South Korea

Chosun Ilbo | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

The US Forces Korea (USFK) is reclaiming control over access to the South Korean military’s entry points at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek to enhance security. This decision follows an incident on July 21 when the insurrection special counsel team, led by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk, entered the base without notifying USFK and conducted a search and seizure of the Air Force’s 1st Central Air Defense Control Center (MCRC) while investigating suspected North Korean drone activity.

Starting mid-January, the USFK will fully manage all three external gates at Osan Air Base, including overseeing related computer records. Identity verification for active-duty soldiers will be exclusively done using the US military-issued Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) card, and South Korean government-issued IDs will no longer be accepted for base entry.

Under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the US has the authority to manage and secure bases provided by South Korea. While the USFK historically manages base access, Osan Air Base has been an exception, with South Korean troops controlling one of the three gates jointly with USFK. The dual access system previously allowed South Korean government IDs at one gate, but this will end with USFK’s full control.

USFK perceived the dual system as a security weakness, particularly since it did not detect the special counsel team’s unnotified entry. USFK Vice Commander David Iverson sent a letter of protest to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October, alleging a SOFA violation. As of nearly two months later, the ministry has not responded. The USFK’s reclamation of gate control is viewed as a security response to the ministry's silence.

The insurrection special counsel team maintains its entry was authorized by South Korean troops, who provided permits and oversight, asserting that there was no SOFA violation in their actions at Osan Air Base.

Yonhap | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Epidemics and Pandemics

South Korea reported two additional cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza on December 10, 2025, bringing the total number of infections at poultry farms this season to 10. The new infections were confirmed at a layer chicken farm in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and another in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province.

Agricultural authorities are implementing follow-up measures including entry controls, culling of affected poultry, and epidemiological investigations. The agriculture ministry has called on farms to strengthen quarantine measures to prevent further spread of the disease, particularly in the Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong provinces where multiple cases have been reported this season.

Disinfection efforts are underway near affected farms, including a duck farm in Yeongam County in the southwest, following an outbreak there on December 9, 2025.

Yonhap | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

S&P Global Ratings projected that South Korea's economy will grow by 2.3 percent in 2026, indicating that the most challenging period for the country is likely over. The credit agency noted that overall credit conditions will remain difficult but expects modest improvement compared to 2025, based on more favorable global economic conditions and eased tariff pressures following a trade deal between South Korea and the United States in October 2025.

The agency highlighted that performance across key industries will vary, with the semiconductor sector expected to show strong results, while chemical companies may struggle due to oversupply and slower-than-anticipated restructuring efforts. S&P also indicated that changes in U.S. policies could impact South Korean firms, and ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions might create new business opportunities for South Korean companies.