Biogas & carbon neutrality ties: Malaysia’s Bioeconomy Corp and South Korea’s K-Eco signed an MoU to boost biogas development and carbon-neutral projects, with plans spanning knowledge sharing, policy exchange, capacity building, and joint R&D. Nuclear power debate (SMRs): A forecast says global small modular reactor capacity could grow about six-fold by 2035, driven by demand for reliable low-carbon power for AI data centers; it notes South Korea’s focus on “integral” SMR designs and desalination-capable units. Energy shock from the Middle East: Multiple reports link the US-Iran conflict to long disruptions across oil, shipping, fertilizer, food, and financial markets—while markets rally on tentative peace signals and expectations of Strait of Hormuz reopening. Seoul peace push: President Lee Jae Myung reiterated that an “ember of hope” for dialogue with North Korea remains, calling for a sustainable peace regime beyond the armistice system during a Vatican mass. Agri biotech “bench-to-field”: ToolGen inaugurated a genome-edited crop field testing facility in Osong, aiming to generate regulatory-ready agronomic data for traits like drought tolerance and herbicide tolerance. Local climate pressure on fisheries: A South Korean fishing village story highlights climate-driven fish stock decline and a shrinking, aging community, with migrant workers increasingly visible as livelihoods erode. AI policy & industry strain: The US moved to block foreign access to Anthropic’s next-gen models, raising concerns about knock-on effects for South Korea’s AI and semiconductor ecosystem.