Court Ruling on Chaebol Succession: South Korea’s Seoul High Court ordered SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won to pay 944 billion won (about $644m) in a divorce settlement, a “divorce of the century” case that could still require further Supreme Court review and may force share sales or collateral planning. Trade & Tariffs: Seoul says it will closely consult Washington to keep the mutually agreed 15% US tariff rate after the US imposed forced-labor tariffs of up to 12.5% on 60 partners, adding new uncertainty for Korea’s export-driven economy. US-SK Security Talks: The allies are pressing over a target date for wartime OPCON transfer, with Washington linking any timeline to readiness while Seoul pushes to accelerate the handover. North Korea Risk Management: South Korea warned monsoon rains may have washed North Korean land mines toward inter-Korean rivers, urging the public not to touch suspected objects. Economy & Jobs Debate: As chip profits surge, Seoul is also facing the “growth without jobs” critique, with markets reacting to AI spending worries and oil-price pressure. Industrial Policy & Tech Diplomacy: President Lee Jae Myung’s Silicon Valley trip is set to turn last month’s $880bn AI-and-chip investment plan into concrete US deals, including major memory supply talks with Nvidia and others. Food Prices: The government is subsidizing US egg imports to stabilize prices after avian influenza culls. Regional Diplomacy: Manila hosted ASEAN foreign ministers’ meetings, reinforcing ASEAN’s role as a dialogue platform amid geopolitical strain.