In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, the entire Korea Pro team joins to unpack the biggest events this past week. Joon Ha begins by discussing the Seoul Central District Court’s verdict against Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, who received a suspended one-year prison sentence for violating election laws during his 2022 presidential campaign. The team examines how this conviction could impact South Korea’s already polarized political landscape. The discussion then shifts to...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John is joined by junior news reporter Joon Ha to examine the implications of president-elect Donald Trump’s key cabinet nominations and their potential impact on U.S.-ROK relations. The discussion begins with an analysis of Marco Rubio’s selection as Secretary of State, exploring how his hawkish stance on North Korea might align with Seoul’s interests while potentially complicating South Korea’s diplomatic outreach to Cuba. They also delve into Pete...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin and John examine the wide-ranging implications of Donald Trump’s election victory for South Korea. The discussion begins with an analysis of how Trump’s return to the White House could affect Seoul’s defense posture, including growing skepticism about the U.S. nuclear umbrella despite recent initiatives like the Washington Declaration. They explore how this might amplify calls for an independent South Korean nuclear program and raise...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin and John examine three major developments affecting South Korea’s international relations and business interests. The discussion opens with an analysis of South Korea’s evolving response to North Korea’s military support for Russia in Ukraine. While Seoul is considering sending observers to Ukraine, Jeongmin and John explore why decisions about potential weapons support might remain in limbo until after the upcoming U.S. presidential...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin is joined by Joon Ha, Korea Pro's correspondent, to discuss South Korea's potential shift in Ukraine policy and developments in defense capabilities. They begin by examining South Korea's increasingly clear signals about potentially providing weapons to Ukraine, triggered by an apparent deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. They discuss how this development may have crossed Seoul's previously stated "red line" and the government's...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John is joined by Joon Ha, Korea Pro’s junior news reporter, to discuss recent developments in South Korean literature, diplomacy and international relations. The duo begin by celebrating Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature, making her the second Korean to receive a Nobel Prize. Joon Ha highlights the international acclaim for Han’s work and the role of translators in bringing Korean literature to a global audience. They also touch on the...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John and Joon Ha, Korea Pro’s junior correspondent, discuss South Korea’s recent diplomatic and economic initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region. The hosts begin by examining President Yoon Suk-yeol’s diplomatic tour through Southeast Asia, focusing on the president’s state visits to the Philippines and Singapore, exploring the implications of these strengthened bilateral ties for South Korea's regional influence. The conversation then turns to the...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin and John delve into recent geopolitical events and their potential impact on South Korea. The discussion opens with an analysis of Shigeru Ishiba’s appointment as the new Japanese prime minister. They explore the implications of Ishiba’s more dovish stance toward South Korea, contrasting it with his rival Sanae Takaichi’s hawkish position. The hosts consider the potential trajectory of South Korea-Japan relations under Ishiba’s leadership,...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John and Joon Ha explore recent developments in South Korea’s economic and industrial landscape. The discussion begins with an analysis of the intensifying takeover battle for Korea Zinc as Young Poong and MBK Partners increase their bid to $1.7 billion. The team examines the potential implications for the company’s future projects and the broader impact on workers and supply chains. Next, they turn their attention to South Korea’s $7.5 billion...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John are joined by Korea Pro’s junior correspondent Joon Ha to explore recent developments in South Korea’s economic, diplomatic and educational sectors. The discussion begins with an analysis of the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point, marking the first reduction in four and a half years. The team examines the potential implications of this move for South Korea’s...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John explore recent developments in South Korea’s defense, business and economic sectors. The discussion begins with a review of the REAIM Summit Declaration, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining human control over AI in military applications. The hosts analyze the summit itself and its implications for future conflicts and arms races. Next, they delve into a new enforcement decree that allows South Korean...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John is joined by junior news reporter Joon Ha to discuss the latest developments in South Korean politics, defense, trade, and society. The two begin by discussing a surprising statement from South Korea’s Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo, who suggested that the U.S. nuclear umbrella might weaken if Donald Trump is reelected. John and Joon Ha analyze the implications of this unusually frank comment about U.S. elections from a...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John dive into South Korea’s latest policy challenges and social issues. The discussion begins with an analysis of the recently approved 2025 budget proposal. Our hosts break down the winners and losers, highlighting increased support for high-tech sectors, healthcare and defense, while noting reduced allocations for public housing, infrastructure and regional spending. The conversation then shifts to President Yoon...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John begin by discussing the Bank of Korea’s decision to maintain its interest rate for the 13th consecutive time, the longest streak to date, amid record-high household debt of $1.4 trillion. The hosts explore the paradox of increasing real estate investments despite personal debt levels, touching on practices like gap investment and the misuse of the government’s housing lottery system. The conversation then shifts to the...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John discuss President Yoon Suk-yeol’s recent defense reshuffle, which saw the appointment of Kim Yong-hyun as the new defense minister, Shin Won-sik as the new national security adviser and Chang Ho-jin as the new special advisor for diplomatic security. The hosts analyze the significance of these appointments and their timing and what they reveal about Yoon’s foreign policy priorities. The conversation then shifts to the...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John delve into the ongoing controversy surrounding Japan’s Sado mine, which was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They discuss Japan’s rejection of South Korea’s request to acknowledge forced Korean labor at the mine and the potential political fallout for the Yoon administration’s foreign policy toward Japan. The hosts also explore the Democratic Party’s likely continued criticism of the government’s handling of...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John delve into South Korea’s economic challenges as it finds itself caught between the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan’s divergent monetary policies. They discuss the potential impact on the South Korean won and the Bank of Korea’s dilemma in balancing concerns about inflation and stimulating growth, amid contrasting data points such as increased exports in July and a contraction in GDP in the second quarter. The...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John delve into the ongoing fallout from the indictment of Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst and White House official. They discuss how this case has ignited a political firestorm between the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), with both sides trading accusations about their interactions with Terry. The conversation then shifts to a legislative proposal by DP lawmaker Park Sun-won....

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John discuss the Czech government’s selection of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) as the preferred negotiation partner for the construction of two new nuclear power plants in the European country. They begin by discussing how the announcement will likely impact South Korea’s nuclear energy sector, its domestic political ramifications and how it might affect the U.S.-ROK alliance in the future due to KHNP’s ongoing legal...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John delve into President Yoon Suk-yeol’s trip to the U.S. where he visited the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii and attended the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. They discuss Yoon’s bilateral meetings with various world leaders. Next, the hosts analyze the labor ministry’s report on South Korea’s employment numbers reaching a 15-month high. John speculates that a significant portion of the numbers may be attributed to...

In this special episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John are joined by David C. Kang, professor of International Relations and Business at the University of Southern California. The wide-ranging discussion delves into the complexities of the U.S.-South Korea alliance as both countries navigate domestic political shifts and face evolving challenges in the region. Kang shares his insights on South Korea’s considerations surrounding potential domestic nuclear weapons...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John delve into South Korea’s economic outlook and demographic challenges. They begin by examining the impending retirement of second-generation baby boomers and its projected impact on South Korea’s economic growth over the next decade. The hosts also discuss Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s optimistic economic projections and contrast them with John’s analysis of key indicators that suggest a more vulnerable economy. The...

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John dive into the latest developments in South Korean politics and a tragic industrial accident. The duo begins by discussing the main opposition Democratic Party’s recent victories in the tug-of-war over committee leadership and the party’s decision to weaken anti-corruption rules in its charter. They also touch on the confirmed frontrunners for the ruling People Power Party’s leadership race and their sudden shift to...

In this week’s episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-hosts Jeongmin and John delve into recent geopolitical developments affecting the Korean Peninsula. The duo begins by examining the recent 2+2 vice-ministerial talks between South Korea and China, noting the unusual discrepancy in the timing and content of their respective press releases. Next, they analyze Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea and the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty. The hosts...