Global South

A North Korean vice minister declared the country's nuclear weapons status to be 'irreversible', according to reports carried by South Korean outlet SBS. The statement reaffirms Pyongyang's long-standing position that it will not give up its nuclear arsenal, and it has drawn attention amid ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula and stalled denuclearisation talks.

United Nations leaders have renewed calls to combat racism and discrimination, marking 25 years since the 2001 World Conference against Racism held in Durban, South Africa. UN officials say racism remains a global problem and urged member states to recommit to the promises made at the Durban conference. The anniversary is prompting reflection on progress made and the work still needed to achieve equality.

Samsung has committed $1 billion to an AI infrastructure company backed by KKR and Nvidia, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The investment places the South Korean tech giant among major corporate backers of the rapidly expanding buildout of data centers and computing capacity needed to power artificial intelligence services.

China has introduced 15-year research grants aimed at attracting the world's brightest young scientists, according to the South China Morning Post. The long-term funding scheme signals an effort to draw top international research talent to Chinese institutions and strengthen the country's standing in global science and innovation.

Developing nations are intensifying their demands for permanent seats on the UN Security Council, arguing the body no longer reflects the realities of the modern world. The push for reform has gained renewed momentum, with countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America calling for a council that better represents the global south. The campaign challenges a structure largely unchanged since 1945.

The United Nations is holding a high-level meeting to mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the landmark framework adopted at the 2001 World Conference against Racism in South Africa. The gathering brings together member states and officials to assess global progress in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to renew commitments to the declaration's goals.

China is considering measures to make open-weight artificial intelligence models less dangerous as risks from the technology grow, according to the South China Morning Post. The discussion focuses on how freely available model weights could be misused, and what safeguards Beijing might apply. The report comes amid intensifying global debate over regulating powerful AI systems.

South Korea's disease control agency is broadening its international partnerships on outbreak response, deepening cooperation with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. The move signals Seoul's push to play a bigger role in global pandemic preparedness, including disease surveillance and vaccine development collaboration, as countries strengthen health security networks after recent epidemic threats.

Global carmakers are cutting electric vehicle prices in South Korea, turning the country into a frontline of an intensifying EV price war, according to KED Global. Aggressive discounting by international manufacturers is putting pressure on local prices and reshaping the competitive landscape in one of the world's most advanced EV markets.

A new analysis argues that diversifying staple crops toward millets would strengthen food security, improve nutrition, and support sustainability across the Global South. Millets are hardy, climate-resilient grains that require less water than rice or wheat, making them attractive amid climate pressures and import dependence. The piece calls for policy support, research investment, and consumer awareness to bring millets back into mainstream diets across developing countries.

The Atlantic Council argues the United States needs a coherent strategy toward the Global South on technology, framing it as essential to American competitiveness. The piece suggests Washington must engage developing nations on digital and tech issues or risk ceding influence to rival powers seeking those markets and partnerships.

South Korea's finance minister and the Bank of Korea governor have stressed the need for close policy coordination to address economic uncertainties. The two top economic officials underscored cooperation between fiscal and monetary authorities as the country navigates external risks, including global financial volatility and trade pressures. The joint message is being read as an effort to reassure markets about policy alignment.

South Korea faced Uruguay in an international football friendly, with the match trending worldwide. Coverage focused on Lee Kang-in, who said the squad was 'unified as one team', and Oh Hyeon-gyu's missed chances. Kim Min-jae was involved in conceding a third goal, while Uruguay's Darwin Nunez was praised for seizing the initiative in attack.

China has announced a sweeping reform of its higher education system, according to the South China Morning Post. The overhaul is expected to reshape how universities are structured and managed, drawing attention from education watchers and policymakers internationally who are assessing what the changes mean for students, research and China's global academic standing.

South Korea's finance minister and the governor of the Bank of Korea have emphasized the need for close coordination between fiscal and monetary policy to address economic uncertainties. Yonhap News Agency reported the comments, which highlight government and central bank alignment at a time of volatility in currency, rates and global trade conditions. No further details were given in the report.

South Korea is turning to high schools to train the next generation of semiconductor workers, part of a broader push to secure talent for its chip industry. The effort reflects growing concern that the country's dominant chipmakers cannot find enough skilled engineers and technicians to keep pace with global competition and expansion plans.

South Korean authorities are re-examining the country's ban on crypto market-making activity amid a rapid rise in stablecoin trading and interest. Regulators are weighing whether the prohibition still fits a market increasingly shaped by stablecoins, and the review has drawn attention from investors and industry players watching whether Seoul will loosen rules for domestic crypto trading.

The Wall Street Journal reports on a seven-second span that made NFL history during the league's game in Brazil. The moment has drawn wide attention as a milestone for American football's international expansion, with fans and commentators debating exactly what happened in those seconds and what it means for the sport's growing footprint in South America.

Uruguay beat South Korea in an international friendly in Seoul, with Rodrigo Bentancur captaining the side to a convincing win. Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez drew attention for his physical dominance, while focus on the Korean side centred on Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in. Uruguay's coach Moreno cautioned against deploying Lee in an unfamiliar position, and Korean media highlighted defensive lapses that proved costly.

China is preparing to send a Pakistani astronaut into orbit, the first foreign national selected under Beijing's expanding space cooperation program. The move, highlighted by the China-Global South Project, underscores China's use of its space station and crewed missions to deepen ties with developing countries, offering partner nations a place in space while extending its diplomatic influence across the Global South.

South Korean retail giant Shinsegae is preparing to enter the United States beauty market with a dedicated retail platform focused on K-Beauty products. The move would bring Korean skincare and cosmetics brands to American shoppers through a Shinsegae-run channel, extending the group's retail reach beyond Asia and tapping into sustained global demand for Korean beauty products.

The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre has published the Transition Minerals Tracker 2026 for South America, compiling data on companies extracting minerals used in the energy transition, such as lithium and copper. The tracker monitors human rights allegations against mining firms across the region, a key supplier of raw materials for batteries and renewable technology.

Packaging giant Smurfit Westrock has agreed to acquire CMPC's Chilean containerboard and corrugated packaging business. The deal would expand Smurfit Westrock's footprint in the South American packaging market, adding containerboard production and corrugated operations in Chile. Financial terms and further details have not been widely reported, and industry watchers are assessing what the consolidation means for competition in the region's packaging sector.

The Association for Psychological Science argues that psychological research conducted outside the Global North is held to a different standard than work from wealthy Western institutions. The organization highlights how scientists in Africa, Latin America, Asia and other regions face greater scrutiny, fewer resources and biased assumptions about the quality of their research, calling for fairer treatment and greater recognition of scholarship from the Global South.

China's Ambassador to Ukraine, Ma Shengkun, has published a signed article in Ukrainian media titled 'Joining Hands on the Path to Common Prosperity: China and the Global South Pursue Mutually Beneficial Development.' The piece promotes Beijing's framing of itself as a partner for shared development with the Global South, appearing at a time when Ukraine's relationship with China is under close scrutiny amid the ongoing war.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres met with South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Co-operation at UN headquarters. The meeting is part of regular diplomatic engagements between the UN leadership and member state representatives. No details of the discussion have been released, but such talks typically cover cooperation on peace and security, development priorities, and South Africa's role in African and global affairs.