Global Scans · South Korea · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: South Korea may go nuclear if Trump cancels the missile deployment and leaves the country alone facing the North's threats. With the President facing an impeachment vote and mass demonstrations on the streets political and economic turmoil may follow. Chinese markets has already shaken South Korea, where central bankers downgraded their forecasts for economic growth.

• [New] Anthropic signed an MOU with South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT, committing to collaborate on AI safety and cybersecurity, model evaluation in the Korean language with the Korea AI Safety Institute, and information-sharing on AI-enabled cyber threats. Build Fast with AI
• [New] The Compression Threat: Breakthroughs in AI software efficiency, such as Google's TurboQuant, could fundamentally reduce the physical memory capacity required per server, potentially dampening long-term demand. / South Korea Bingx Exchange
• [New] Japan and South Korea face higher exposure to Gulf energy risks. Insurance Asia
• [New] South Korea's local elections outcomes in key swing provinces will indicate public approval of the Lee Jae Myung administration and ensure its policy momentum. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] For South Korea, the common pathway is exposure without control - Seoul must manage energy prices, shipping compliance, export risk, and alliance expectations generated by decisions made in Washington, Tehran, Moscow, Kiev, Brussels, and Beijing. Fault Lines
• [New] For South Korea, the regional risk is that U.S. allies are being asked to absorb more pressure around Hormuz while China watches for signs that coercion can divide U.S. commitments across theaters. Fault Lines
• [New] South Korea's geopolitical exposure acts as a constant drag on its Political Risk Index. PRS Group
• [New] South Korea will start checking returning travelers' mobile roaming history and data. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
• [New] Both South Korea and India are developing solar projects that will surpass the Dingzhuang project. BGR
• [New] The increased thermal coal assumptions for 2026 reflect geopolitical tensions and higher demand from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, as buyers have increased purchases to hedge against potential LNG supply disruptions, particularly benefiting Australian coal. petromindo
• [New] South Korea is projected to expand at 15.8%, benefiting from vertically integrated automotive electronics supply chains that support efficient production and faster technology deployment. FactMr
• There was a still a window of opportunity for Australia to dump Aukus and buy conventionally armed submarines from countries such as Japan, South Korea or Sweden without leaving a capability cap after the retirement of the Collins-class vessels. The Guardian
• South Korea will likely seek to secure the transit of South Korean vessels through consultations with Iran rather than military participation in the United States-led operations in the Strait of Hormuz. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• South Korea is projected to grow at 15.1% CAGR through urban monitoring and public safety technology programs. FactMr
• Samsung Electronics jumped 9.5% after high-bandwidth memory progress and hopes of closer Nvidia ties, while LG Electronics surged 28% on potential AI and robotics cooperation. / South Korea Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
• South Korea: South Korea targets high shares of eco-friendly vehicle sales by 2030, a category that includes BEVs, FCEVs, PHEVs, and hybrids. Coltura - Moving America Beyond Gasoline by 2040
• The Financial Services Commission has been weighing guidelines - ones that could let qualified public companies put no more than 5% of their equity capital into leading digital assets. / South Korea Bitcoin Foundation
• While South Korea may have secured its short-term interests, there could well be long-term costs in prioritising the US-South Korea alliance over South Korea's national interests. OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION ( ORF )
• The US Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act, extending federal quantum strategy through 2034 and explicitly mandating a national PQC migration strategy. / South Korea Advancing Industrial Economics Through Quantum Leadersh
• With no clear end in sight to the conflict surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, South Korea is expected to continue reviewing its options while avoiding firm commitments for the time being. the korea herald
• South Korea is likely pursuing SSNs due to a perceived capability gap in countering North Korea's submarine-based nuclear threat. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• South Korea's export data and manufacturing surveys on Monday will be watched for signs the AI-driven investment boom is continuing to offset weakness in more traditional sectors. financialpost

Last updated: 24 June 2026