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