Does the AI Boom Help South Korea Survive the Hormuz Crisis?

Does the AI Boom Help South Korea Survive the Hormuz Crisis?

South Korea’s economy faced major pressure from the Hormuz crisis, with disruptions hitting energy imports, petrochemicals, jet fuel, and semiconductor supply chains. But the AI boom also gave Korea a major lift, thanks to its central role in producing memory chips and inputs for AI data centers. Host and TAG Senior Advisor Mira Rapp-Hooper speaks with TAG Partner Jennifer Lee about this split-screen moment: how South Korea's chip sector helped support growth, while other industries faced higher costs and supply risks. They also explore Korea-Japan cooperation, U.S.-Korea trade and investment, shipbuilding, and South Korea’s nuclear submarine ambitions. What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.  What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

South Asia, the Gulf, and the Search for Resilience After Hormuz

The Hormuz crisis laid bare South Asia's deep dependence on the Gulf for energy, remittances, trade, and critical supply chains. In this episode of What Comes Next, Host and TAG Senior Advisor Mira Rapp-Hooper sits down with TAG Partner Nisha Biswal to discuss how India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal experienced the shock differently, and what it revealed about their vulnerabilities and resilience strategies. They discuss India's multi-alignment approach, Pakistan's emergence as a diplomatic player, the role of South Asia workers in Gulf economies, and why energy security is increasingly being treated as a national security priority across the region. Their conversation shows why geopolitical shocks in the Gulf can have immediate consequences across South Asian countries, influencing costs, logistics, workforce, supply chains, and long-term investment decisions for businesses and governments.  What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.  What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

No Safe Harbor: How Hormuz Disruptions are Reshaping Economies in Asia

In this episode of What Comes Next, Host and TAG Senior Advisor Mira Rapp-Hooper speaks with Chairman and Co-Founder Kurt Campbell about The Asia Group’s newly released report, “No Safe Harbor”. They discuss why disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are not just an oil story, but a wider supply chain shock affecting energy, semiconductors, petrochemicals, fertilizer, healthcare, and critical industries across Asia. Mira and Kurt examine why the impacts are uneven across China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Southeast Asia; how China may emerge with strategic advantages; why the U.S.-Iran ceasefire MoU does not necessarily guarantee a return to the status quo ante; and what governments and businesses should do to build resilience in a world where critical chokepoints can no longer be assumed secure.  You can read the full report at https://straitofhormuz.theasiagroup.com/ What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.  What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

India’s Reset with United States, Warmth with Europe, Engagement with Gulf

In this episode, Host and TAG Senior Advisor Mira Rapp-Hooper speaks with Ashok Malik, TAG partner and chair of the India Practice, about India’s evolving diplomatic and economic relationships with the United States and Europe. They assess whether the Trump-Modi meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France marked a meaningful reset in U.S.-India ties, why trade negotiations remain tied to Washington’s tariff uncertainty, and how New Delhi is approaching the next phase of engagement with the Washington, D.C. They also explore India’s growing alignment with Europe and the opportunities emerging in tech, defense, energy, manufacturing, and supply chain resilience.  What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.  What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.

The Summit of Three Crises: Europe’s Strategic Autonomy Push at a High-Stakes G7

In this week’s episode of What Comes Next, Host and TAG Senior Advisor Mira Rapp-Hooper sits down with TAG Managing Principal Belma Ambrose to unpack a consequential G7 summit unfolding amid three overlapping crises: the war in Iran, the war in Ukraine, and a fragile global economy. They explore how Europe is recalibrating its relationship with the United States, why energy security is overtaking climate as the dominant policy frame, and how China is shaping the summit’s economic agenda — from overcapacity to critical minerals and AI governance. Belma also explains where businesses should watch for opportunity as Europe moves faster on defense and trade diversification.  What Comes Next with Mira Rapp-Hooper is produced by Rivan Dwiastono, executive produced by Lauren Dueck, with editorial input from Prashant Jha. It contains music by Cody Martin via Soundstripe.  What Comes Next is a production of The Asia Group, and is powered by TAG AI, TAG's geopolitical decision engine for businesses.