Briefings
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
Mexico’s tariff plan threatens South Korea’s auto edge amid US trade strains
Seoul faces higher costs in Mexico as US tariffs persist, tightening squeeze on ROK automakers’ North American strategy
September 18, 2025
South Korea unveils grand industrial and energy plan amid mounting fiscal strain
Cabinet approves seven national tasks with trillion-won ambitions, testing Seoul’s budgets and political resolve
September 17, 2025
South Korea sets profit-linked fines for firms with repeated workplace deaths
Companies with three or more annual fatalities face penalties up to 5% of operating profit and risk license cancellation
September 16, 2025
South Korea resists US tariff ultimatum as Supreme Court ruling looms
Seoul stalls trade talks, wary of Japan-style deal while awaiting US court decision on Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs
September 15, 2025
Lee Jae-myung warns US of investment risk without visa, tariff fix
In his 100-day address, South Korean leader cautioned that continued bottlenecks will slow multibillion-dollar projects
September 12, 2025
