South Korea

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South Korea Seeks Equal Tariff Relief Amid New US Semiconductor Measures
Jan. 19, 2026 | Geopolitics & Defense

South Korea is engaging with the United States over newly announced semiconductor tariffs, seeking to protect its leading memory chip industry and secure treatment comparable to Taiwan’s.

**Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo assessed that the first tranche of US semiconductor tariffs, unveiled on January 14, 2026, will have limited direct impact on Korean firms.**
The initial 25 percent levy targets advanced AI chips from Nvidia and AMD but explicitly excludes memory chips, the primary export of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. President Trump’s proclamation likewise focuses on Nvidia AI semiconductors imported from Taiwan and re-exported to China and other markets, although South Korean high-bandwidth memory embedded in those products faces scrutiny despite the tariff’s stated scope.

**At the January 16 groundbreaking of Micron’s New York facility, US Commerce Secretary Howard Rutnik warned that major memory chip producers must build US manufacturing capacity or face tariff increases up to 100 percent.**
He stated that companies will either pay full tariffs on imported memory semiconductors or shift production stateside. While he did not name specific firms, industry observers interpret this message as targeting South Korean and Taiwanese leaders in global semiconductor output.

**Last month the United States and Taiwan finalized a trade agreement granting Taiwanese chipmakers structured exemptions designed to encourage foreign direct investment in US fabs.**
During plant construction, imports up to 2.5 times new capacity enter tariff-free, and after startup up to 1.5 times capacity remains exempt. South Korea secured a “no less favorable treatment” commitment in the Korea–US Joint Fact Sheet but has yet to finalize equivalent tariff relief, using Taiwan’s terms as the benchmark for its negotiations.

**On January 18 the Blue House announced plans to consult with Washington under the “no less favorable treatment” principle, aiming to align Korean outcomes with those granted to Taiwan.**
Policy chief Kim Yong-beom is coordinating with relevant ministries to develop countermeasures, drawing on prior assurances that South Korea’s semiconductor industry would not face stricter treatment than other economies. At the same time, Seoul is monitoring US reviews of critical mineral imports tied to broader supply-chain diversification goals and maintaining continuous high-level dialogue to clarify the timing and scope of any second phase of tariffs.
South Korea Advances Dokpamo AI Project With New Consortium Call and Revised Evaluation Criteria
Jan. 19, 2026 | Technology & Innovation

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has set the stage for the next phase of its Dokpamo AI foundation model project by announcing first-stage results and opening a call for an additional consortium.

**On January 15, 2026, the ministry released the first-stage evaluation for Dokpamo, the national initiative to develop an independent AI foundation model.**
LG AI Research, SK Telecom, and Upstage advanced to the second stage. Because only three teams moved forward instead of the planned four, the ministry invited all original applicants—eliminated teams and new entrants alike—to compete for the remaining slot.

**The evaluation combined benchmark testing, expert assessments, and real-user evaluations to measure model performance, cost efficiency, usability, and ecosystem impact.**
LG AI Research led every category and earned the top composite score of 90.2 points, receiving the highest marks from both experts and end users.

**Naver Cloud, initially ranked among the top four, fell foul of the ministry’s originality rules.**
Its foundation model relied on a non-updatable external encoder tied to a Chinese AI system, violating the requirement that teams develop models from fully initialized and optimized weights. As a result, the ministry disqualified Naver Cloud’s entry as an independent model.

The consortium chosen through the second-chance recruitment will receive the same support as the other advancing teams, including GPU access, data resources, and designation as a “K-AI company.” Naver Cloud and NC AI both confirmed they will not reapply, while other original applicants and companies such as Kakao and KT are reportedly considering participation in the new call.

**For the second-stage evaluation, the ministry refined its criteria to emphasize objective performance, technical capability, and practical industrial usability.**
While maintaining the three core pillars—benchmark testing, expert review, and user evaluation—it increased the weight on efficiency and usability over sheer model size. The revised framework also addresses past concerns about technological originality and open-source usage, incorporating feedback from academia, industry, and domain experts.

**Vice Minister Ryu Je-myung said the ministry has evolved project criteria and evaluation procedures in consultation with participating teams.**
He pointed to ongoing adjustments in benchmarking methods, evaluation items, and scoring rules to ensure clarity and flexibility, keep pace with rapid global AI developments, and avoid the issues encountered in the initial phase.

**SK Telecom’s consortium tied with LG AI Research for first place in Phase 1 with its A.X K1 foundation model, which features over 519 billion parameters.**
The team plans to expand its training data, add multimodal capabilities—starting with document image recognition and summarization—and integrate voice and video processing in the second half of 2026. Supported languages will include Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish.

**Development of A.X K1 involves eight core partners—SKT, Krafton, 42dot, Rebellion, Liner, Selectstar, Seoul National University, and KAIST—alongside new collaborations with KAIST’s AI Graduate School and SNU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences.**
SK Group affiliates such as SK Hynix, SK Innovation, SK AX, and SK Broadband, as well as roughly 20 other institutions including the Korea Higher Education Foundation and the Choi Jong-hyun Academy, will adopt and deploy the model.

**NC AI, eliminated in the first-stage evaluation, confirmed it will not participate in the revival round.**
The company said it will focus on its existing base model and consortium partnerships to advance industry-specific AI and physical AI technologies, contributing to developments in the nation’s industrial sector.

Monitored Intelligence for South Korea - Jan. 19, 2026


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정용진 회장도 참여한 '록브리지'...美 창립자 "한국 역할이 중요"

Rokbridge, with Chairman Jeong Yong-jin also participating... US founder says Korea's role is important

Hankyung | Local Language | News | Jan. 19, 2026 | UndeterminedBizdev-Partnering

Christopher Buskirk, co-founder of the Rokbridge Network and 1789 Capital, visited Korea from January 13 to 15, 2026, meeting with Rokbridge Korea officials and key figures in Korean political and economic sectors. Rokbridge Network, a significant political organization in the U.S., was founded by Buskirk and Vice President J.D. Vance. It launched in Korea as a policy think tank in November 2025, aiming to strengthen Korea-U.S. relations and address international affairs. Buskirk emphasized the importance of alliances like Korea for America's renewed global leadership under the Trump administration and highlighted Rokbridge's role in this process.

Jeong Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group and Asia chairman of Rokbridge, along with other prominent figures such as former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum and former Minister of Planning and Finance Park Jae-wan, participate in the Rokbridge Korea board. Buskirk officially joined the Rokbridge Korea board during his visit. The organization focuses on domestic and international policy issues, based on Korea-U.S. cooperation, and aims to be a platform for advancing Korea’s national interests beyond political divides.

Rokbridge Korea board members highlighted challenges facing Korea, including population decline, industrial competitiveness, shifts in the international order, and democratic crises. They emphasized the necessity of cooperation with allies like the U.S. and Japan to navigate these complex issues. Despite difficulties faced by policy think tanks in Korea, Rokbridge Korea intends to address broad social and political challenges through strategic engagement and collaboration.

North Korea would want nuclear arms acknowledgment, sanctions removal if it accedes to dialogue with U.S.: Ex-U.S. envoy

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 19, 2026 | North Korea

Former U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Joseph Yun stated that North Korea would likely seek acknowledgment and acceptance of its nuclear weapons, similar to Pakistan's status, along with the lifting of sanctions if it agrees to dialogue with the United States. He suggested that these conditions represent North Korea’s bid to gain de facto nuclear state recognition outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework.

Yun noted that despite the Trump administration’s desire to resume talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Kim remains unprepared for dialogue. He attributed this reluctance to North Korea’s close ties with Russia and China, Pyongyang’s financial gains from supporting Russia in the Ukraine conflict and engaging in cyber theft, and past unresolved diplomatic disappointments, such as the failed 2019 Hanoi summit with Trump.

Highlighting South Korea’s crucial role in facilitating U.S.-North Korea talks, Yun emphasized that successful dialogue depends significantly on Seoul’s cooperation. He expressed confidence that the U.S. would approve South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines and support its efforts to secure civil uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing rights, referencing agreements made during a summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Trump.

Regarding U.S. diplomatic staffing, Yun mentioned that the Trump administration is still seeking a senior envoy closely aligned with President Trump to serve as ambassador to South Korea, a position currently filled on an interim basis by Deputy Chief of Mission James Heller. Recalling his tenure as acting ambassador amid regional and political uncertainties, Yun affirmed that the U.S.-South Korea alliance remains strong despite recent challenges.

20층 높이 쓰레기산 '와르르'…작업자 등 28명 사망

20-Story High Mountain of Trash Collapses, Killing 28 Workers and Others

Hankyung | Local Language | News | Jan. 19, 2026 | Accidents

A massive garbage pile collapse in central Cebu, Philippines, has resulted in the deaths of 28 workers, with search operations for eight missing individuals entering their tenth day. The collapse occurred on January 8 at the Binaliu village landfill in Cebu City, where about 50 people were buried under the 20-story high trash pile. So far, 18 people have been rescued and are receiving hospital treatment.

Search and recovery efforts involve around 300 personnel and two large cranes, but operations proceed cautiously due to the instability of the toxic gas-emitting garbage layers and risk of further collapse. The landfill is situated in a mountainous area vulnerable to landslides, complicating rescue efforts. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse by interviewing survivors and relatives of the missing.

Local criticism describes the disaster as man-made, citing poor management and the landfill's proximity to residential areas, which has long caused complaints over odors, water pollution, and traffic. After the landfill suspended operations, Cebu City’s waste management system faced a crisis. The city, home to approximately one million people, is negotiating with neighboring areas to handle its daily waste production of 500–600 tons. The Philippine Minister of Environment and Natural Resources has called for a long-term waste management plan for the region.

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