Author / Syrus Jin
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How Korean Military Conscription Affects Students At WashU
In 1948, the Republic of Korea instituted a system of mandatory military service. Since then, despite whirlwind changes to its political economy and society, conscription has remained a universal obligation for all South Korean males. Every male, from scions of wealthy business executives to the offspring of rural farmers, will spend at least two years…
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What Reading Joe Biden’s Memoir Taught Me
Promise Me, Dad recently joined the ranks of the few books written by modern American politicians that I have read from cover to cover. Joe Biden’s memoir covers the period from Thanksgiving 2014 to the months which followed his son Beau’s death in May 2015, and it is worthy of the praise that it has…
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South Korea’s Got Beef With America
It’s summer 2008. Tens of thousands of South Korean citizens pour into the streets of Seoul, holding demonstrations and organizing marches day and night. An overtaxed Seoul police force uses water cannons in sporadic clashes with protesters. President Lee Myungbak sees his approval ratings plummet to below 20% as his cabinet begins to tender resignation…
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Authoritarianism: A Quick and Easy Guide
Congratulations! You are now dictator of your nation! Through your [power acquisition method], you are in an influential position to guide your nation for the next few [days/years/decades]! Be proud, for you are following a strong tradition of autocrats usurping democratic norms for the sake of personal gain. Play your cards right and future generations…
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Dr. Deterrence Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Accept the Bomb
For the American public, media, and a certain someone in the West Wing, the knowledge that North Korea will soon have ICBMs capable of targeting American cities is cause for panic. Each test launch and every tremor coming from North Korea leads to a flurry of angrily worded tweets and posturing from President Trump, which…
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Wikileaks, an Illegitimate NGO
Americans, and most people around the world, instinctively tend to trust non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This public trust is generally for good reason; NGOs are ostensibly not-for-profit, independent of governments, mostly run by volunteers, and almost always guided by a laudable, moral cause. Whether an NGO focuses on spreading health awareness, encouraging government transparency, or fighting…
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Obama at Hiroshima: A Voice of Humanity
On May 27th, President Obama, standing alongside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, laid a wreath at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit the site of the first atomic bombing. After the ceremony, Obama gave a seventeen-minute address that started with a brief overview of the conflict-ridden history of…
