Lee’s Hormuz red line tests South Korea’s leverage in $350 billion US talks
Washington wants more allied support and Korean capital as Seoul tries to protect limits built into last year’s deal
September 22, 2026
ANALYSIS, OPINION & MORE
Kang Hoon-sik resignation offer now tests Lee Jae Myung’s personnel reset
Chief of staff’s possible exit would answer pressure over failed nominations but cost Lee a key crisis manager
South Korea’s AI data center boom is colliding with the true cost of power
Samsung and SK Hynix rejected KEPCO’s grid bill, leaving Seoul to decide whether AI developers pay their share
Lee draws red line on South Korea’s military role around Strait of Hormuz
Seoul leaves room for stronger maritime protection while ruling out direct participation in the widening Iran war
Why South Korea cannot rebalance growth without stronger regional clusters
Lee’s 5+3 strategy aims to build regional scale, but past relocation policies show how difficult durable clusters are
South Korea braces for higher-for-longer US rates after Fed’s latest hike
The Fed now sees rates near 4% through 2027, adding pressure to the won, Korean bonds and dollar-funded investment
Samsung, SK Hynix rejection exposes South Korea’s chip-grid financing problem
KEPCO’s $18.6 billion proposal shows how Seoul’s semiconductor push is colliding with grid costs and demand risk
Hormuz deployment, France nuclear deal and Olympic Park protests — Ep. 149
Seoul weighs military involvement in Middle East, expands energy cooperation with Paris, ends sports federation blockade
Veteran general tapped for defense minister as Cabinet dispute grows — Ep. 148
Kang Shin-chul’s nomination, Yong Hye-in’s dual-role controversy and proposal for longer school days
South Korea’s drone push falters as police reform raises alarm — Ep. 147
Prototype crashes expose defense challenges while high-profile cases cast doubt on expanded police authority
Trump cuts UFS drills as Kim summit push rattles alliance — Ep. 146
Abrupt shortening of major US-ROK exercise raises readiness and OPCON questions as Seoul backs renewed diplomacy
Youth unemployment, housing misfire and AI legal gray zones — Ep. 145
South Korea’s headline employment gains mask weaker prospects for young workers as lawmakers test new housing, AI rules
College exam overhaul, heat-wave response and air base protest — Ep. 144
South Korea debates machine-scored essays as vulnerable workers face extreme heat and lawmakers revisit term limits
South Korea’s offshore won push shifts reform from promise to execution
Seoul now needs foreign banks to use RFI-K and build the liquidity that earlier currency reforms have yet to prove
Trump’s Cheongung social media post tests Seoul’s refusal to arm to Ukraine
Korean law does not bar wartime transfers outright, leaving readiness and Russia as stronger reasons for restraint
South Korea’s trade windfall faces first test from worsening energy shock
Record terms-of-trade gains give Seoul a buffer, but higher oil costs threaten to erode it in the months ahead
Lee Jae Myung risks public trust as South Korea rewires its justice system
Justice minister nominee’s reform credentials make him valuable even as controversies threaten confidence in overhaul
South Korea builds Central Asia ties around minerals, industry and finance
New C5+1 ministerial meetings show Seoul pairing resource access with Korean technology, investment and policy finance
South Korea turns to Central Asia as Iran war tests its energy resilience
Lee Jae Myung seeks lasting oil supply ties as China, Russia and Middle East disruptions narrow Seoul’s options
