ASEAN Diplomacy: South Korea’s FM Cho Hyun is heading to the Philippines for ASEAN-related talks, aiming to boost cooperation on energy, economic security, AI, culture, and online scam-crime crackdowns—while also seeking wider support for peace on the Korean Peninsula and North Korea’s return to dialogue. Cyber & Training Security: South Korea says a suspected cyberattack on the Korea National Diplomatic Academy exposed a “considerable” amount of data, with attackers allegedly inside the system for months; officials are still checking what was leaked and whether foreign state-linked groups were involved. North Korea Human Rights Spotlight: A North Korean defector, recalling being forced to watch a public execution at age nine, brought Pyongyang’s use of death as intimidation and control to the agenda at the World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris. Heat Survival in the North: Daily NK reports North Koreans in South Pyongan are flocking to abandoned coal mine shafts for cool air during a heat wave, with families and children gathering at the entrances. Culture & Sports: Macau’s U17 women’s team has been drawn into AFC Women’s Asian Cup U17 qualifiers, with North Korea listed among teams already qualified for the final stage.