What are the latest news in South Korea?
Defense & Regional Security
- Trilateral Military Drills: South Korea, the United States, and Japan announced plans to conduct the multi-domain Freedom Edge military exercises in international waters south of Jeju Island. The joint maneuvers aim to enhance coordination against North Korean missile and nuclear threats. Qatar news agency———
- Bilateral Exercise Adjustments: The annual U.S.–South Korea Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises concluded earlier than originally planned following directives from Washington to scale back the footprint, prompting discussions in Seoul on defense self-reliance and alliance coordination. -OPB——–
- North Korean Reactions: Pyongyang carried out short-range missile tests in protest of allied drills and expressed opposition to U.S.–South Korean defense cooperation.
- Review of Missing Persons Cases: South Korean law enforcement initiated a nationwide review of over 300,000 historical missing persons records following investigations into falsified record-keeping practices.- The Guardian———
- Travel Restrictions Debate: Domestic journalists and press associations have raised concerns regarding South Korea’s passport law restrictions, which limit travel to designated high-risk conflict zones.
- 2026 Tax Reform Measures: The Ministry of Economy and Finance released updated tax reform proposals focusing on strategic technology R&D incentives, regional investments, and adjustments to foreign worker taxation rules. -Global VAT Compliance——–