On the first weekend of September, I saw Charlie Kirk speak at the Build Up Korea conference in Seoul. It was his first trip to Asia and sadly destined to be his last; five days later, he was assassinated at Utah Valley University.

The conference is an annual gathering of young Korean conservatives, with whom Kirk had become quite popular. Even after having taught university here for seven years, I still did not feel like I had a good handle on the current political scene.

When Kirk spoke of how the most pressing problems were those that came from within South Korea, a hush settled over the mostly young audience.

The issues that are divisive can appear puzzling and petty to the outsider unfamiliar with the parties involved. And the terms of debate seem to have remained the same even a

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