Overseas Labor Revenue: A UN sanctions monitoring report says North Korea deployed 35,600–101,280 workers abroad in 2025, earning an estimated $450m–$800m, with most in China and Russia—despite UN bans—fueling nuclear and missile programs. Inter-Korean Legal Fallout: A Seoul court ordered Pyongyang to pay about US$32.5m (44.6bn won) for blowing up the 2010s Inter-Korean Liaison Office in Kaesong, a rare damages case against the North. Drone Rules at the Border: Three South Korean civilians received suspended prison terms for unauthorized drone flights into North Korea to film, after two drones crashed and Pyongyang analyzed wreckage and logs. Critical Minerals & Supply Chains: South Korea and five Central Asian presidents agreed to deepen cooperation on critical minerals and energy, aiming to build shared value chains that link regional resources with South Korean technology. Space Militarization Talk: US officials publicly discussed on-orbit “space control” weapons, adding fuel to concerns about an accelerating space arms race. Tungsten Supply Pressure: New reporting highlights how tungsten prices surged after China restricted exports, while the US pushes stockpiles and rules to rebuild a domestic supply chain. Regional Naval Posture: Japan’s plan for giant missile cruisers is framed as a response to growing ballistic and hypersonic threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.