KOREA PRO Podcast

In this episode, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha break down the latest twists in South Korea’s political and diplomatic landscape.

First, they analyze President Yoon Suk-yeol’s final defense in his impeachment trial, where he justified his martial law declaration as a “communication tool” to alert the public about national crises. The team examines whether this argument holds weight and what it signals about Yoon’s political strategy.

Next, they discuss growing tensions between South Korea and China after Beijing’s ambassador publicly warned against rising anti-China rhetoric in Seoul. With Yoon repeatedly accusing China of election interference, Beijing may be signaling its displeasure.

Finally, the team dissects former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon’s new memoir on Yoon’s martial law declaration. Han appears to be distancing himself from Yoon as a calculated move to reenter politics.

Plus, a look ahead at the Constitutional Court’s latest ruling on Acting President Choi Sang-mok’s justice appointments and what it means for South Korea’s political landscape.

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 Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha break down two major developments shaking South Korea’s political and diplomatic landscape.

First, they analyze former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s Thursday testimony in President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment trial, where he contradicted Yoon’s claims that the Dec. 3 martial law declaration was meant to last only a few hours. Han’s statements suggest Yoon expected the emergency decree to last at least two days, raising further questions about the legality of the move.

On the foreign policy front, the team discusses Jeongmin’s participation in last week’s Munich Security Conference. The trio delves into the growing rift between the U.S. and its European allies following U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech at the event. With Washington shifting away from values-based diplomacy and embracing a more transactional approach, the team ponders how South Korea must rethink its own foreign policy strategy going forward.

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 Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode, John and Joon Ha discuss former U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, which — unlike in 2018 — do not exempt South Korea in exchange for import quotas. The duo analyzes potential ripple effects on South Korea’s steel industry and the broader economy, particularly if Trump follows through on additional tariffs targeting semiconductors and EV batteries.

On the foreign policy front, John and Joon Ha unpack South Korea’s ongoing diplomatic challenges. With the first U.S.-Japan summit of the new Trump administration already held, South Korean officials risk playing catch-up in trilateral and bilateral negotiations. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi in Munich, ahead of a tentative ROK-Japan-China trilateral meeting in late March. The discussion also touches on U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks that Ukraine’s security must not fall under NATO’s Article 5 commitments — a shift that could push European countries to boost defense spending, creating new export opportunities for South Korean arms firms.

Domestically, the Constitutional Court may soon wrap up witness testimonies in President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment trial, setting the stage for a ruling by late February or early March — unless ongoing disputes over judicial appointments delay the process. The duo also breaks down new allegations of election meddling, as all six opposition parties push for a special counsel investigation into Yoon’s alleged involvement in the 2022 and 2023 elections. Meanwhile, new polling data suggests Yoon’s impeachment remains deeply polarizing, though nearly 70% of centrist voters now support his removal.

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 Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha discuss South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s ongoing martial law trial, where military commanders have given conflicting testimonies about whether Yoon ordered troops to detain opposition lawmakers and close the National Assembly.

The team also breaks down the Constitutional Court’s ruling against Acting President Choi Sang-mok’s truncated judicial appointments, a decision welcomed by the Democratic Party and criticized by the ruling People Power Party. While Choi has acknowledged the ruling, he insists that a bipartisan agreement is necessary before finalizing the last judicial appointment.

On the economic front, China has retaliated against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs by imposing export controls on tungsten and other rare earth metals essential for semiconductor production.

Meanwhile, South Korean government ministries have banned the use of DeepSeek’s R1 LLM on official computers, citing security concerns, aligning with similar measures taken by the U.S. government.

In diplomacy, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Munich, marking the first high-level U.S.-ROK engagement under the new Trump administration. This meeting follows a flurry of U.S.-Japan diplomatic interactions, including an upcoming summit between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Finally, South Korea’s industry ministry has confirmed that while oil and gas reserves likely exist under the East Sea, there is little evidence to suggest they are economically viable — affirming long-standing expert assessments.

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 Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha discuss three key developments impacting South Korea’s political and economic landscape.  

First, Donald Trump has officially taken office as the 47th President of the United States. While South Korea was not mentioned in his inaugural address or his executive orders, his remarks about a potential review of the USMCA may hint at how his administration could approach the KORUS FTA. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call, but discrepancies in their press briefings suggest possible diverging priorities in the Indo-Pacific region.  

Next, Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong made an unprecedented call for fiscal stimulus to revive South Korea’s struggling economy. Although both the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party might agree on supplementary budgets, the timeline for action may hinge on the Constitutional Court’s decision on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment and the potential scheduling of the next presidential election.  

Finally, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) has requested the prosecution indict Yoon over his failed martial law bid. Yoon has exercised his right to remain silent, further highlighting the CIO’s limitations in enforcing compliance. Meanwhile, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has petitioned the Constitutional Court to review election laws following his recent conviction for disseminating false information during the 2022 presidential campaign.  

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 Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

This special episode of The Korea Pro Podcast features a live recording from our latest Seoul Circuit event, held on Jan. 16, 2025. Unlike our usual 15-minute studio podcasts, this 45-minute discussion was moderated by Jeongmin, Korea Pro’s editorial director, over dinner and drinks.  

The event’s speakers included Chad O’Carroll, CEO of Korea Risk Group, and Mason Richey, professor of international politics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, president of the Korea International Studies Association and editor-in-chief of The Journal of East Asian Affairs.  

Together, they explored the limitations of conventional Washington-centric perspectives — often referred to as “the Washington blob” — in analyzing Korean Peninsula issues. They discussed how geographical distance, institutional biases and regional complexities influence and sometimes distort global perceptions of South and North Korea.  

Tune in to this special episode for an engaging and nuanced conversation that challenges conventional wisdom about the Korean Peninsula.

While this episode features the moderated discussion, the Q&A session that followed was conducted under the Chatham House Rule and is not included here. For exclusive insights and the chance to engage directly with stakeholders in Seoul, consider joining our next Seoul Circuit event.

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 Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode, Jeongmin and John analyze the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol, just 43 days after he declared martial law. They discuss the reported refusal of Presidential Security Service agents to follow orders to protect Yoon from arrest, the arrest of the PSS Acting Chief and Acting President Choi Sang-mok’s role in signaling a potential stand-down.

The discussion then turns to the Bank of Korea’s decision to maintain its key interest rate at 3%, halting recent cuts amid concerns over currency volatility and the South Korean won’s approach to the 1,500 won-per-dollar threshold.

Jeongmin and John also dissect Pete Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearing as Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense. Hegseth’s written statement referring to North Korea as a nuclear state raises troubling implications for South Korea, suggesting the incoming Trump administration might sideline Seoul in renewed direct negotiations with Kim Jong Un.

Finally, the team previews the week ahead, including Trump’s Monday inauguration. They theorize Trump’s silence on Yoon’s impeachment and arrest reflects either a strategic focus on other priorities — Ukraine, Israel and Greenland — or advice to avoid parallels between Yoon’s actions and Trump’s own charges with attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

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 Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode, the Korea Pro team dives into the currency fluctuations affecting South Korea’s economy and discusses the implications of the recently signed memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy exports. They also analyze the potential reintroduction of the special counsel investigation into Yoon’s martial law declaration and its implications for South Korea’s legal framework.

The discussion moves to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to South Korea and the Biden administration’s appointment of Joseph Yun as the charge d'affaires to the country following Ambassador Philip Goldberg’s departure.

Finally, the team previews the week ahead, including a possible New Year’s press conference by South Korea’s leadership and the attendance of prominent South Korean business leaders at Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration in Washington, D.C. Notable attendees include Chung Yong-jin of Shinsegae Group and Ryu Jin of the Federation of Korean Industries.

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 Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha analyze a turbulent week in South Korean politics. They begin with the appointment of Acting President Choi Sang-mok following Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment last Friday, the plane crash at Muan International Airport over the weekend and Choi’s polarizing decisions to appoint only two Constitutional Court justices while vetoing special counsel bills.

The team delves into the unprecedented warrant issued by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials for President Yoon Suk-yeol’s arrest and the escalating standoff between law enforcement and the Presidential Security Service outside Yoon’s residence. They discuss the legal and military chain-of-command uncertainties, as pro-Yoon protesters continue to rally and the warrant’s expiration looms.

The episode concludes with an exploration of the broader implications for South Korea’s institutional integrity, alliance with the U.S. and defense operations, as well as key events to watch in the coming week, including a likely request to extend the arrest warrant for Yoon.

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 Thursday and Friday, Jan. 2 and 3, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin and John explore the mounting political crisis surrounding Acting President Han Duck-soo. The discussion begins with Han’s decision to delay appointing Constitutional Court justices until bipartisan agreement is reached, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition.

The duo then unpacks the main opposition Democratic Party’s (DP) push to pass an impeachment bill against Han and the escalating debate between the DP and the ruling People Power Party over the number of parliamentary votes required to remove him from office — 151 or 200.

Looking ahead, Jeongmin and John discuss the possibility that the Constitutional Court could decide to prioritize resolving the procedural dispute over Han’s impeachment before proceeding with President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment. Additionally, South Korea’s ongoing political stability will likely lead to increased economic volatility.

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 Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson