Editor’s note: The names of the women working in Miari interviewed for this article have been changed to protect their privacy and safety. In a narrow alley in northern Seoul, plywood boards cover the...

Editor’s note: The names of the women working in Miari interviewed for this article have been changed to protect their privacy and safety. In a narrow alley in northern Seoul, plywood boards cover the...

Washington’s reported plan to tax imported electronics by the value of their semiconductor content could soon render South Korea’s $350 billion investment-for-tariff relief deal effectively meaningles...

President Lee Jae-myung’s denunciation of a “submissive mindset” toward foreign troops represents a calculated attempt to redefine South Korea’s strategic identity, which carries significant risks for...

The U.S. Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point Wednesday (Thursday Seoul time), lowering the target range for the federal funds rate to 4.00 to 4.25%, its first reduction ...

South Korea risks undermining its export competitiveness as the Lee Jae-myung administration pushes ahead with labor reforms that increase costs, shorten working hours and extend the retirement age wi...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John and Lina examine a turbulent week for South Korea’s trade, defense and domestic agenda. They discuss how a U.S. appeals court ruling against Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs threatens to upend Washington’s negotiations with trade partners, including Seoul. They also weigh South Korea’s official decision to join […] The post Tariffs, CPTPP, military parade and UN speech — Ep. 96 appeared first on Korea Pro.

The Bank of Korea (BOK) on Thursday held its base rate steady at 2.5%, citing stable inflation and a modest improvement in domestic growth but warning that housing prices in Seoul and household debt remain elevated. The decision followed a series of cuts late last year and earlier this year, as the central bank shifted […] The post Bank of Korea holds rate at 2.5% as housing debt and Fed risks loom large appeared first on Korea Pro.

South Korean firms pledged $150 billion in U.S. investments during President Lee Jae-myung’s Aug. 25 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, securing access to U.S. markets but increasing their exposure to a slowing American economy. These pledges were the condition for Washington lowering tariffs on South Korean exports from 25% to 15%, part of a […] The post South Korea’s pay-to-play deal with Trump anchors firms in a risky US economy appeared first on Korea Pro.

South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a met U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary James Danly in Busan on Wednesday to discuss ways to expand bilateral nuclear cooperation, the foreign ministry said. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the APEC energy ministers’ meeting and follows the summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Lee Jae-myung, where […] The post US, South Korea push nuclear cooperation amid clash over KHNP’s autonomy appeared first on Korea Pro.

China’s state media response to the Trump-Lee summit suggests Beijing is increasingly concerned over deepening U.S.-South Korea ties. On Tuesday, the Global Times accused Seoul of acting like Washington’s “pawn,” criticizing ROK President Lee Jae-myung for aligning too closely with the U.S. during his first bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump. The Oval Office meeting […] The post Trump-Lee summit prompts Beijing warning on US-South Korea alignment appeared first on Korea Pro.

South Korean firms pledged an additional $150 billion in U.S. investments and signed a series of major deals during President Lee Jae-myung’s visit to Washington for his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. The commitments, announced at a business roundtable attended by Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Hyundai […] The post South Korea bets $150 billion on US as Trump ties tariffs to investments appeared first on Korea Pro.

The first summit meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and ROK President Lee Jae-myung on Monday nearly veered off course before it began, exposing just how vulnerable the U.S.-ROK alliance is to Trump’s impulsive messaging and the disinformation networks surrounding him. A last-minute social media post from Trump just hours before the scheduled meeting set […] The post Trump’s social media post nearly derails first White House summit with Lee appeared first on Korea Pro.

U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held their first summit at the White House on early Tuesday morning (KST), discussing trade, defense and North Korea during a public Oval Office session before moving to a working lunch. Trump told reporters that Seoul wanted to renegotiate trade terms but “that doesn’t mean […] The post Trump, Lee hold first summit marked by praise, trade tension and awkward optics appeared first on Korea Pro.

President Lee Jae-myung’s first bilateral summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday highlighted that both countries remain committed to maintaining improved ties, but their failure to bridge strategic divides may have been a missed opportunity for deeper alignment. Held in Tokyo, the summit continued the shuttle diplomacy revived under former ROK President […] The post Lee-Ishiba summit signals unity but fails to narrow gaps on China and history appeared first on Korea Pro.

ROK President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a summit meeting in Tokyo on Saturday, agreeing to restart shuttle diplomacy and expand cooperation across economic, social and security fields. The meeting, which included a one-hour small-group session and a 55-minute expanded discussion, concluded with the two leaders issuing the first joint press […] The post Lee puts Japan ahead of US, betting on trilateral strength before Trump summit appeared first on Korea Pro.

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John and Joon Ha dissect revelations about the hidden clause in Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Korea Electric Power Corporation’s (KEPCO) settlement with Westinghouse Electric, which critics argue binds South Korea’s nuclear exports under U.S. control for the next half-century. They examine the political fallout […] The post KHNP-Westinghouse scandal, Lee-Ishiba summit, Trump meeting looms — Ep. 94 appeared first on Korea Pro.

Cho Kuk’s rapid political reentry following his Aug. 15 pardon has intensified risks for South Korea’s ruling bloc, as political signaling outpaces institutional coordination within the Democratic Party (DP) and its allies. The return of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP) leader has destabilized voter coalitions, triggered internal dissent and raised doubts about the […] The post Cho Kuk’s return after pardon tests South Korea’s progressive coalition unity appeared first on Korea Pro.

The U.S. is considering taking equity stakes in foreign chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), that are building plants in the country with support from the CHIPS and Science Act, Reuters reported this week. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is examining structures that would convert part of federal grants into ownership […] The post US equity push in Samsung raises sovereignty fears ahead of Trump-Lee summit appeared first on Korea Pro.

South Korea risks long-term industrial dependence after agreeing to a nuclear settlement that reportedly grants Westinghouse Electric — a U.S.-based reactor design firm — extensive control over its state-run utility companies, raising concerns about strategic sovereignty and institutional subordination. The agreement has ended a yearslong legal dispute between Westinghouse and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power […] The post Hidden clause in US nuclear deal puts South Korea’s industrial autonomy at risk appeared first on Korea Pro.

South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) said Wednesday it will begin providing monthly economic indicators, including data on business openings and closures, cash receipt issuance, credit card usage, electronic tax invoices and import and export activity. The agency said the figures, previously available only annually or not at all, will be shared with government ministries, […] The post National Tax Service data highlights South Korea’s small-business strain appeared first on Korea Pro.

The Lee Jae-myung administration’s plan to dismantle the Defense Counterintelligence Command (DCC) risks trading political overreach for operational vulnerability, scattering national security functions just as espionage threats from North Korea, China and Russia intensify. The Presidential Committee on Policy Planning announced on Aug. 13 that the DCC would be dissolved. The decision follows revelations that […] The post South Korea’s military reform risks weakening counterintelligence operations appeared first on Korea Pro.

The U.S. has expanded its 50% tariff on imported steel and aluminum products to cover 407 additional derivative items, a measure that took effect on Aug. 18 at 12:01 a.m. EST. The new scope includes machinery, auto parts, electronic devices, refrigerators, transformers, tractors and even cosmetics packaged in aluminum containers, according to South Korea’s trade […] The post South Korea faces fiscal squeeze as US tariffs expand into consumer goods appeared first on Korea Pro.