In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John and Joon Ha dissect revelations about the hidden clause in Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Korea Electric Power Corporation’s (KEPCO) settlement with Westinghouse Electric, which critics argue binds South Korea’s nuclear exports under U.S. control for the next half-century. They examine the political fallout in Seoul and why President Lee Jae-myung is unlikely to raise the matter in his upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The hosts also preview Lee’s Aug. 23 summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, noting the rare symmetry between their recent Aug. 15 speeches, which balanced historical acknowledgment with forward-looking cooperation.

Finally, they turn to Lee’s Aug. 25 summit with Trump, weighing the risks of an unpredictable U.S. president revisiting tariffs and trade concessions, and recap the week ahead, including the People Power Party leadership race and the Seoul Circuit event on ROK-Japan relations.

About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly 15-minute conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, 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 Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson