Briefings
National Tax Service data highlights South Korea’s small-business strain
Food service, wholesale and real estate show persistent closures, highlighting weak demand despite overall stability
August 21, 2025
South Korea faces fiscal squeeze as US tariffs expand into consumer goods
Section 232 tariffs now hit 407 items from refrigerators to cosmetics, colliding with Seoul’s deficit financing strategy
August 20, 2025
Lee Jae-myung’s approval hits record low after pardons and tax backlash
Backlash erodes support at home, but high-profile talks with Japan and the US could give Lee a foreign policy boost
August 19, 2025
South Korea fast-tracks India ties with three high-level contacts in two months
Seoul deepens strategic outreach as US-India tensions mount, signaling new opportunities and risks for trade and defense
August 18, 2025
Presidential ally tapped to head Korea’s financial watchdog, raising concerns
Lee Chan-jin, a civic lawyer with no direct finance background, fuels debate about regulatory independence
August 15, 2025
South Korea unveils aggressive new tools to penalize workplace deaths
Disclosure mandates, public bid bans and emergency work halts to replace courts as frontline tools against fatalities
August 14, 2025
Lee prepares for high-stakes first summit with Trump in Washington this month
First US-ROK summit to test Lee Jae-myung’s ability to defend trade gains and navigate Trump’s likely defense demands
August 13, 2025
Lee Jae-myung pardons Cho Kuk, opening new political fault lines in South Korea
Liberation Day pardon restores Cho’s political rights, sparking debate over his role in ruling party’s strategy
August 12, 2025
South Korea extends review of Google’s mapping data export amid US trade tension
Tariff deal without written terms could make mapping dispute a bargaining chip for Trump and Lee as lobbying accelerates
August 11, 2025
South Korea’s fragile rebound leans on chips and temporary consumption aid
KDI flags risks to chip exports and construction jobs, with cash vouchers masking deeper fragilities in domestic demand
August 8, 2025
