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In a landmark budget speech delivered at the National Assembly, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung outlined an ambitious vision to propel the nation into the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and bolster its defense capabilities. Lee called for a tripling of government spending on AI infrastructure and technology, proposing a budget of 728 trillion won ($506 billion), the highest in the country’s history. He emphasized the need for South Korea to construct the “highway for the AI era,” drawing parallels to past transformative initiatives under former presidents Park Chung-hee and Kim Dae-jung. The proposed 10.1 trillion won ($6.9 billion) allocation for AI-related projects aims to enhance computing and manufacturing capabilities, particularly in industries such as semiconductors, automobiles, shipbuilding, and robotics. Lee also highlighted a recent agreement with Nvidia to supply 260,000 GPUs for AI infrastructure projects, though uncertainties remain regarding the delivery timeline due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks restricting access to Nvidia’s latest AI chips. On the defense front, Lee proposed an 8.2% increase in military spending to 66.3 trillion won ($46 billion), focusing on modernizing weapons systems and reducing reliance on the United States. He also reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, a move supported by Trump during their bilateral meeting. The speech coincided with annual security talks between U.S. and South Korean defense officials, addressing key alliance issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control to a South Korean-led command. However, Lee’s address was boycotted by most conservative opposition lawmakers amid ongoing tensions over a criminal investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law in December.

Kim Yong Nam, a prominent figure in North Korea’s political landscape and a lifelong supporter of the ruling Kim dynasty, has passed away at the age of 97, as reported by state media. Serving as the ceremonial head of state and president of the Supreme People’s Assembly from 1998 to 2019, Kim Yong Nam was a key diplomat under the regimes of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un. Although not related to the Kim family, he played a significant role in representing North Korea on the international stage. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), he died of multiple organ failure on November 3. KCNA praised him as an “old-generation revolutionary” who contributed immensely to the nation’s development. A state funeral was held in his honor. Born during Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean peninsula, Kim Yong Nam hailed from a family of “anti-Japanese patriots.” He studied at Kim Il Sung University and later in Moscow, beginning his political career in the 1950s. Rising from a low-ranking official to foreign minister and eventually chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly, he maintained a clean reputation, avoiding the purges that befell many other high-ranking officials. In 2018, he led a North Korean delegation to South Korea during the Winter Olympics, meeting then-President Moon Jae-in. He also participated in inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007. South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed condolences, recalling meaningful discussions about peace on the Korean peninsula. Former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong Ho described Kim Yong Nam as a model of survival in North Korea’s political system, emphasizing his ability to avoid controversy and maintain loyalty to the regime. Unlike many officials who faced demotion or execution, Kim Yong Nam retired peacefully in 2019, marking a rare end to a long and stable career in North Korea’s volatile political environment.

A recent report by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) has unveiled a concerning surge in Islamophobic and xenophobic discourse targeting New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. The study, spanning from Mamdani’s Democratic primary victory in June to the end of October, revealed that such content reached an estimated 1.5 billion users on X (formerly Twitter). This spike in hateful rhetoric coincided with the narrowing gap between Mamdani and his chief opponent, Andrew Cuomo, in the mayoral race. The analysis identified 35,522 original posts from 17,752 unique accounts, with 45% authored by verified users, raising questions about the platform’s moderation practices. The report highlights four dominant Islamophobic narratives: terrorist labeling (72% of posts), calls for deportation and citizenship revocation (11%), questioning loyalty to the country (9%), and conspiracy theories about Sharia law and Muslim takeover (8%). CSOH warns that such online hate could escalate into offline violence, citing recent acts of political violence in the U.S. The organization has urged X to enforce stricter moderation, enhance transparency for verified users, and amplify corrective counterarguments in its algorithm to combat misinformation and hate speech.

In a significant political development, Rabbi Moshe Indig, a prominent leader of the Ahronim faction within the Satmar Hasidic community, publicly endorsed Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Sunday. The endorsement, announced at a gathering in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, comes just two days before the mayoral election and has sparked both support and controversy within the Haredi community. Rabbi Indig, who previously backed former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the primaries, described Mamdani as “a very nice guy, very humble” and emphasized his commitment to working with all communities in New York City. However, Mamdani’s critical stance on Israel has alienated some Orthodox leaders, creating divisions within the Jewish electorate. A recent Quinnipiac poll revealed that 60% of Jewish voters favor Cuomo, while only 16% support Mamdani. The endorsement has also faced pushback from other leaders within the Ahronim faction, with three prominent figures declaring their support for Cuomo shortly after Rabbi Indig’s announcement. The Satmar Hasidic community, with over 57,000 members in Williamsburg and 300,000 globally, wields significant political influence, often voting as a bloc. Historically, the Ahronim faction has demonstrated its political clout by endorsing winning candidates, including Bill de Blasio in 2013 and Eric Adams in 2021. Meanwhile, the Zalis faction, another major group within the Satmar community, has chosen not to endorse any candidate but has distanced itself from anti-Mamdani campaigns. The Satmar community’s anti-Zionist stance, rooted in religious beliefs, further complicates the political landscape, as they oppose the existence of Israel before the arrival of the messiah and its secular nature.