Briefings
US shutdown threatens South Korea’s trade talks and joint drills with USFK
Tariff talks stall, USFK faces furloughs and lost jobs data clouds Bank of Korea’s outlook ahead of rate decision
October 2, 2025
South Korea abolishes breach of trust crime in major corporate law shift
Civil damages, collective lawsuits and discovery rules to replace criminal law once used to prosecute chaebol chiefs
October 1, 2025
US clears South Korea of currency manipulation in trade talks
Treasury’s move offers short-term relief while Trump eyes semiconductor-content tariffs that could batter Korean exports
September 30, 2025
South Korea’s government data hub fire exposes digital fragility
Lithium-battery blaze cripples ministries weeks before APEC summit, reviving concerns over centralized IT resilience
September 29, 2025
South Korea’s financial regulator targets corporate buybacks with tougher rules
Draft rules demand semiannual disclosure of buyback plans and stricter penalties for inaccurate reporting
September 26, 2025
IMF sees South Korea growing 1.8% in 2026, calls for urgent structural reforms
Fund urges pension overhaul, clear budget targets and AI-driven productivity as Seoul’s 3% growth goal faces scrutiny
September 25, 2025
Joint trilateral statement masks growing frictions in US-ROK-Japan relations
Georgia raid, tariff fight and Japan’s leadership change threaten the supply-chain and tech goals agreed in New York
September 24, 2025
South Korea’s export surge masks daily decline as US tariffs reshape trade
September’s 13.5% gain stems from more workdays while daily exports fall 10.6%, showing fragile demand beyond chips
September 23, 2025
Trump slaps $100,000 surcharge on new H-1B visas, raising costs for tech firms
Steep fee threatens South Korean industrial projects that rely on long-term US deployments of specialists
September 22, 2025
US Fed cuts rates, opening policy window for South Korea’s central bank
First reduction since 2024 shrinks US-Korea rate gap to 1.75 pts, easing capital-flow pressure and imported-energy costs
September 19, 2025
