments appeal to young generations through YouTube

DARKROOM