North Korea Nuclear Threat: Pyongyang warned it could use nuclear weapons under its 2022 nuclear-force policy in response to U.S. and South Korean actions, citing a Sept. 10 WMD commission meeting and stepped-up information sharing. Seoul Court Ruling: A South Korean court ordered North Korea to pay damages over the 2020 demolition of the Kaesong liaison office, with figures reported at 32.5 million dollars and 44.6 billion won. SK Hynix–Intel Talks: SK Hynix is reportedly in exploratory talks with Intel about making memory chips in the U.S., with options including leasing part of Intel’s Ohio site or a venture involving cloud partners; SK Hynix later denied “confirmed plans.” Central Asia Summit: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and South Korea adopted the Seoul Declaration, setting a framework for cooperation on trade, critical minerals, energy, aviation and AI, with the next summit in Astana in 2028. Food Safety: A Michelin-starred Seoul restaurant was fined for using ants as dessert garnish after tests found heavy metals exceeding standards. K-Culture Business: Kakao Entertainment and Disney Korea announced a partnership targeting about 10 K-pop IP crossover projects, with a possible K-Culture Fund under discussion. Asian Games Watch: South Korea beat Hong Kong 3-0 in women’s volleyball group play as the Aichi-Nagoya Games begin amid complaints about “worst-ever” accommodation.