Korea

• South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stated on Friday, September 18, that he will not deploy military assets to the Middle East if it risks drawing the country into conflict. • The administration is currently reviewing whether to increase its role in safeguarding navigation, or the safe movement of ships, in the region. • This decision balances South Korea's desire to protect vital shipping lanes with the need to avoid direct military entanglement in regional hostilities.

• South Korea is expanding its research and development support program from five to all nine regional national university hospitals, with a second phase beginning in 2028. • The program funds advanced medical research including genomic big data analysis and whole-exome sequencing, which identifies mutations across all protein-coding regions of the genome. • This expansion allows clinicians to turn patient treatment observations into active research projects, such as Jeju National University Hospital's infectious disease outbreak prediction model.

Seoul resolves recent speculation over sending military to strait of Hormuz, saying ‘there won’t be deployment that would involve or enter war’South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, has said he will ⁠not deploy the military to the ⁠Middle East in a way ​that could draw the country into conflict, resisting calls from Donald Trump to support his war in Iran.“There won’t be deployment that would involve or enter war. I can tell you that very clearly,” Lee said at a ⁠news conference on Friday. “We won’t deploy military assets in any form to that end.” Continue reading...

• Chinese short-form drama platforms dominated new entertainment app downloads in South Korea during August. • DramaWave led the market with 840,000 installs, followed by NetShort with 800,000 and DramaBox with 740,000, according to Mobile Index. • The surge in Chinese app popularity highlights a gap in the local Korean market for bite-sized series despite the country's global reputation for long-form dramas.

• South Korea's unification minister announced on September 17 that the government will not pursue legal action against North Korea for damages to South Korean-owned property. • The decision follows a period of evaluation regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of seeking reparations through legal channels. • This move signals a shift in how the government manages property disputes with the North to avoid escalating diplomatic tensions.

• Indian teqball players Declan Gonsalves and Mohamed Anas Beg lost back-to-back men's doubles matches against Vietnam and South Korea during the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. • The sport combines football and table tennis on a curved table, requiring players to score 12 points to win a set. • The duo remains in the competition through the repechage route, which is a second-chance bracket for athletes who lost early matches.

• The ruling Democratic Party of Korea adopted the confirmation report for its justice minister nominee on Thursday. • The Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly pushed the confirmation through despite resistance from the main opposition party. • This decision allows the embattled nominee to move forward in the appointment process despite political conflict.

• A Seoul court ordered North Korea to pay $32.5 million for the destruction of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office. • North Korean forces blew up the building in June 2020 following a period of rising tensions between the two nations. • The ruling highlights the collapse of diplomatic ties that peaked in 2018 during three summits between Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un.

• Several countries, including Nepal, Singapore, Israel, Romania, South Korea, and Chile, have submitted their official entries for the 2027 Academy Award for best international feature film. • Turkey selected the social drama "Like a Limbless Tree," directed by Tunç Davut, as its official representative for the competition. • These submissions determine which global films will compete for one of cinema's most prestigious awards, impacting international distribution and visibility for the filmmakers.

• A South Korean court ordered North Korea to pay 44.6 billion won, or approximately $32.5 million, for destroying a joint liaison office in 2020. • The ruling follows the North's decision to blow up the shared facility during a period of heightened tension between the two nations. • This legal decision reinforces the financial accountability of North Korea for its aggressive actions against South Korean diplomatic infrastructure.

• ITSpace deployed an AI system to monitor electrical currents and temperatures at 20,000 shops across 51 markets in Incheon, South Korea. • The technology identifies abnormal patterns in electricity and heat to block electrical fires before they ignite. • This system reduces the risk of catastrophic property loss and business interruption for thousands of small-scale market vendors.

• South Korean football and baseball teams are competing for gold medals at the Asian Games. • Winning a gold medal is the only way for these athletes to receive an exemption from the country's mandatory military service. • This incentive creates high stakes for players who must choose between professional sports careers and national service duties.

• India won the men’s Junior Asia Cup title by defeating Korea 4-1 in the final held in Moqi, China, on Sunday. • This victory marks a record sixth continental crown for the Indian team. • The win secures India a qualification spot in the upcoming World Cup.

• India defeated South Korea 4-1 to win its sixth Junior Hockey Asia Cup title. • This victory puts India level with China and South Korea as the most successful teams in the history of the women's tournament. • The win secures India's qualification for the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup.

• India will face South Korea in the final of the men’s AHF Junior Asia Cup 2026 this Sunday at the Moqi Training Base in China. • India reached the final after defeating Malaysia 3-1 in the semifinals and finishing top of their group with three wins and one draw. • The outcome determines whether India can successfully defend its title as the reigning champion of the tournament.

• India defeated South Korea 5-1 on Saturday to advance to the final of the AHF Junior Women's Asia Cup 2026. • Drag-flick specialist Supriya scored a hat-trick, netting three goals from penalty corners to lead the victory. • This win allows the defending champions to continue their attempt to retain the tournament title.

• French President Emmanuel Macron hosted global film and television leaders, including representatives from Hollywood and streaming platforms, at the Lumière Summit. • The gathering served as the first event of its scale in a century to address the impact of AI, YouTube, and culture policy on the future of cinema. • The summit focused on the belief that culture is an economic force and a source of soft power that requires active protection to drive growth.

• India advanced to the Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2026 final after defeating South Korea 4-1. • The victory was led by a hat-trick from player Supriya and follows a 19-0 quarterfinal win over Pakistan. • India is now competing to win its third consecutive title after winning the tournament in 2023 and 2024.

• India's junior women's hockey team advanced to the Asia Cup final after defeating South Korea 5-1 on September 12, 2026, in Moqi, China. • Player Supriya secured the victory by scoring a hat-trick, which is three goals in a single game. • This win guarantees India a spot in the championship match for the regional tournament.

• The Indian Junior Women’s Team defeated South Korea 5-1 on Saturday to advance to the final of the AHF Junior Asia Cup 2026 in Moqi, China. • Drag-flick specialist Supriya scored three goals through clinical penalty-corner conversions to secure the victory. • This win allows the defending champions to compete for the tournament title.

• India advanced to the Junior Women’s Asia Cup final after defeating South Korea 5-1 in a semifinal match. • Supriya led the victory by scoring a hat-trick, which consists of three goals scored by a single player, through three penalty-corner conversions. • This win allows the defending champions to maintain their pursuit of the tournament title.

• A 20-year-old university student, Le Minh Anh, became hooked on a Chinese microdrama despite not knowing the main character's name or the show's title. • Telecommunications giant AIS reported that 9 million customers in Thailand use vertical series apps monthly, and it partnered with ReelShort to launch a 5G package starting at 39 baht ($1.19) per month. • The popularity of Chinese microdramas in Southeast Asia means that telecommunications companies can attract millions of customers with affordable packages, potentially increasing their revenue.

Surprise appearance by Pennsylvania senator raises fresh questions over loyalty to and future in Democratic partyThe Democratic senator John Fetterman’s decision to address the Republican National Committee (RNC) midterm convention via video sparked a furious response from some members of his party.Fetterman’s surprise appearance – and praise of his fellow Pennsylvania senator, Republican Dave McCormick – raised fresh questions over his loyalty to, and future inside, the Democratic party. Continue reading...

• Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Rep. Yong Hye-in announced Thursday that she will keep her parliamentary seat if she is appointed to the cabinet. • Yong denied allegations regarding her husband's pay, stating he earned an average monthly salary of 2.5 million won over six years while working for the Basic Income Party. • The nominee's decision to retain her seat persists despite mounting pressure from both ruling and opposition political parties.

• South Korean artificial intelligence startup Upstage is considering a pre-listing funding round as one of several capital-market options. • The company's co-founder confirmed the possibility of this pre-IPO round to Bloomberg. • This move would provide a capital injection for the AMD-backed firm to scale its AI operations before going public.

• South Korea's science ministry budgeted KRW250 billion (US$184.6 million) for 2027 to launch "AI for all," a program providing citizens free access to AI chatbots and agents. • The government requires that these AI services be built using at least 50% domestic AI models. • This investment aims to reduce reliance on foreign technology by scaling the use of home-grown artificial intelligence across the general population.

The International Atomic Energy Agency voices ‘serious concerns’ over expansion of Yongbyon facility to enrich uraniumThe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has voiced “serious concern” over evidence that North Korea has built a facility capable of enriching weapons-grade uranium to bolster its nuclear arsenal.The new building, located at the the country’s main Yongbyon nuclear facility, can house up to 28 centrifuge cascades – machinery commonly used to enrich uranium – according to a report by the nuclear watchdog released this week. Continue reading...

• A presidential official announced Thursday that the government will decide whether to appoint nominees for justice and gender equality ministers after their confirmation hearings. • Senior presidential secretary Seong Ghi-hong made the statement during an MBC radio interview regarding nominees Kim Seung-won and Yong Hye-in. • The decision affects the leadership of the justice and gender equality ministries following public controversy surrounding the candidates.