In this week’s episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, co-host John is joined by news trainee Lina to discuss a range of pressing issues in South Korea.

First, John and Lina dive into the latest scandal surrounding President Yoon Suk-yeol. They examine fresh allegations that suggest he may have meddled in the investigation into a marine’s death from last year, and how this will likely spur opposition parties to attempt to call for another special prosecution investigation just two days after they failed in the same bid.

Next, John and Lina examine the conflict between the Seoul City government and organizers of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival, discussing how it reflects broader societal and political attitudes towards LGBTQ events and communities in South Korea and the potential impact on the country’s international reputation.

The duo then tackles the issue of nuclear waste management in South Korea, analyzing the potential economic repercussions and the impact on the country’s trade relations if a permanent disposal solution for high-level radioactive waste is not found soon.

Finally, Lina shares her insights and experiences from her recent interviews regarding the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education’s removal of books from school libraries. She discusses the challenges she faced in gathering information and perspectives, highlights memorable interviews and explores the potential effects of the book removals on the future of sex education and gender equality discussions in South Korea.

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 May 30, 2024. 

Audio edited by Joe Smith