Space & Science: Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) signed with NASA to land a Korean-built lunar radiation detector (LVRAD) on the moon’s south pole by 2030, using NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services to gather crew-safety data for future long missions. AI & Research Funding: OpenAI backed 14 global research and pilot projects with $1M funding plus API credits; Yonsei University will study “Democratic Accountability Using AI” by analyzing National Assembly oversight records. Public Sector Tech: South Korea’s Public Procurement Service picked 74 innovative products for public pilot purchases (AI, satellite comms, anti-drone tech), aiming to move prototypes into real deployments. AI for Science: NST’s National AI Research Center opened a public NAIS AI Hackathon (agents embedded across R&D), with prototypes and prizes for teams. Retail AI: KT teamed with Nonghyup Agribusiness Group and Microsoft Korea to push retail AI for personalized recommendations and “agentic” customer service. Markets & Chips: Seoul shares trimmed gains on profit-taking as Iran-deal hopes faded, but tech led—Samsung and SK hynix jumped—while oil price pressure kept investors cautious. Defense & Politics: Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back US-South Korea drills, citing Iran and his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un, sparking fresh alliance debate. Education Pipeline: 22 science high schools will select a record 1,858 students for 2027, expanding STEM capacity nationwide. Health Tech: Samsung’s Galaxy Buds hearing-aid feature won US FDA clearance for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss, with rollout planned for late 2026 in select markets.