Search Results for: tara o

Tweet of the Day: Moon Administration Wants High School Students to Vote

| November 17, 2018

Is South Korean Government Launching Tax Probe on Google and Facebook to Suppress Free Speech?

| November 7, 2018

Could you imagine the precedent this would set for the tech companies if they have to pay taxes to every country where citizens use its services?  Users are already paying a fee to the Internet provider in the country that is being taxed:

South Korea is considering launching probes into global tech companies that have come under suspicion for not paying their dues, the government here said Wednesday.

The move comes amid growing criticism that global tech giants, including Google Inc. and Facebook Inc., have not properly paid their taxes to local authorities while generating profits every year.

“The government is aware that it is a problem that needs to be more actively addressed,” ICT Minister Yoo Young-min said during an annual audit with lawmakers. “The ministry is mulling over the launch of a joint investigation with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Financial Services Commission and the Fair Trade Commission.”

The lawmakers at the gathering argued that the government should come up with countermeasures to properly deal with alleged wrongdoings by the multinationals if they do not follow local regulations.

“It is vital that an organization should be set up to come up with joint countermeasures against global companies that may not be paying their taxes here,” said Rep. Kim Kyung-jin, adding that it’s important to find out how much foreign companies make.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but I think Dr. Tara O may be on to why the ROK government is looking at going after the tech companies:

You can read more about the Moon administrations’ attempt to suppress conservative critics in South Korea at the below link.

https://www.rokdrop.net/2018/10/gordon-change-gives-address-to-the-national-press-club-on-south-korean-governments-attacks-on-freedom-of-speech/

South Korea Will Reportedly Abandon Light Infantry Units

| October 30, 2018

It was a common sight to see ROK Army units ruck marching across the terrain north of Seoul, but it appears it may be coming to an end according to Dr. Tara O writing for the East Asia Research Center:

The Republic of Korea (ROK) Army plans to supply all its infantry, down to the squad level, with wheeled combat vehicles, including Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), according to YTN’s article titled “Army to Supply Armored Vehicles to Infantry…Will Ruck Marches Disappear?”  (……)

There are some positive aspects of incorporating new technology on the battlefield.  There is also room for combining mechanized infantry with light infantry.  Previous commanders have probably thought hard about the right force mix, if hostilities were ever renewed.

Even if new analysis suggested a need for a change in force mix, converting all light infantry units, which is the majority (65%) of the infantry in the ROK Army, into heavy, mechanized infantry units is problematic.  The main element that has been ignored is the terrain of the Korean Peninsula.  [East Asia Research Center]

You can read more at the link, but if this moves forward I agree with Dr. O that this a major strategic security concern to not have hardened light infantry units trained to fight in Korea’s mountainous terrain.  The way things are going I would not be surprised if in the coming years the Moon administration tries to do away with the mandatory service requirement because “peace” has been declared with North Korea.