Briefings
Seoul bets on frontier technologies to build South Korea’s next industries
Government wants today’s mega projects to finance future industries as supply-chain and power constraints loom larger
August 13, 2026
US polysilicon tariffs raise pressure on Korean firms to produce in America
Seoul will seek relief as Section 232 measures reward US production and raise pressure on suppliers operating abroad
August 12, 2026
South Korea sets late-2028 target to free Gwangju air base for mega chip cluster
Military relocation, US coordination and year-end power supply leave little room for delays in Seoul’s Honam plans
August 11, 2026
South Korea’s health insurance deficit puts Lee’s health agenda under strain
A 3.9 trillion won first-quarter shortfall comes as Seoul seeks more funding for regional and essential medical care
August 10, 2026
South Korea’s record current account surplus reshapes the won’s outlook
Semiconductor exports overwhelmed energy costs and offset the capital outflows that had long suppressed the currency
August 7, 2026
South Korea’s 10 million older workers expose retirement’s widening economic gap
A record workforce masks a two-decade stretch between career exit and retirement that pensions still fail to bridge
August 6, 2026
South Korea core inflation hits two-year high as overall prices slow to 2.8%
Bank of Korea minutes show economists urging higher rates, warning that the chip windfall is now lifting prices
August 5, 2026
South Korea’s memory chip prices hit records as cost lands on its own industry
DRAM contract prices rose to $24 in July from $5.30 a year earlier, and Samsung’s phone division lost 700 billion won
August 4, 2026
Lee Jae Myung turns South America into South Korea’s next supply chain bet
Argentinian oil, Chilean minerals and Brazilian scale part of regional strategy to diversify trade and resource access
August 3, 2026
Fed’s split rate freeze leaves South Korea facing prolonged uncertainty
Three votes for a hike, firm inflation language and Middle East risks cloud the outlook for US rates and Korean markets
July 31, 2026
