Rocket success, defense setback and tightening monetary reality — Ep. 108

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John and Joon Ha assess South Korea’s strategic leap in space technology after the successful early-morning launch of the Nuri rocket, exploring the implications for sovereign satellite capability, dual-use defense competitiveness and regional positioning against Japan’s H3 program. The hosts analyze Poland’s decision to choose Sweden’s Saab over Hanwha Ocean for the Orka submarine project, examining what the loss signals for South Korea’s ambitions to move up the defense-export value chain from land systems to complex naval platforms. They break down the Bank of Korea’s decision to hold the base rate at 2.5% while upgrading the growth outlook, focusing on currency volatility, household-sector fragility and constrained policy space as markets price geopolitical risk into 2026. The episode also reviews President Lee Jae-myung’s performance in Turkey, separating symbolic diplomacy from measurable outcomes and assessing whether outreach to Ankara reflects a broader multipolar strategy. The episode concludes with a look ahead to next week’s protest marking one year since former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law declaration, where Korea Pro’s Joon Ha Park and Lina Park will report from the National Assembly. About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, 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. 27, 2025. Audio edited by Gaby Magnuson