Policy

China Poured $715 Billion Into R&D Last Year Chinese Industry Races to Surpass Germany, Japan, and the U.S.

Korea’s National Airport Workers’ Union Enters Indefinite Strike Ahead of Chuseok Worker Discontent Grows Over Subcontracting and Job Insecurity Strike Actions Mount Across Sectors Ahead of “Yellow Envelope Act” Implementation Workers at 15 airp

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Reconfirmation that ESTA holders may engage in same activities as B-1 visa holders” Dedicated “Investor Desk” to be set up at U.S. Embassy in Seoul Reflects heightened U.S.

Muted Impact, Questions Over Bookings and SalesShort-Lived Gains for Big Retailers, Widening Divide

European economics journals reform must reward method and openness over brand prestige Tie hiring and grants to reproducibility—open code, preregistration, independent replications Build EU benchmarks and nimble society journals so reliable work earns global reach

Summit Plans Centered in Gyeongju, Canceling Seoul StayPast Criticism of China’s “Self-Interest” Dominated

Moore Thread Speeds Through STAR Market Review Despite Losses MetaX and Biren Technology Also Eye Local IPOs Soon Chinese Government’s Backing Fuels Rapid Growth of Key Semiconductor Firms Moore Threads, often dubbed the “NVIDIA of China,” h

Public Inconvenience Mounts, Fragility ExposedPartisan Wrangling Overshadows Follow-up Measures

YouTube settles lawsuit with Trump over account suspension Social media platforms enforce censorship policies as users join in “cancel” actions Concerns rise that a stronger culture of censorship could suppress freedom of expression Google’s Yo

Tariffs with India, Korea, and Switzerland endanger student mobility and research in the learning economy Trade deals must lock in visa certainty, protected lab inputs, and joint research Bake education into trade to keep talent flowing and innovation alive

Fertility is falling because systems and costs—not desire—make second births hard Peer competition magnifies housing, childcare, and career penalties into a one-child arms race Cap childcare, decouple school access, expand father leave

Investigation launched in April under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act Tariff rate lower than the previously signaled maximum of 250% Ambiguities remain over scope of application, with further measures expected

U.S.

Trump Approves U.S. Investors’ Acquisition of TikTok’s U.S. Unit Company Valuation Slumps From Estimated $30–50 Billion to $14 Billion Forced Sale Seen as Political Move to Court Young Voters U.S.

South Korean investment in the U.S.

Media-driven memory politics outpaces classroom teaching in East Asia Cross-border, source-based history lessons can counter quick nationalist swings Schools must prime students before flashpoints to cool future conflicts

Taiwan’s nuclear referendum failed due to low turnout, not a lack of support Its grid now relies more heavily on costly imported gas A balanced mix with renewables, storage, and a safety-vetted nuclear option is vital Taiwan recent

Vietnam’s public sector still drives too much of the economy, squeezing buffers and deterring investors Korean firms are diversifying as energy shortages, tariff shocks, and policy delays raise risk Cutting state dependence and upgrading power and skills can keep capital anchored

Canadian Prime Minister: “Engaged in constructive negotiations with China” Potential follow-up talks including meeting with Xi Jinping Considering repeal of EV tariffs amid damage to domestic industries On September 23 (

Rise of Visa as Trade Agenda After Georgia Detention Incident Collision Between Large-Scale Korean Investment and Shortage of Skilled Local Labor Trump Shifts From Justifying Crackdowns to Accepting Legal Workforce The detention incident in G