Steve Kelman on politics, culture, and life June 27, 2025
Bowing in Korea, not in China any more
At my conference in Korea, I noticed lots of Koreans bowing to each other. This traditional custom has now disappeared from China. Yet another example of the observation that Korea is more Confucian than China, where Confucianism was born.
Trump threat to sue Times and CNN
Trump has threatened to sue The New York Times and CNN for their coverage of the Iran bombing if they do not retract it. He is innocent of any commitment to the first amendment. A Times spokesman said, “No retraction is needed. No apology will be forthcoming.”
Antisemitism in Democratic Party?
The Jewish Insider has an article today reporting on an interview with Obama OMB Director, Peter Orszag, where he stated a worry that the Democratic Party is becoming “increasingly antisemitic.“ Mainstream Democrats need to take up the fight for saving the Democratic Party
“Vigilance” about July 4
Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reports that Hong Kong education authorities have “reminded” schools to be vigilant “about efforts to promote US Fourth of July celebrations on campus.”
Rice in Asia
I asked a young Korean colleague who went to grad school in the US and is now teaching in Utah about how many meals a day he eats rice. His answer: three. Rice three meals a day in Korea.
Looks like Mar a Lago?
President Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Europe has met with the autocratic dictator of Belarus, one of Putin’s biggest allies in the region. Visiting his presidential palace, the envoy remarked, “With all the gold here, this looks a lot like Mar-a-Lago.”
Bagels in Korea
Surprised to see a bagel shop near University here in Seoul, Korea.