The level of economic cooperation between South Korea and India is still very low. Going forward, we will expand that space and make the relationship between South Korea and India completely different from what it is now.
South Korea imports about 45 percent of its naphtha, a critical petrochemical feedstock, with roughly 77 percent of those imports historically arriving from the Middle East. That supply line is now, for all practical purposes, severed.
The decision wasn't made lightly. I can remember walking the sidewalks of our Colorado exurb, trying to decide if this was the right choice. In that sunny winter weather, our daughter bundled up in a stroller, the dog investigating lawns, our conversations would go: "Are you happy here?" "I feel like if we stay we're going to get old in front of the TV." "Can you imagine how much better the food will be?" "If we don't do it now, we'll probably never do it."
Samsung Electronics plans to invest KRW 110 trillion, or approximately $73 billion, in research and development and facilities "in a bid to lead the semiconductor industry in artificial intelligence". This year's plan would represent an increase in expenditure of over 21% compared to 2025.
Korean culture has become a familiar presence in American life. K-pop dominates global charts, K-dramas have become staples on streaming platforms, Korean food has moved from specialty shops to neighborhood grocery stores, and K-beauty brands line retail shelves nationwide. As Korean culture reaches new audiences, Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared traces the artistic traditions that have shaped today's cultural momentum.
Much of the rebound reflects what demographers describe as the echo boomer effect. Roughly 3.6 million children were born between 1991 and 1995, when births briefly rose after the government in effect ended its family planning policy. That cohort is now in its early thirties, the age at which birth rates are highest. Women in their early thirties numbered an estimated 1.7 million in 2025, up 9% from 2020.
Robots are coming for auto workers' jobs. Hyundai Motor revealed plans to use 30,000 humanoids across its factories by 2030. The announcement sent the company's shares rallying to record highs. But Hyundai's Korean labor union hit the brakes on the plan, warning in an internal letter that robots won't enter the workplace without union approval. The union said the robots would bring "employment shocks" to workers.
In the seven days between February 27 and March 5, Samsung saw 1.35 million pre-orders. For comparison, the Galaxy S25 trio last year reached 1.3 million pre-orders in 11 days. This may be enough to finally dethrone the Galaxy Note10 achievement from 2019.