KIPEC Current Affairs Note delivers regular, in-depth analysis of major legislative and policy issues in Washington, D.C., with implications for South Korea. This report examines recent U.S. congressional efforts to reform the federal permitting system and assesses their implications for South Korea-U.S. industrial and energy cooperation. For further details, please refer to the attached report. 

The KIPEC Issue Brief is a concise analytical report on key developments taking place in Washington, D.C., and is published on an as-needed basis. This Issue Brief focuses on the U.S. military operation that resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, examining the relevant background and key policy implications. For further details, please refer to the attached report. 

KIPEC Current Affairs Note delivers regular, in-depth analysis of major legislative and policy issues in Washington, D.C., with implications for South Korea. This report analyzes the FY2026 U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and its implications for South Korea, highlighting how the Act reinforces institutional stability in the U.S.–ROK alliance while shaping the framework for future industrial cooperation.   For further details, please refer to the attached report. 

The KIPEC Roundtable is a monthly program that brings together experts from various fields to discuss key issues. The roundtable took place on December 4 at 10:00 a.m. (local time) with Amy Searight, Senior Advisor at Brience Partners (former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia), and Benjamin Goldberg, Senior Analyst at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. This report summarizes a roundtable examining how the ROK-U.S. alliance should adapt its security, economic, and regional strategies amid intensifying Indo-Pacific competition and growing policy uncertainty. 

KIPEC Current Affairs Note delivers regular, in-depth analysis of major legislative and policy issues in Washington, D.C., with implications for South Korea. This report examines the public hearings held by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) from December 3 to 5 on the implementation of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). It analyzes key issues discussed, including strengthened labor enforcement, measures to prevent circumvention of Chinese exports, updates to digital trade rules, and efforts to enhance North American economic security. The report also highlights the upcoming USMCA joint review scheduled for July next year as a critical turning point for decisions on the agreement’s extension and institutional adjustments, and assesses its potential implications for investment stability and the regulatory environment facing Korean companies operating in North America. For further details, please refer to the attached report. 

Expert Interview is a series that explores key developments in the United States through in-depth conversations with leading experts.  Our third interview features John Dotson, Director of Global Taiwan Institute, and discusses Taiwan Strait dynamics and South Korea’s strategic options. For further details, please refer to the attached report. 

KIPEC Current Affairs Note delivers regular, in-depth analysis of major legislative and policy issues in Washington, D.C., with implications for South Korea.This report analyzes the mid-decade redrawing of congressional maps in several states ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, a trend that reflects increasingly assertive partisan efforts to secure control of the U.S. House. These developments are poised to recalibrate congressional power dynamics, reshape political representation for Korean and other Asian American communities, and inform the broader trajectory of U.S.–South Korea policy cooperation.For further details, please refer to the attached report.

KIPEC Current Affairs Note delivers regular, in-depth analysis of major legislative and policy issues in Washington, D.C., with implications for South Korea. This report examines the Trump administration’s realignment of U.S. energy policy following Congress’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which rolled back key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Department of Energy canceled major clean energy projects and tightened eligibility for tax credits, accelerating the shift from the IRA’s subsidy-based framework toward a market- and security-focused approach. For further details, please refer to the attached report.

The KIPEC Issue Brief is a concise analytical report on key developments taking place in Washington, D.C. and is published on an as-needed basis. This issue covers the U.S. government shutdown. For further details, please refer to the attached report.