중앙데일리

[VIEWPOINT]Interest Dependents Face a Quiet Death

The legalization of euthanasia is a hot issue in Europe these days. For some, the sacredness of life means euthanasia is a sin that cannot be forgiven, but for someone in a coma, whose life is devoid of human dignity, mercy killing can be a humane measure. In a few countries we find movements to legalize "positive" euthanasia, which takes place with the clear consent of the individual or family concerned, and under the supervision of a me…

Apr 18,2001
[FOUNTAIN] Lesson of a Trash Ship's Odyssey

In March 1987, Mobro 4000, a barge filled with 3,168 tons of trash, left Islip, a small town near New York City. The barge set sail in search of somewhere to dump its load, since Islip had failed to find a proper way to dispose of its mounds of garbage. The Mobro wandered from port to port in North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, looking for a place that would let it unload its cargo. But the barge was turned away…

Apr 18,2001
[EDITORIALS]Hail to Lee Bong-ju!

Lee Bong-ju, the pillar of Korea's marathoners, has finally achieved his goal. He won the 105th Boston Marathon, a celebrated race with a long tradition and history. We are thrilled to hail Mr. Lee, who defeated a field of the world's strongest runners at the age of 30. We congratulate him for bringing honor to our nation. Mr. Lee's victory is even more meaningful because it gave hope and courage to all the people of our country. It was t…

Apr 17,2001
[EDITORIALS]Needless Bill for School Reform

The Millennium Democratic Party, at its Supreme Council meeting on Monday, decided to pass three education bills at the coming National Assembly's extraordinary session, including an amendment to the Private School Act, which transfers the right to appoint and dismiss teaching staff from the school board to the principal. These bills were put on hold two months ago, opposed not only by elements within the MDP but also by the ruling coalition …

Apr 17,2001
[EDITORIALS]A Government That Doesn't Listen

Warning after warning has been issued that the government's media policy, centering on tax audits and revived regulations on newspapers, violates press freedom. In the National Assembly, some lawmakers of the United Liberal Democrats, which is allied with the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, are taking issue with the policy, joining legislators of the opposition Grand National Party. The opposition party and some civic groups plan to petition …

Apr 17,2001
[OUTLOOK]The Function of History Education

The Japanese Ministry of Education's decision to approve eight new history textbooks containing distorted descriptions of Japan's past aggression against Korea and other Asian nations has developed into a diplomatic dispute between Korea and Japan. But the implication of the history textbook controversy goes deeper than a momentary diplomatic issue; it raises the fundamental question about the true functions of history and what exactly constitute…

Apr 17,2001
[FOUNTAIN] Poverty Remains, as Does Hope

Reading the nostalgic poem "Hillside Village" written by Choi Ha-rim in the 1970s, we thought that those shantytowns had vanished, consigned to memory. Many people over 40, who these days live in comfortable apartments, may have spent their youth in a shantytown. People once swarmed under the low roofs of shacks, but then we all had hope. Because of hope, we lived busily, succeeded in joining the middle class and moving up into an apartment. …

Apr 17,2001
[VIEWPOINT]Pay Your Spouse a Debt of a Former Life

A popular song contains the lines, "I will love only you, even in the next life to come." But would we? A poll conducted by a broadcasting company asked married couples whether they would choose their current spouse if they were born anew. Seventy percent of husbands said yes compared to just 30 percent of wives. Seven out of 10 wives would desert their present husbands to marry a different person. In fact, this poll does not reflect the…

Apr 17,2001
[EDITORIALS]Crematorium and NIMBY Ninnies

Strong resistance from the residents of the communities where Seoul's first crematorium might be built has produced a roadblock to the metropolitan government's plans for the structure. The original plan was to select one place from among 13 candidates by the end of April and to begin construction with a completion goal of 2004. But when municipal and gu lawmakers, along with local governing bodies, joined the protest, Seoul put off the decisi…

Apr 16,2001
[EDITORIALS]Unworkable Political Alliance

The representatives of the Millennium Democratic Party, the United Liberal Democrats and the Democratic People's Party met Monday and officially declared a three-party policy alliance. We hope that they will wrap up reform and start another economic leap as they said in their joint announcement. However, we are truly concerned because immorality and ideological confusion deriving from their collusion are likely to lead politics into more conflict…

Apr 16,2001

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