Daily brief
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul attended a US-led ministerial meeting on critical minerals, with discussions focused on stabilizing and diversifying global supply chains. The United States announced the establishment of a new critical minerals trading bloc, with South Korea set to chair the initiative until June.
Markets in South Korea and globally experienced a sharp sell-off, with Bitcoin falling up to 8% and the benchmark Kospi index dropping nearly 4% in a tech-led decline.
The South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang confirmed further data leaks, which a presidential aide stated had 'shaken' relations with the United States.
South Korea was reportedly stunned by the latest tariff increase announced by President Donald Trump (ongoing coverage).