Briefings
South Korea’s K-shaped recovery: Conglomerates soar as SMEs stagnate in Q3
Headline growth returns to 2.1%, but divergence between tech exports and domestic services signals deepening crisis
December 18, 2025
Korea Zinc Tennessee smelter ties South Korean supply chains to US security
Pentagon-backed investment grants Washington preferred access, raising questions over Seoul’s industrial autonomy
December 17, 2025
Record Korean ICT exports mask deep strategic vulnerabilities in China trade
Surge in memory shipments to Beijing highlights reliance on component sales while US blocks logic capacity upgrades
December 16, 2025
US and allies launch Pax Silica to harden tech and mineral supply chains
Seoul joins eight other nations in exclusionary industrial bloc that targets Beijing’s dominance in AI and minerals
December 15, 2025
South Korea faces 35% tariff wall as Mexico targets Asian supply chains
Auto and electronics sectors lose logistical edge as Mexico City moves to curb Asian shipments ahead of USMCA review
December 12, 2025
Trump clears China market for US tech giants after freezing South Korean rivals
August regulatory freeze on Samsung and SK Hynix paved way for December monetization of US chip sales to Beijing markets
December 11, 2025
Lee Jae Myung orders review of compulsory probe rights for state agencies
President argues social cost of criminal law is high and pushes for massive fines enforced by agency discretionary acts
December 10, 2025
South Korea labor demand hits 1998 crisis level as private hiring turns ice cold
Job opening ratio drops to lowest since Asian Financial Crisis while youth exodus from manufacturing accelerates rapidly
December 9, 2025
Weak won erodes South Korea’s bank safety scores despite strong profit growth
Financial regulator signals dividend caps may be needed to preserve loss absorbing capacity amid fears of stagnation
December 8, 2025
South Korea’s wealth gap widens as asset inflation masks structural weakness
Rising Gini coefficient and double-digit surge in rental liabilities undercut government claims of financial soundness
December 5, 2025
