Semiconductor & AI Finance: President Lee Jae-myung says South Korea will set up a “future response fund” using extra tax revenue from the chip boom, targeting about 100 trillion won in 2027—earmarked for youth, regional development and education, with a warning against waste. Energy & Geopolitics: Renewed US-Iran escalation around the Strait of Hormuz is pushing oil higher and rattling global markets, with Trump also signaling a 20% transit fee—raising costs and uncertainty for supply chains. Nuclear Power Debate: Seoul will review adding more nuclear reactors and SMRs in its next electricity plan as AI and semiconductor complexes drive demand, setting up a fresh policy fight over renewables vs. baseload. ICT Exports Surge: First-half ICT exports hit a record 253.86 billion dollars, up 120.5%, with semiconductors and SSDs driving the trade surplus and lifting ICT’s share of total exports above 50%. Capital Markets Innovation: South Korea plans a 2027 pilot linking tokenized government bonds to the Bank of Korea’s CBDC infrastructure, testing whether wholesale CBDC can support capital-market settlement. Industry & Trade Diplomacy: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun heads to ASEAN meetings next week, aiming to deepen cooperation on AI and creative industries while strengthening supply-chain resilience with Japan and China. Corporate Tech Moves: Samsung joins the Sisvel Wi‑Fi multimode patent pool as both licensee and licensor, expanding Wi‑Fi 6/7 rights access and ending related litigation.