Central Asia Push: KOTRA is expanding ties with Central Asia, hosting a business partnership event in Seoul that drew 33 buyers and about 200 consultations, as South Korea looks to deepen supply-chain and critical-minerals cooperation. Kyrgyz Deal: President Lee Jae-myung met Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and the two sides signed 18 MOUs covering urban planning, infrastructure, critical minerals and digital tech. Won Internationalization: The government is accelerating efforts to internationalize the Korean won by creating a framework for offshore won settlement, letting registered foreign institutions trade the currency abroad. Defense Drills: The South Korean Navy and Marine Corps carried out the “Decisive Action” phase of a division-level joint amphibious drill, using both manned and unmanned assets. Chip Supply Talks: Reuters reports Intel and SK hynix are discussing ways to make memory chips in the U.S., with options including leasing Intel’s Ohio facility, though Seoul approval may be needed for sensitive tech. Health Policy: The government backs a bill to ease restrictions on civilian contacts with North Koreans by removing the Unification Ministry’s power to block requests, while keeping advance reporting. Economy & Markets: Foreign investors turned net buyers of South Korean stocks in August, while the Bank of Korea also flagged a continued deficit in cultural and knowledge services trade. Sports: South Korea’s men’s basketball team is two wins from gold at the Asian Games after beating Jordan, setting up a semifinal vs Iran.