South Korea’s LNG market in December 2025 was shaped by fluctuating demand signals, short-lived weather-driven buying, strategic LNG cargo diversions, and strong momentum in the LNG shipbuilding sector. Market participants continued to weigh inventory levels, fuel-switching economics, and rising import costs amid geopolitical and currency pressures.

Welcome to Argus Korea Commodities Insights, your go-to source for the latest developments shaping South Korea’s energy, industrial, and trade sectors. Today we’re diving into the key stories since January 1, 2026. Let’s get started.

Hear Argus’ essential analysis of the ammonium sulphate (AS) market in Brazil, covering why demand is growing, how AS and urea fit in Brazilian crop nutrition, why AS imports overtook urea in 2025 and key price and demand trends globally and in Brazil. We also introduce the new Argus compacted Ammonium Sulphate cfr Brazil daily price assessment.

Join Harry Minihan, Global Editor – Nitrogen, Upasruti Biswas, Senior Reporter – Fertilizers, and Bruno Castro, Reporter – Grains and Fertilizers as they discuss these topics in the latest episode of Argus' Fertilizer Matters podcast series.

Key questions answered in this podcast:

· What is ammonium sulphate, why is it important and why has demand for it grown?

· Which Brazilian crops are best suited to AS/urea – and when is AS substituted for urea?

· What role does AS play in Brazil, and how significant is Brazil in the global AS market?

· Why did AS imports into Brazil overtake urea in 2025, and could this trend continue?

· How are AS prices and demand evolving globally and in key markets like Brazil and India?

· Why did Argus launch the compacted Ammonium Sulphate cfr Brazil daily price assessment, and how does it improve price transparency?

Os fluxos de diesel russo para o mercado brasileiro voltaram com força total neste início de 2026. Mas será que esse protagonismo veio para ficar? Acompanhe a conversa entre Marcos Mortari, um dos responsáveis pela publicação Argus Brasil Combustíveis, e Amance Boutin, gerente de desenvolvimento de negócios da Argus.

Russian diesel has made a comeback in Brazil at the start of 2026. But is this renewed dominance here to stay? Listen to this conversation between Marcos Mortari, who works for the Argus Brazil Motor Fuels publication, and Argus Business Development Manager Amance Boutin.

Faraday Institution CEO, Professor Martin Freer, speaks with Chris Welch, reporter for Argus Battery Materials, about the evidence behind the UK Gigafactory Commission’s new report, entitled ‘Britain’s Battery Future’. Freer notes that while the Commission does not favour one chemistry over another, Europe’s lack of LFP manufacturing represents a genuine opportunity for local investment if LFP is to play a role in EVs and grid storage. In the interview, Freer also addresses UK energy costs, the need for an automotive OEM to anchor cell production, and the principles behind “conditional collaboration” with China.

Key topics:

• UK policy shift from “open for business” to active deal making

• Energy cost competitiveness and site readiness

• Conditional collaboration with China

• Linking cathode manufacturing to EV and gigafactory investment

Hear Argus’ essential analysis of China’s phosphate export market, focusing on DAP and MAP quotas, NP and NPS exports, the decline in phosphate exports, changing regional trade flows, when exports could be resumed, impact of the sulphur price rally and China’s phosphate production capacity outlook.

Join Huijun Yao, Editor – Asia Fertilizers and Johann Jing, Market Analyst, Phosphate, Potash and NPK as they discuss these topics in the latest episode of Argus' Fertilizer Matters podcast series.

Key questions answered in this podcast:

• How has China’s phosphate export market evolved?
• How are DAP and MAP export quotas implemented?
• What is China’s expected approach to NP and NPS exports?
• Why have China’s phosphate exports declined over the past year, and how has this reshaped regional trade flows?
• When might China resume DAP and MAP exports, and how is the sulphur price rally influencing this?
• What is the outlook for China’s phosphate production capacity?

Related links

• Argus Phosphates price reporting service | More info | Request trial
• More information: Phosphate short and mid to long-term outlook services
• Free sign up: Argus Fertilizer Market Highlights
• Fertilizer Matters podcast series

In this episode, Hannah Adler, Senior Reporter on the biomass desk, explores developments in carbon capture and storage (CCS) and how it can be implemented in the biomass sphere. She’s joined by Jon Cartlidge, Commercial Director at Battelle, to discuss:

• Why Battelle moved into carbon storage after decades as a nonprofit research leader.
• Which sectors—like ethanol, biofuels, and heavy industry—are leading the charge in adopting CCS and why.
• Battelle’s vision for scaling CCS by 2030, including technical challenges and innovations.

Argus offers biomass prices, news, analysis, and consulting. Request a free trial or more information.