In this week’s episode, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha unpack a dramatic week in South Korea’s economic and political landscape.

They begin with U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt reversal on “reciprocal tariffs,” which briefly calmed global markets on Thursday but left South Korea bracing for more uncertainty. John explains how bond yields, stock prices and investor sentiment all flashed warning signs before Trump hit pause.

The trio then turns to South Korea’s fast-moving presidential race, now officially underway after last week’s Constitutional Court decision to uphold former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment. With public officials required to resign 30 days before party primaries, major political figures are stepping forward — including Lee Jae-myung, Kim Moon-soo and Ahn Cheol-soo — with more expected to join in the days ahead.

Finally, they preview a key date on the calendar: April 15, when the U.S. Department of Energy will formally designate South Korea as a “sensitive country,” a move that could reshape bilateral energy cooperation and tech export controls.

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, April 10, 2025.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson