Korea’s economic and security policy just turned a significant new page. The recent APEC 2025 summit in Gyeongju and the conclusion of the first National Assembly audit under the Lee administration have created new opportunities and challenges for business.

On the global stage in Gyeongju, the administration advanced a bold agenda:

• A New U.S. Trade Pact: A new reciprocal tariff regime will replace the existing FTA framework, underpinned by a massive $350 billion Korean investment package in U.S. energy, AI, and advanced manufacturing.
• Landmark Security Deal: A joint initiative was announced to build #NuclearSubmarines, a long-held ambition for Seoul, to be enabled by a U.S. provision of enriched uranium fuel. The deal faces significant hurdles, but would elevate the ROK-U.S. security cooperation to near unparalleled status.
• Aggressive AI Push: The "top 3 global AI powerhouse" goal was backed by securing 260,000 NVIDIA GPUs, with major investments from Samsung, SK hynix, and AWS.

Back in Seoul, the NA audit revealed a contentious domestic landscape. Lawmakers grilled officials on Consumer Protection after recent user data leaks, and the debate over Platform Regulation was rekindled, with calls to expedite new laws targeting monopolistic practices. The audit also signaled a mixed #TaxPolicy, floating potential property tax hikes while simultaneously proposing tax relief for dividends to tackle the "Korea discount."