South Korea

Korea Herald | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedBizdev-Partnering

SK Innovation has sold part of its stake in US-based small modular reactor (SMR) developer TerraPower to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), marking KHNP’s first entry into a global SMR alliance. KHNP received approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States in December, enabling the investment. SK Innovation, which initially invested 367.5 billion won ($250 million) in TerraPower in August 2022 alongside SK Inc., remains the second-largest shareholder after the partial sale.

TerraPower is developing a commercial SMR plant in Wyoming using its proprietary Natrium technology, a sodium-cooled reactor system designed to flexibly adjust power output to meet demand. The partnership between SK Innovation, TerraPower, and KHNP aims to enhance cooperation on SMR projects in the US and other international markets, with plans to formalize business agreements within the year.

The collaboration comes amid rising demand for stable, large-scale power sources driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure. SMRs are gaining traction for their modular design, scalability, and ability to provide continuous power. SK Innovation plans to support the Wyoming project and promote overseas expansion and localization of key materials through this strengthened alliance.

38 North | English | AcademicThink | Jan. 23, 2026 | North Korea

The latest US National Security Strategy (NSS) marks a significant shift in Washington’s approach to the Korean Peninsula by excluding North Korean denuclearization as a central concern and redirecting deterrence responsibilities primarily onto allies, especially South Korea. This shift reflects a reprioritization in US strategy that reduces direct engagement and increases South Korea’s burden in managing North Korea, resulting in a more volatile and unpredictable security environment.

North Korea views this strategic retrenchment as an opportunity to strengthen its position by adopting a more confrontational stance toward South Korea, potentially codifying a hostile inter-Korean doctrine at its upcoming Ninth Party Congress. Its military provocations serve a dual purpose: challenging South Korea’s control over contested maritime and air defense zones in a calculated manner to avoid large-scale escalation, and provoking political divisions within South Korea related to responses and the credibility of US extended deterrence.

South Korea is responding to these provocations by significantly increasing its defense budget and investing in advanced military capabilities, signaling a shift toward greater self-reliance and reduced dependence on the US nuclear umbrella. Discussions on indigenous nuclear options and strategic assets have entered mainstream political debate, reflecting growing doubts about the reliability of US deterrence.

The absence of North Korea from the US NSS increases the risk of an accelerated arms race on the Peninsula, compounded by US global strategic actions that raise perceptions of unpredictability and willingness to use force. This dynamic incentivizes both Pyongyang and Seoul to engage in competitive military buildup and riskier postures, especially around sensitive zones like the Northern Limit Line and Korea Air Defense Identification Zone, with a heightened chance of destabilizing escalation.

Underlying this situation are flawed assumptions within US policy that ambiguity and burden-shifting will maintain stability. Without clear communication, senior-level coordination, and explicit crisis management policies—including well-defined red lines—burden-shifting encourages risk-taking by all parties. The evolving arms competition and alliance asymmetries on the Peninsula increase the likelihood of costly miscalculations and military adventurism unless strategic signaling and allied coordination improve significantly.

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedInitiative

Seoul has discontinued its foreign caregiver pilot program launched in August 2024 due to ongoing controversies surrounding wages, working conditions, and legal protections for the recruited Filipino caregivers. The initiative aimed to address a shortage of child care workers caused by Korea’s low birthrate and to reduce child care costs while supporting women’s workforce participation. However, the program faced immediate challenges, including absenteeism by some caregivers, high service fees for families, and labor rights concerns amid ambiguous job definitions and visa constraints.

Caregivers in the program earned approximately half the average Korean monthly wage, with significant deductions leaving take-home pay low despite high costs charged to households. The program’s structure involved multiple stakeholders, including government bodies and private platform companies, which weakened worker protections, fostered rigid management controls, and contributed to dissatisfaction among caregivers. The E-9 visa system restricted workers’ employer mobility and residency security, exacerbating vulnerabilities inherent in the pilot.

The initiative revealed deeper systemic issues in Korea’s approach to migrant labor and care work, including fragmented oversight across ministries and undervaluation of caregiving jobs. Experts highlighted that improving domestic working conditions might better address caregiver shortages. Despite ongoing demand for child care, program critics argue that without coordinated reforms to labor policies and residency rights, integrating foreign caregivers effectively remains unlikely.