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 high-ranking South Korean official.

The discussion then moves to South Korea’s defense industry, focusing on Hanwha Ocean’s recent memorandum of understanding with Polish defense firm WB Group for submarine cooperation. They explore the challenges South Korea faces in naval exports compared to its success in land-based military equipment sales to Poland.

On the trade front, John and Joon Ha examine South Korea’s agreement with Western Australia on clean energy and key minerals, particularly lithium. They discuss the strategic importance of this deal in diversifying supply chains away from China and the potential challenges involved.

The conversation shifts to South Korea’s nuclear power ambitions, with a focus on the recent selection of South Korea as the preferred bidder for a Czech nuclear power plant project. John and Joon Ha delve into the legal challenges posed by U.S. and French competitors and their potential impact on Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company’s export plans.

In societal news, the duo discusses the ongoing investigation into Telegram’s role in deepfake sex crimes following Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest in France. They also touch on Telegram’s recent compliance with content removal requests and its apology for its handling of digital sex crimes.

Finally, John gives a preview of upcoming events, including Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s final visit to South Korea before stepping down and next week’s Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) conference co-hosted by South Korea, the Netherlands, and Singapore.

About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly 15-minute conversation hosted by Editorial Director Jeongmin Kim (@jeongminnkim) and Editor John Lee (@koreanforeigner), diving deep into the most pressing stories shaping South Korea — and dissecting the most complicated ones for professionals monitoring ROK politics, diplomacy, culture, society and technology. Uploaded every Friday.

This episode was recorded on Sept. 5, 2024

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson