The rising sea temperatures in South Korea this summer have caused widespread fish deaths, resulting in losses for fish farmers and driving up seafood prices.
At Seoul's largest seafood wholesale market, prices fluctuate daily. Tae Young-jin, who runs a seafood stall here, expressed concern over the unstable supply.
"Last week I received 50 [groupers], this week only around 40. I used to give away some fish to customers, but with the soaring prices of flatfish and grouper, that's no longer possible. We are affected. The impact on consumers is even greater. The number of customers has been noticeably declining," he said.
The prices of popular fish, such as mackerel, have also increased. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, the average retail price of mackerel on August 12 was about 3.6 U.S. dollars, up 30 percent year-on-year.
Data from Statistics Korea reveals that seafood prices in July rose by 7.3 percent year-on-year, marking the second consecutive month with an increase exceeding 7 percent.
"Fish prices are much higher than I expected. I feel burdened. I can no longer buy it casually. I came here for sashimi like flatfish or grouper, but the prices are too high," said a customer who feels the economic pinch.
In July, the surface temperature of waters around the country reached 24.6 degrees Celsius, the highest in nearly a decade.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries reported that over 180,000 farmed fish have died due to the high temperatures as of August 10, since the first reported incident in late July.
Rising sea temperature hits South Korean fisheries, driving up seafood prices
Japanese and international observers condemned recent remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, expressing deep concern over suggestions that Japan may abandon its three non-nuclear principles in pursuit of nuclear weapons.
At a Diet meeting in early November 2025, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, drawing strong criticism worldwide.
A senior official overseeing security and defense at the Japanese Prime Minister's Office also said that Japan should possess nuclear weapons. The defense minister later said the government was leaving open the possibility of reviewing Japan's long-standing non-nuclear principles in the future.
"The three non-nuclear principles are Japan's lifeline and must never be altered. Whether viewed through the lens of Japan's Constitution or the proper trajectory of international relations in the 21st century, Japan's ongoing military buildup is fundamentally misguided. The very notion of a 'survival-threatening situation' should not exist. Takaichi should not have made such remarks. There are signs that the postwar international order may be seriously shaken, which is entirely unacceptable. For Japan to take such steps would be tantamount to repeating the mistakes of war," said Ishizaki Seiya, a professor at Niigata University.
International analysts said Takaichi's remarks and pro-nuclear statements by Japanese officials pose serious risks to international security and are deeply concerning.
"I think this regression in Japan which goes against the agreements signed after World War II poses a grave danger to humanity: the resurgence of Japanese militarism and its attempts to rearm itself, even to acquire nuclear weapons. I think the United Nations and all nations that signed the post-war agreements should prevent Japan from taking this step, as the consequences for humanity could be extremely severe. I believe the Japanese government should heed the call from Japanese business leaders and retract statements that are perceived as inappropriate. The Japanese government must withdraw these remarks to restore the situation to normalcy," said Spanish economist Pedro Barragan.
"It is evident that the current Japanese government has deviated from the pacifist path enshrined in its constitution. By abandoning its peaceful stance and pursuing remilitarization, Japan is adopting confrontational policies that undermine peace in the Southern Hemisphere," said Claudio Goncalves, vice principal of the University of Salvador in Argentina.
Japan officials' remarks on nuclear policy spark concern at home and abroad
