South Korea in October 2026: A month in review and what’s ahead
An analytical look at the main developments from October 1 to 30, 2026, and key outlook for November 2026
October 30, 2026
ANALYSIS, OPINION & MORE
Lee’s online backlash, US alliance tensions and political theatrics — Ep. 155
Lee Jae Myung faces backlash over immigration remarks as defense minister questions US military support
Lee and Merz deepen ties as EU market rules loom over Korean exporters
Seoul wants equal treatment for its manufacturers as European lawmakers revisit provisions in a major industrial bill
South Korea’s political polls split over how far the opposition has surged
Automated surveys favor the PPP, but interviewer polls still put the DP ahead as household pressures weigh on Lee
South Korea’s SK hynix posts record profit, pledges $75 billion to shareholders
Chipmaker expects memory shortages through 2030 as Seoul keeps aging reactors running to meet AI power demand
Why South Korea continues to detain migrant children, despite calls for reform
Past outrage over detained toddlers has failed to produce legislative changes, leaving children vulnerable
Lee Jae Myung calls CPTPP entry unavoidable but says deal won’t come in his term
South Korean president offers farmers more support and floats export levy, but leaves Japan’s demand unresolved
Lee’s online backlash, US alliance tensions and political theatrics — Ep. 155
Lee Jae Myung faces backlash over immigration remarks as defense minister questions US military support
Russia's Seoul outreach, Hormuz mission and cyber threats — Ep. 154
Moscow proposes renewed ties as South Korea weighs naval expansion and raises its cybersecurity alert
KOSPI plunge, Kamala Harris visit and Lee’s staffing shake-up — Ep. 153
South Korean chip stocks tumble as former US vice president visits Seoul and Lee appoints new chief of staff
Nuri launch, bank cyber breach and Seoul-Kyiv tensions — Ep. 152
South Korea marks another space milestone as financial security concerns grow and ties with Ukraine face new strain
North Korean mine dispute, new Lee advisers and US investment pressure — Ep. 151
Seoul navigates a sensitive DMZ incident while pushing engagement and resisting premature claims over Alaska LNG
Lee-Trump talks, US investment pressure and Mexico trip — Ep. 150
Seoul pushes North Korea diplomacy, weighs costly US projects and looks to deepen ties with Mexico
Border tensions, alliance strains dominate South Korea’s parliamentary audits
Lawmakers pressed officials on North Korean mines, US intelligence curbs, OPCON timelines and a rift with Ukraine
Migrants now drive South Korea’s population growth as non-migrant numbers fall
Data show settled families replacing temporary workers, while policy and politics lag behind
South Korea’s petrochemical rescue faces a reckoning over who pays the bill
Creditors are extending repayment deadlines as new production in Ulsan tests the value of planned factory closures
South Korea raises alert over global PHP flaw, but firms must patch on their own
Lawmakers faulted Seoul for a slow response, but rules bar its cyber agency from even scanning for exposed systems
Russia’s Seoul outreach, Hormuz mission and cyber threats — Ep. 154
Moscow proposes renewed ties as South Korea weighs naval expansion and raises its cybersecurity alert
South Korean officials can’t agree on why US curbed intel sharing
Conflicting accounts of alliance strain come as Washington keeps its demands out of public view
