Martial Law Accountability: South Korea’s independent counsel indicted former President Yoon Suk-yeol over charges tied to his 2024 martial law, alleging he ordered distorted justification messages to allied countries; Shin Won-sik was also indicted without detention. Judicial Redress: The Supreme Court upheld compensation for WWII forced labor, ordering a Japanese firm to pay 80 million won to the family of victim Min Moon-sik. North Korea Escalation: Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile toward waters off its east coast ahead of US-South Korea drills, while also denouncing Seoul’s nuclear submarine push and warning of “unparalleled” retaliatory capability. Semiconductor Power Deal: Seoul formalized power-supply timelines for the chip megaclusters, with Honam targeted for first electricity by 2029 and Yongin set for full power by 2041. Tech & Governance: KAIST will unveil AI-LOVI on Aug. 18 to measure whether AI companions worsen or improve loneliness, aiming to make companion-AI rules enforceable. Security & Society: Investigators indicted former Unification Church official Yun Young-ho and two others over alleged illegal political donations to more than 130 politicians. Defense Modernization: The Army commissioned a study to automate field maintenance and logistics using AI, robotics and autonomous systems as personnel declines.