KOREA PRO Podcast

On this week’s episode of the Korea Pro Podcast, John and NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy discuss the Democrats’ sweeping gains in the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections and what the results could mean for South Korea’s security and economic relations with Washington. They first examine growing speculation that President Donald Trump could replace Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a potential successor, and how a leadership change at the Pentagon could affect Seoul’s efforts to regain wartime operational control of its military. The conversation then turns to South Korea’s $350 billion investment commitment to the United States, exploring how increased congressional oversight under Democratic control could complicate implementation of the agreement and place greater scrutiny on job creation, supply chains and commercial returns. The episode also considers speculation about a possible meeting between Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC summit in Shenzhen, examining Pyongyang’s diplomatic calculations and the implications of potential U.S.-North Korea engagement that excludes Seoul. Finally, the team looks ahead to possible impeachment proceedings against Hegseth, South Korea’s planned expansion of the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit’s operational area and the release of October employment figures amid continued concerns about youth unemployment. About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Managing Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, delivering deep, clear analysis of South Korean politics, diplomacy, security, society and technology for professionals who need more than headlines. Uploaded every Friday. This episode was recorded on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. Audio edited by Alannah Hill

On this week’s episode of the Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha discuss President Lee Jae Myung’s controversial remarks about foreign workers and support for multicultural families, as well as his unusual decision to cite the online community FM Korea while confronting criticism from progressive media. They then turn to Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul’s remarks questioning whether South Korea can rely on U.S. military intervention in a conflict with North Korea, examining the political backlash and implications for the alliance as Washington and Seoul have postponed their annual Security Consultative Meeting amid discussions over wartime operational control transfer. The episode also examines how lawmakers from both major parties are increasingly using parliamentary audits to generate viral social media content, raising questions about political accountability and the effectiveness of legislative oversight. Finally, the team looks ahead to the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections and their potential implications for South Korea, alongside upcoming inflation data, the Bank of Korea’s interest rate outlook and the impact of semiconductor exports on third-quarter economic growth. About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Managing Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, delivering deep, clear analysis of South Korean politics, diplomacy, security, society and technology for professionals who need more than headlines. Uploaded every Friday. This episode was recorded on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. Audio edited by Alannah Hill

On this week’s episode of the Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin and Joon Ha discuss Russia’s latest overtures toward South Korea, including Moscow’s willingness to restore bilateral relations and resume direct flights, as Seoul escalates its diplomatic dispute with Ukraine over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war. They then examine South Korea’s consideration of expanding the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit’s operational area toward the Strait of Hormuz, amid growing pressure from Washington for military assistance.  The episode also looks at South Korea’s decision to raise its private-sector cybersecurity alert following the discovery of critical software vulnerabilities, against a backdrop of growing concerns about AI-assisted cyberattacks.  Jeongmin and Joon Ha then turn to the sharp decline in the KOSPI and the Bank of Korea’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged, examining the implications for consumption, inflation and future monetary policy. Finally, they discuss the Lee Jae Myung administration’s latest government reform initiatives, before looking ahead to South Korea’s third-quarter GDP figures, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s upcoming visit to Seoul and a possible National Assembly vote on extending the Cheonghae unit’s mandate. About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Managing Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, delivering deep, clear analysis of South Korean politics, diplomacy, security, society and technology for professionals who need more than headlines. Uploaded every Friday. This episode was recorded on Thursday, Oct. 22nd, 2026. Audio edited by Alannah Hill

On this week’s episode of the Korea Pro Podcast, John and Joon Ha discuss the sharp decline in South Korea’s stock market, with the KOSPI plunging nearly 8% on Thursday amid concerns about the sustainability of the AI boom, weaker-than-expected earnings from Samsung Electronics and growing competition from Chinese memory chipmakers.  They then turn to former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Seoul, examining her remarks on U.S. alliances, South Korean shipbuilding and economic cooperation.  The episode also examines the prison sentence handed to former Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo over a local election nomination bribery scandal, as well as broader concerns about South Korea’s vetting process for senior government officials.  Finally, they look ahead to South Korea’s upcoming Hoguk military exercises, including joint field training drills postponed from Ulchi Freedom Shield, before discussing the Bank of Korea’s Oct. 22 interest rate decision and upcoming parliamentary audits of the armed forces. About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Managing Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, delivering deep, clear analysis of South Korean politics, diplomacy, security, society and technology for professionals who need more than headlines. Uploaded every Friday. This episode was recorded on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Audio edited by Alannah Hill

On this week’s episode of the Korea Pro Podcast, Jeongmin, John and Joon Ha discuss the successful fifth launch of South Korea’s Nuri rocket, which placed five primary Earth observation satellites into orbit, as well as the growing role of private companies such as Hanwha Aerospace and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in the country’s space program.  They then turn to a cyber breach affecting Shinhan Bank and other financial institutions, examining how attackers allegedly used an AI-assisted security tool to identify vulnerabilities and why the incident has raised broader concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in cyberattacks against the financial sector.  The episode also examines the deepening diplomatic tensions between Seoul and Kyiv over two North Korean prisoners of war, as well as reports that fuel loaded in South Korean waters was later delivered to Russia aboard sanctioned vessels.  Finally, they discuss Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s visit to Seoul and prospects for expanded cooperation in shipbuilding, trade and maritime security, before turning to South Korea’s sweeping prosecution reform and the challenges facing the new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, police and prosecution service as the country adjusts to the new system.  About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Managing Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, delivering deep, clear analysis of South Korean politics, diplomacy, security, society and technology for professionals who need more than headlines. Uploaded every Friday. This episode was recorded on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. Audio edited by Alannah Hill Editor’s note: Shortly after this episode was recorded on Thursday, Oct. 8, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would recall its ambassador to Ukraine amid the ongoing diplomatic dispute over Kyiv’s disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. The announcement came approximately five minutes after recording concluded and is therefore not discussed in the episode.