U.S. Requests China to Resume Rare Earth Exports to Japan Amid Supply Concerns As China's restrictions on rare earth exports to Japan extend beyond the Japanese manufacturing sector to threaten U.S. medical and high-tech supply chains, the Trump administration has reportedly urged China to resume rare earth shipments to Japan. Japan is a key producer of advanced medical equipment, including MRI machines, and prolonged pressure from China could disrupt medical device procurement in the United States. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on June 10, citing mult June 10, 2026

Taiwan Considers Stricter AI Chip Export Controls to China Amid U.S. Semiconductor Restrictions Taiwan is considering significantly tightening its export regulations on artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China in response to U.S. semiconductor controls. This move aims to prevent advanced hardware, such as servers equipped with NVIDIA AI chips, from being rerouted to China through Taiwan. Bloomberg reported on June 9, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Taiwanese authorities are exploring options to restrict AI chip sales to all Chinese customers during trade negotiation June 10, 2026

Government Unites to Combat Youth Suicide, Aiming to Halve Rates by 2035 The South Korean government has decided to consolidate its administrative and financial resources to address the leading cause of death among teenagers—suicide—amid a declining school-age population. The initiative aims to rescue students in emotional crisis by significantly reducing the youth suicide rate to below half of current levels by 2035. On June 9, the Ministry of Education, along with 15 other relevant ministries including the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the Mi June 10, 2026

Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yoon-cheol Announces $6 Billion Financial Support for Middle East Projects Koo Yoon-cheol, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, stated on June 10 that Middle Eastern countries are expected to pursue infrastructure upgrades following recent conflicts. He announced that the government will prioritize $6 billion in financial support for key contractors in the region. During the Ministerial Meeting on External Economic Cooperation held at the Government Seoul Complex, Koo emphasized the importance of the Middle East as a significant economic par June 10, 2026

Shift Up to Release 'Stella Blade' for Nintendo Switch 2 Shift Up announced on June 10 that it will release the Nintendo Switch 2 version of its action-adventure game 'Stella Blade' later this year. The announcement came during Nintendo's online showcase 'Nintendo Direct 2026,' which aired globally on June 9. With the release on Nintendo Switch 2, 'Stella Blade' aims to broaden its platform reach following its availability on PlayStation 5 and PC, thereby expanding its global user base. 'Version of Stella Blade was initially launched as a Play June 10, 2026

Semitias Shares Decline 15% on First Day of Trading After SPAC Merger Shares of Semitias are experiencing a decline of over 15% on their first day of trading on the KOSDAQ market. As of 9:24 a.m. on June 10, the Korea Exchange reported that Semitias shares were trading at 6,560 won, down 1,200 won (15.85%) from the previous trading day. The stock briefly fell to 5,770 won early in the session. Semitias made its debut on the KOSDAQ following a merger with NH SPAC No. 29, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The Korea Exchange approved the merger June 10, 2026

Hanssem Shares Surge 6% Following 50 Billion Won Stock Buyback Announcement Shares of Hanssem are experiencing a significant rise following the announcement of a 50 billion won stock buyback. As of 9:39 a.m. on June 10, the Korea Exchange reported that Hanssem's stock price had increased by 2,000 won (6.69%) to 31,900 won. At one point, the stock surged by as much as 12.37%. The increase in stock price is attributed to Hanssem's disclosure of a medium- to long-term shareholder return policy that includes the stock buyback. The company announced the decision t June 10, 2026

DAXA Identifies 12 Illegal Cryptocurrency Operators, Some Charging Up to 62 Times Standard Fees The Digital Asset Exchange Association (DAXA) has reported the identification of 12 illegal cryptocurrency operators following a focused investigation into unregistered virtual asset businesses. The findings have been referred to the police for further investigation.According to DAXA, the investigation, conducted in collaboration with registered domestic cryptocurrency operators over the past three months, uncovered eight illegal over-the-counter exchanges and four overseas exchanges operating w June 10, 2026

Jung Cheong-rae Calls for Cooperation from Election Commission on Ballot Shortage Jung Cheong-rae, the leader of the Democratic Party, urged the National Election Commission on June 10 to actively cooperate with national investigations and special prosecutors regarding the recent ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections. He vowed to utilize all means necessary to thoroughly uncover the truth behind the incident. Additionally, he announced the establishment of an internal evaluation committee to publish a white paper reflecting on the local elections. During a June 10, 2026

Samsung Heavy Industries Chooses Cooperation Over Legal Dispute as Fair Trade Commission Initiates Agreement Procedure The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated an agreement procedure regarding a cooperation plan worth 11.3 billion won ($8.5 million) from Samsung Heavy Industries, which is under investigation for alleged violations of subcontracting laws. According to relevant authorities on June 10, the FTC is looking into Samsung Heavy Industries' practice of issuing contracts late after subcontractors began work on ship processing tasks necessary for loading hull structures. Samsung Heavy Ind June 10, 2026