Business & Economy
Lee Jae-myung’s 123 national tasks signal costly shift for Korean business
Sweeping reforms tighten labor, data and carbon rules while opening new but heavily conditioned market opportunities
September 26, 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
South Korea wins US nod to enrich uranium but faces costly road to autonomy
Pact allows 20% enrichment under safeguards, but Russian supply risks and need for significant investment pose barriers
September 24, 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
South Korea tests alliance limits with China outreach ahead of APEC summit
Growing discomfort with American coercion is driving subtle diplomatic realignment, though hard limits remain
September 19, 2025
Fed cut, Trump tariff threat and Lee’s 123 tasks — Ep. 98
The Korea Pro team examines US rate cuts, tariff tensions, Mexico’s auto duties and the Lee’s sweeping policy agenda
September 19, 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
