Global Scans · South Korea · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: South Korea may go nuclear if Trump cancels the missile deployment and leaves the country alone facing the North's threats. With the President facing an impeachment vote and mass demonstrations on the streets political and economic turmoil may follow. Chinese markets has already shaken South Korea, where central bankers downgraded their forecasts for economic growth.

• [New] Due to improved performance of military equipment, including trucks, tanks, machinery, and firearms, necessity of 4D printers in the South Korea defence industry is anticipated to expand. Persistence Market Research
• [New] South Korea 4D printing industry is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 48.0 million by 2032. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Despite a volatile share price recently, its projected return on equity of 42.8% in three years underscores strong future profitability prospects. / South Korea Yahoo Finance New Zealand
• [New] South Korea is making a national push to become one of the world's three leaders in artificial intelligence by 2027, alongside China and the US. Central Banking
• [New] An expanded North Korean nuclear force could require the United States and South Korea to reevaluate their ability to counter North Korean nuclear capabilities. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] The fastest population ageing in the 21st century will be seen in China and South Korea. Malaysia Population Research Hub
• [New] The OECD's forecasts, which reflected trends up to 2018 and accounted for population ageing, projected Korea's health spending ratio to reach 9.7% of GDP by 2030. / South Korea PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The old-age dependency ratio is projected to rise from 25.8 in 2023 to 62.6 by 2042, meaning each elderly person will be supported by 1.6 working-age individuals, compared to four in 2023. / South Korea PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] NHI expenditures will surpass revenues starting in 2025, leading to financial deficits, with accumulated reserves expected to be depleted by 2030. / South Korea PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] South Korea, which already generates about one-third of its power from its 26 nuclear reactors, is planning two new large reactors for completion by 2038. Yahoo Finance
• [New] South Korea: Government-funded digitalization supports a 9.8% CAGR through 2036. FactMr
• [New] South Korea: South Korea is expected to observe 10.2% CAGR in haptic feedback switch and button platforms through 2036. FactMr
• [New] South Korea's parallel moves with Washington and Beijing on critical minerals show a government trying to widen its room to maneuver rather than become overexposed to any single channel of risk. Fault Lines
• [New] In June, NATO members committed to spending 5% of GDP on defence by 2035, and bilateral frameworks with the EU, Japan, and South Korea each include commitments to increase procurement of U.S. military equipment. Commonplace
• South Korea is expanding from US$ 2,740 million in 2025 to US$ 5,290 million by 2032, supported by cloud modernization, advanced digital consumers, and stronger privacy oversight. openpr
• Asia-Pacific will deliver the strongest long-term growth because of China's scale, Japan's regulatory discipline, and South Korea's structured validation programs. openpr
• Among the target countries with published values, South Korea shows one of the fastest expansion profiles, rising from US$ 0.05 billion in 2025 to US$ 0.54 billion by 2032, supported by the K-UAM Grand Challenge, digital infrastructure, and national validation work. openpr
• Not only does the MOLIT aim to demonstrate the potential of AI to transform city management systems, but it also showcases how South Korea's AI-based urban technologies actually work. Coingeek
• South Korea's consumer confidence reading will be closely watched for signs of strain on households. financialpost
• South Korea has agreed to purchase 18 million barrels of crude oil from Kazakhstan using alternative transport routes, in a calculated effort to reduce exposure to geopolitical disruption in the Middle East. The Astana Times
• South Korea's semiconductor industry has secured 4-6 months of helium inventory, preventing immediate supply disruption despite geopolitical tensions. Transpire Insight

Last updated: 13 May 2026