In this week’s episode, the Korea Pro team explores President Lee Jae-myung’s decision to skip the NATO summit in the Hague, citing domestic concerns and the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. His absence prompted Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to also bow out, signaling an unusual moment of deference from Tokyo and a potential opportunity to formalize improving bilateral ties.

The team also reviews Lee’s growing Cabinet, with key appointments to the foreign affairs, unification and defense portfolios now in place — though eight major ministries, including finance and justice, remain without confirmed leadership.

Finally, the team examines the KOSPI’s rise above 3,100 and explains why it doesn’t reflect the broader state of South Korea’s economy.

Looking ahead, the team discusses mounting legal trouble for former President Yoon Suk-yeol, as a special counsel seeks to bar him from travel and pursue a detention warrant over his aborted martial law plan.

About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly 15-minute conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, 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 Wednesday, June 25, 2025. 

Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson