Government Relocation: Prime Minister Han Seong-sook says central administrative agencies still in the Seoul metro will start moving to Sejong in the first half of 2027, with a Sejong presidential office targeted for August 2029 and a second National Assembly building by 2030. Defense & Alliance: Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul pledges to pursue OPCON transfer from Washington in a way that strengthens the Korea-U.S. alliance, while also facing questions over plans to merge the Army, Navy and Air Force academies. Cabinet Hearings: The ruling Democratic Party sets confirmation hearings starting Sept. 15 for economy/SME nominees and Sept. 16 for defense and land/infrastructure nominees; justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won’s hearing date is still pending. Justice Minister Nominee: Kim Seung-won denies any plan to order withdrawal of President Lee Jae-myung’s indictments, saying the justice minister has no direct authority over prosecutors’ decisions. Conscription Support: Seoul will introduce new accident and indemnity insurance for active-duty and discharged conscripts to expand state support during and after service. Cybersecurity AI: Naver Cloud leads a government-backed consortium to build a sovereign cybersecurity AI foundation model, with up to 256 Nvidia B200 GPUs to be provided over 10 months. Disaster Response (Nepal): After Nepal floods, South Korea’s 44-member disaster relief team is ramping up search for nine missing nationals while expanding humanitarian support. Armed Forces Day: South Korea will hold the 78th Armed Forces Day ceremony Oct. 1 at Gyeryongdae, with AI-linked weapons systems featured and no military parade. Markets: KOSPI extended gains as oil prices eased on reduced Iran-war fears from the U.S., with the won slightly stronger.