In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin and Joon Ha discuss a long-awaited visit by a Ukrainian defense delegation to Seoul and its meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol and other top officials. While Ukraine's reported weapons wish list includes air defense systems and artillery shells according to local media exclusives, the team examines why Seoul is maintaining strategic ambiguity in its official response, particularly given uncertainties about future U.S. policy direction under Trump.

The conversation then turns to yet another rupture in ROK-Japan relations over a memorial service for Korean forced labor victims at Japan's Sado gold mine. Joon Ha explains how the appointment of a controversial Japanese representative led to separate commemorations, challenging recent diplomatic progress despite Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s supposedly dovish stance on historical issues.

Jeongmin analyzes the Bank of Korea's unexpected decision to cut its benchmark rate to 3%, examining the central bank's concerns about external trade risks and weak domestic demand. She also discusses the surprising third-quarter uptick in South Korea's birth rate – the first increase in over a decade — while exploring how post-COVID marriage patterns might explain this shift among women in their 30s.

Looking ahead, the team previews next week's critical budget negotiation deadline, noting an unusual convergence between the ruling and opposition parties' economic positions that could facilitate an agreement despite traditional partisan divisions.

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, Nov. 28, 2024.

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson