Hormuz Diplomacy: South Korea’s foreign minister Cho Hyun told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Seoul is willing to make a substantive contribution to restoring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while President Lee Jae Myung reiterated he will not deploy troops in a way that draws the country into war. Cabinet Shake-Up: Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew his candidacy amid lobbying allegations tied to a COVID-19 drug trial, the second cabinet pick to step aside as Lee’s approval ratings slide. North Korea Nuclear Standoff: Pyongyang dismissed an IAEA resolution calling for a halt to nuclear activities, saying its nuclear status is “irreversible.” Seoul Culture in Hospitals: Seoul’s Hanseong Baekje Museum won a top national award for its “Hospital School” program bringing hands-on history lessons to children in major medical centers. K-pop Charity: Stray Kids’ Bang Chan donated 200 million won for rehabilitation patients at a Seoul hospital and Nepal flood relief. Sports—Asian Games & Davis Cup: Asian Games organizers apologized after North Korea’s anthem was played before South Korea’s hockey match; in Seoul, South Korea leads India 2-0 in Davis Cup qualifiers. Tech & Industry: SK hynix is exploring a possible memory-chip production deal in the U.S. with Intel, while India’s Semiconductor Mission 2.0 reported 200 chip design companies emerging and more than 70,000 engineers trained.