Analysis
South Korea’s tariff truce with US trades long-term risks for near-term calm
Seoul’s $350 billion deal averts a liquidity crisis but leaves its semiconductor exports exposed to Section 232 tariffs
November 3, 2025
Trump’s nuclear submarine approval exposes enduring asymmetry in US-ROK alliance
Symbolic green light grants momentum, but congressional and legal barriers will keep Seoul dependent on Washington
October 30, 2025
Trump-Lee summit dismantles old ideologies as economic nationalism takes hold
A conservative populist and a progressive nationalist align on industrial sovereignty, redefining the US-ROK alliance
October 29, 2025
Lee Jae-myung’s export drive tests Seoul’s ability to safeguard defense secrets
President’s T.O.P. plan targets global arms dominance but lacks the central authority needed to secure technology
October 28, 2025
South Korea’s stock market soars, but institutional risk grows underneath
Equity boom driven by AI, semiconductors and shipbuilding masks fragile domestic demand and policy inertia
October 27, 2025
The illusion of strength: South Korea’s AI chip boom hides deeper reform risks
Export-driven growth sustains optimism and short-term confidence while slowing progress on fiscal and structural reform
October 24, 2025
Who’s coming to Gyeongju: Inside South Korea’s high-stakes APEC summit week
South Korea’s first APEC hosting in 20 years brings Trump, Xi and global CEOs together amid strategic uncertainty
October 23, 2025
US refusal to share advanced Navy system leaves South Korea isolated at sea
Washington’s tech export restriction reflects doubts over Seoul’s cyber reliability and highlights alliance asymmetry
October 22, 2025
Taiwan surges ahead as South Korea’s middle class loses purchasing power
As Taipei invests in innovation and fiscal prudence, Seoul risks stagnation amid chaebol dominance and debt
October 21, 2025
Symbolic governance erodes trust as South Korea’s fiscal populism expands
Rising employment and welfare spending fail to restore confidence among youth who view stimulus as political theater
October 20, 2025
