Inter-Korean & Foreign Relations
Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls
Texas is approved, nuclear remains conditional and Alaska LNG will show how costly Seoul’s right to walk away may be
October 1, 2026
North Korean POW dispute tests Seoul-Kyiv trust and future Ukraine policy
Conflicting accounts of the transfer deal raise questions over aid, intelligence sharing and future POW cooperation
October 1, 2026
South Korea in September 2026: A month in review and what’s ahead
An analytical look at the main developments from September 1 to 28, 2026, and key outlook for October 2026
September 30, 2026
South Korea’s CPTPP push exposes the cost of turning trade gains into consensus
Lee wants exporters to help fund the losers from trade, but legal hurdles and foreign demands complicate the bargain
September 29, 2026
AI storage boom gives South Korea battery makers an EV overcapacity lifeline
LGES, Samsung SDI and SK On can repurpose US plants, but LFP costs and China exposure could sharply limit the payoff
September 28, 2026
South Korea’s Mexico strategy runs into the hard limits of USMCA politics
Washington and Mexico City want more regional content, raising costs for Korean suppliers tied to factories in Mexico
September 25, 2026
Lee-Trump talks, US investment pressure and Mexico trip — Ep. 150
Seoul pushes North Korea diplomacy, weighs costly US projects and looks to deepen ties with Mexico
September 25, 2026
South Korea builds diplomatic case for limited Hormuz role in talks with Iran
Seoul backs safe passage and international efforts as questions grow over its promised Hormuz contribution
September 25, 2026
US midterm clock raises stakes for South Korea’s $200 billion investment talks
Each project approval reduces Seoul’s bargaining room while key Korean priorities still depend on future US decisions
September 23, 2026
Lee’s Hormuz red line tests South Korea’s leverage in $350 billion US talks
Washington wants more allied support and Korean capital as Seoul tries to protect limits built into last year’s deal
September 22, 2026
