In this week’s episode, Jeongmin and Joon Ha share what they saw at rival campaign camps on election night, while the team discusses newly-elected President Lee Jae-myung’s first appointments and Kim Min-seok’s focus on economic revival as prime minister-designate.

They also examine how the main opposition People Power Party is handling defeat, including floor leader Kweon Seong-dong’s resignation and former candidate Kim Moon-soo’s finger-pointing over internal party sabotage.

The team closes with a look ahead to the ruling Democratic Party’s upcoming leadership transition and the judiciary committee’s role in Lee’s pending election law case. With presidential immunity facing legal ambiguity, Korea watchers will need to track how the courts and legislature navigate this next chapter.

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, June 5, 2025. 

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson