Raphael Rashid

Donald Trump has ordered the United States to substantially reduce its participation in the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and his relationship with Kim Jong-un. South Korean officials say coordination on defense will continue, while experts warn that scaling back the drills could weaken deterrence as North Korea gains battlefield experience from supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine. North Korea has condemned the exercises and recently test-fired ballistic missiles, but analysts say Pyongyang is unlikely to view a partial reduction as a meaningful concession.

Russia and North Korea are nearing completion of their first road crossing over the Tumen River, though delays on the Russian side have postponed its opening. Officials describe the bridge as infrastructure for trade and tourism, but the Ukrainian research group Truth Hounds argues that its multimodal design, lower satellite visibility and faster truck handling could make it a discreet military logistics route. The bridge would facilitate movement of North Korean troops, construction workers and military officials into Russia, as well as Russian technology and resources in the opposite direction. The project comes amid deepening military cooperation, including North Korean troops, artillery and missiles supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, and warnings from Volodymyr Zelenskyy that another 30,000 North Korean soldiers may be deployed.

South Korean prosecutors are seeking a one-year prison sentence for the owner of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul and a 20m won fine for the company after it served sorbet topped with dried ants. Ants are not among the 10 insect species approved as food ingredients in South Korea, and the restaurant did not obtain temporary approval. Prosecutors allege that ants imported from the US and Thailand were used over roughly four years, with the dessert sold about 12,200 times and generating approximately 120m won. The restaurant disputes the estimated number of ants used and says the chef used them to add acidity, without realising their use was illegal in South Korea. Sentencing is scheduled for 2 September.

South Korea’s AI-driven semiconductor boom, led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, is generating record profits, huge employee bonuses, soaring share prices and increased luxury spending. However, the gains are concentrated among chip workers, investors and wealthy households while manufacturing jobs decline, small businesses close and the income gap widens. A proposed “citizen dividend” funded through surplus tax revenues prompted accusations of communism and was subsequently narrowed, while Samsung’s union pressed for a greater share of profits. The debate has exposed the absence of a national framework for distributing wealth created by an industry built partly on decades of public support.

South Korea plans to train all 500,000 authorized military personnel across its army, navy, air force and marines to operate drones. The initiative responds to the growing battlefield role of low-cost unmanned systems in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as North Korea’s expanding capabilities and its military cooperation with Russia. Seoul intends to procure 60,000 commercial training drones by 2029, acquire more than 20,000 disposable combat drones by 2030, fast-track the K-Lucas loitering munition and expand laser and microwave counter-drone defenses. The plan follows North Korean drone incursions into South Korean airspace in 2022, which exposed serious weaknesses in Seoul’s response.

North Korea is accelerating its nuclear expansion, pledging to increase weapons-grade material production, deploy nuclear-capable missiles on warships and build additional destroyers. Analysts say Pyongyang wants a dispersed, survivable arsenal capable of deterring US, South Korean and Japanese forces and preventing intervention like the strikes on Iran. Nuclear weapons have been embedded in North Korea’s constitution, while stronger ties with China and Russia have reduced the leverage for renewed denuclearisation talks. Although Washington and Seoul continue to support eliminating North Korea’s arsenal, policy may increasingly shift toward arms control and gradual reduction.

Starbucks Korea will close more than 2,000 stores for several hours on 22 June so employees can attend mandatory training on modern Korean history and social sensitivity, with executives including Shinsegae chair Chung Yong-jin attending separately. The move follows a promotion for the company’s “Tank” tumbler series on the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju massacre, compounded by a slogan evoking the torture death of activist Park Jong-chul. The campaign triggered boycotts, damaged sales, government disengagement and the dismissal of the chief executive. Starbucks and Chung have apologized, while an internal review found no deliberate intent and Seoul police continue investigating Chung and the former chief executive.

Tens of thousands attended Seoul’s annual queer culture festival, celebrating amid persistent stigma and the absence of legal protections for LGBTQ+ people. The event has been barred from Seoul Plaza for four years under conservative mayor Oh Se-hoon, while a comprehensive anti-discrimination law remains stalled after nearly two decades of opposition, particularly from conservative Protestant groups. A recent court ruling recognizing a same-sex couple’s legal union and the government’s commitment to prepare an anti-discrimination law offered limited signs of progress, even as counter-protesters denounced homosexuality.

South Koreans adapted their traditional World Cup celebrations to an 11am kickoff against Czechia, caused by the 15-hour time difference with North America. Thousands gathered in Seoul wearing red, eating breakfast foods and cheering for the national team, while many companies, schools, restaurants and sports bars adjusted their schedules to accommodate fans. The morning setting produced a more family-friendly and sober atmosphere than the late-night drinking associated with previous tournaments, although some supporters still enjoyed beer and typical football foods. South Korea won the match 2–1 after coming from behind.

A Starbucks Korea promotion launched on 18 May under the name “Tank Day” triggered mass outrage because the date coincided with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju massacre, while the campaign’s “thwack on the desk” slogan evoked the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chul. The promotion was cancelled within hours and CEO Son Jeong-hyun was dismissed, but customers continued smashing merchandise, deleting loyalty apps and seeking refunds from prepaid balances. Card payments fell sharply, government agencies suspended partnerships, and police booked Son and Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong-jin as criminal suspects. Chung and Starbucks Corporation apologized, while Shinsegae’s investigation said the offense was unintentional and partly resulted from failures in internal review and reliance on an AI tool. The backlash has expanded into a wider political debate over historical memory, authoritarianism and corporate responsibility in South Korea.

Galaxy Robot Park, a 16,500-square-metre facility in Seoul’s Gangdong district, uses humanoid robots for K-pop concerts, boxing demonstrations, interactive art and planned fashion shows. Its owner, Galaxy Corporation, hopes to stage thousands of performances annually and eventually send the robots on a global tour, including to places where human performers cannot easily travel. Supporters see the project as a major entertainment and economic experiment, while critics question whether programmable robots can reproduce the emotional connection between K-pop stars and their fans.

Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek is the largest US overseas military base, housing roughly 41,000 people and serving as headquarters for United States Forces Korea. Although the base remains central to the alliance and large-scale withdrawals appear unlikely, Donald Trump’s transactional approach, tariff threats, intelligence disputes and other diplomatic tensions have weakened Seoul’s confidence in Washington’s reliability. The Pentagon is urging South Korea to take primary responsibility for deterring North Korea while also seeking to use the country’s strategic location for broader regional operations focused partly on China. South Korean officials and experts fear this could expose the country to unwanted involvement in US-China conflict, particularly over Taiwan, even as the base continues to expand and prepare for combat.

Starbucks Korea dismissed CEO Son Jung-hyun and another executive after a “Tank Day” promotion linked the date 5/18 to a tumbler campaign, evoking the 1980 Gwangju Uprising and the military regime’s use of tanks against pro-democracy protesters. The company withdrew the promotion and apologised, while Shinsegae Group ordered an investigation and disciplinary action. Victims’ representatives, a labour union and President Lee Jae Myung condemned the campaign, which also revived scrutiny of Shinsegae chair Chung Yong-jin’s anti-communist rhetoric and ties to South Korea’s far right.

Jogyesa Temple in Seoul has initiated Gabi, a 130cm humanoid robot, as a Buddhist monk in an effort to make the religion more relevant to younger South Koreans amid declining participation. The robot received adapted Buddhist precepts focused on preventing harm, deception, disrespect and excess, with Venerable Sungwon arguing that such rules should guide the people who design robots. The ceremony is primarily intended to prompt reflection on human responsibility for AI rather than establish whether robots can genuinely practise Buddhism. Gabi is due to join Seoul’s Lotus Lantern parade alongside other robots.

Naegohyang Women’s FC from Pyongyang will travel to South Korea to face Suwon FC Women in the AFC Women’s Champions League semi-final in Suwon on 20 May. The 39-member delegation’s arrival would mark the first visit by a North Korean sports delegation since 2018 and the first North Korean women’s football team appearance on southern soil since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. The trip comes amid severe inter-Korean tensions: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung supports renewed dialogue, while Kim Jong-un’s government continues to characterize the two Koreas as hostile states and has rejected engagement. Naegohyang is one of Asia’s strongest women’s teams and previously defeated Suwon 3–0 in the group stage.

South Korea is debating whether to continue calling North Korea Bukhan, meaning “north Han,” or adopt the North’s official name, Joseon. Supporters argue that using Bukhan denies North Korea’s de facto statehood and carries decades of hostility, while opponents say adopting its official name could violate South Korea’s constitutional claims over the entire peninsula and its commitment to peaceful reunification. The debate reflects President Lee Jae Myung’s conciliatory approach, North Korea’s shift toward treating the two Koreas as hostile states, and declining South Korean support for reunification. No immediate decision is expected.

A Transitional Justice Working Group report says North Korea’s documented executions and death sentences rose by 117% in the nearly five years after the country closed its borders in January 2020, with the number of people executed or sentenced to death more than tripling. Based on testimony from 265 defectors and other sources, the report identifies 144 cases involving at least 358 people between 2011 and 2024, with about 70% of executions conducted publicly. Punishments linked to South Korean media, foreign information, religion and so-called superstition increased sharply, while murder-related cases declined. The report also says political executions rose and executions spread to more localities during the pandemic, arguing that reduced international scrutiny enabled the escalation and calling for accountability under international law.

A data breach at Coupang exposed the information of 33.7 million users and prompted raids, audits and parliamentary scrutiny in South Korea. The company’s US incorporation and CEO Bom Kim’s refusal to attend Korean hearings have turned the dispute into a diplomatic issue, with reports that Washington postponed high-level security discussions unless Seoul guaranteed Kim would face no legal consequences. Seoul rejected that linkage and said the investigation would continue under Korean law. The dispute has been amplified by Coupang’s lobbying, Republican congressional pressure and shareholder arbitration claims, adding to existing tensions over tariffs, intelligence sharing, immigration enforcement and nuclear-submarine cooperation. Analysts warn that the Trump administration’s tendency to merge commercial and national-security issues could further damage the US-South Korea alliance.

The US has reportedly partially restricted satellite-based intelligence sharing with South Korea after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young publicly identified a suspected uranium-enrichment site in Kusong, North Korea. Washington has not confirmed the measures, and missile surveillance and military readiness are reportedly unaffected. Chung says his comments relied on publicly available research, while President Lee Jae Myung supports him and rejects claims that US classified information was leaked. The dispute is contributing to broader tensions in the US–South Korea alliance, including disagreements over control of the demilitarised zone. Meanwhile, the IAEA reports rapidly increasing activity at North Korea’s Yongbyon reactor, underscoring the continuing expansion of the country’s nuclear program.

South Korea is using the Middle East energy crisis to accelerate its transition from imported fossil fuels to renewable energy. President Lee Jae Myung’s government has increased funding for grid upgrades, renewable projects and low-interest loans, while expanding a solar-income village programme that uses electricity revenue to fund communal services. However, renewable growth is being constrained by an overloaded grid, resistance to transmission lines, dependence on Chinese solar-panel supply chains and electricity prices that suppress investment incentives. Environmental advocates also criticize the government for subsidizing fossil-fuel costs, delaying coal closures and restarting nuclear reactors, arguing that its response may not match its stated ambition for transformative change.