Korea

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense and the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) have agreed to use domestic launch vehicles to put defense satellites into orbit. The move ties military space capabilities to homegrown rocket technology, reducing reliance on foreign launch providers. It is being discussed as a significant step for South Korea's independent space and defense program.

Analysts are warning that the current state of North Korea's nuclear programme is increasingly risky. With Pyongyang continuing to expand its arsenal without serious diplomacy, the so-called status quo is described as unstable rather than sustainable, raising fears of miscalculation, arms race dynamics in East Asia, and growing pressure on the US and its allies to rethink deterrence policy.

Human Rights Watch is calling on South Korea to make human rights a central pillar of its policy toward North Korea. The advocacy group argues that Seoul should prioritize the rights of North Koreans rather than sidelining the issue in favor of engagement or security diplomacy, renewing debate over how South Korea balances humanitarian concerns with inter-Korean relations.

Organisers of the 20th Asian Games, to be hosted in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan in 2026, have begun publishing live updates of the medal table for the event. Coverage includes running standings for the dozens of nations competing across the Asian continent. Interest is focused on how traditional regional powers such as China, Japan and South Korea will rank once competition gets under way.