Economist Podcasts – Intelligence

Episode: The splitting image: Yoon verdict will deepen divisions

Date: February 19, 2026
Hosts: Rosie Blore, Jason Palmer

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the fallout from the sentencing of South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol after his failed attempt to impose martial law in late 2024. The discussion, led by East Asia Bureau Chief Noah Snyder, explores how Yoon’s insurrection has intensified political polarization and fractured the conservative People Power Party, creating a complex and deeply divided political landscape. The episode also explores AI’s real impact on white-collar work and features a cultural segment reviewing the memoir “A Hymn to Life” by Giselle Pellico, as well as a brief anti-recommendation on a new adaptation of “Wuthering Heights.”

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. South Korea’s Divisions Deepen Over Yoon Verdict (02:13–10:48)

Background and Timeline

• Failed Martial Law Attempt:
  On December 3, 2024, then-President Yoon declared martial law, deployed troops to seize the National Assembly, and raided the National Election Commission, aiming to suppress opposition (03:00).
• Quick Opposition Mobilization:
  The Democratic Party moved swiftly, lawmakers pushed past soldiers, and by 1am overturned martial law without violence. Yoon backed down hours later (03:19–03:59).
• Aftermath:
  The failed coup set off a process culminating in Yoon’s sentencing.

The Court Verdict

• Yoon’s Sentence:
  Despite the death penalty being an option, Yoon received a life sentence for leading an insurrection (02:30).
• Political Impact:
  “Neither his appeal nor this sentence will resolve the deeper fissures that his actions have helped cause in South Korean society.”
  — Noah Snyder (02:49)

Intensified Polarization

• Societal Divisions:
  • The incident showcased both the resilience of Korean democracy and its deep polarization.
  • Both political sides see each other as “mortal enemies locked in existential combat” (04:22–04:54).
• Impact on Conservative Party:
  • The People Power Party (PPP) split into the “Yoon Again” faction (pro-Yoon) and “Yoon Never Again” (anti-Yoon).
  • The party faces an identity crisis, now overshadowed by an emboldened left-wing Democratic Party (05:16–06:28).

Far-Right Takeover and Cultural ALLUSIONS

• New Political Dynamic:
  • The “Yoon Again” faction, with roots in conspiracies and evangelical Christianity, models itself on America’s MAGA movement, chanting slogans like “Make Korea Great Again” and “Stop the Steal” (07:00–08:20).
  • Martial law is now a litmus test for party leadership.
  • “In a lot of ways, it looks like martial law has become a bit like January 6th in America’s Republican Party following 2020.” — Noah Snyder (08:10).

Prospects and Consequences

• Entrenchment over Redemption:
  Yoon’s prosecution is unlikely to sway his supporters, who are further entrenched in their beliefs (08:48–09:07).
• Future Risks:
  • The PPP’s popularity is plummeting (<25% support), and upcoming local elections could force a reckoning.
  • Lack of a strong opposition leaves the Democratic Party unchecked, which could accelerate polarization and erode democratic balance (09:04–10:46).
• Quote:
  “It’s going to be hard for the country or for the two parties to start healing the divide and bridging the gaps…if there are still divisions within the parties themselves.”
  — Noah Snyder (10:35)

2. The Real Impact of AI on White-Collar Work (11:57–19:59)

Setting the Scene

• AI in the Workplace:
  Rosie Blore raises concerns about AI as a “tsunami” for white-collar workers, citing dire predictions (11:57).
• Guest Expert:
  Alex Domash, economics correspondent, brings a data-driven, more optimistic perspective.

Key Insights

• Job Market Data:
  • White-collar jobs increased by 3 million in three years; blue-collar jobs stayed flat.
  • High-risk roles (software developers, paralegals, radiologists) saw significant job growth, contradicting automation fears (13:03–14:09).
• Historic Tech Change:
  • “Computers, the Internet, have been a boon for white-collar workers… Employment in white collar work has more than doubled since the early 1980s.” — Alex Domash (14:22)
  • Most job losses occur in routine roles, but new roles and task reshaping more than offset this.
• AI’s Limits:
  • AI can fully automate only a tiny fraction of jobs; most roles are too complex to be replaced outright (16:09).
  • Anthropic report: Only 4% of occupations could see 75% of tasks automated; almost none could be 100% automated (16:21).
  • "We oversimplify what a job actually is. A job consists of many different tasks." — Alex Domash (16:34)
• Recent Labor Trends:
  • Rapid growth in hybrid roles blending tech and human skills, e.g., project managers, information security analysts (17:32).
  • The only shrinking group: routine back-office roles, a continuation of past trends.
• Remaining Risks:
  • AI algorithms are getting dramatically better (benchmark improvements every seven months).
  • Entry-level jobs are especially exposed; career progression could be disrupted.
  • Displaced routine workers face the toughest challenge in adapting (18:28–19:44).
  • “I do believe that white-collar work will continue to adjust and most probably it will continue to expand as well.” — Alex Domash (19:55)

3. Culture Editor’s Picks: Memoir & Media (20:32–26:57)

Book Recommendation: “A Hymn to Life” by Giselle Pellico

• Who is Gisele Pellico?
  A public figure thrust into the spotlight as survivor of a sensational rape case involving her husband (21:13).
• Memoir Highlights:
  • “She portrays herself as an everywoman … dealing with ordinary emotions, like how do you make sense of happy memories when someone has betrayed you?”
    — Alexandra Sewich Bass, Culture Editor (21:39)
  • Facing trauma publicly, Pellico aims to shift shame away from victims: “Shame has to change sides” (23:48).
  • Draws on ordinary roots and candid self-reflection rather than high-minded rhetoric.
• Cultural Reflection:
  • Surge in interest for women reclaiming their narratives in nonfiction, as Pellico, like other survivors, brings sensitivity to trauma recovery (24:28–25:34).

What Not to Watch: “Weathering Heights”

• Film Critique:
  • New adaptation described as “fan fiction” that fails to satisfy fans of the book or those uninterested in an “erotic and depressing film” (26:14–26:57).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “This incident always showed two sides of South Korea's democracy … resilience … but at the same time … really deep polarization in South Korean society.”
  — Noah Snyder (04:22)
• “Both sides of the political aisle have come to see each other as kind of mortal enemies locked in existential combat.”
  — Noah Snyder (04:42)
• “There is a really loud and influential kind of far right fringe that’s emerged … they adopt a lot of the imagery of the MAGA movement from America.”
  — Noah Snyder (07:28)
• “I do believe that white-collar work will continue to adjust and most probably it will continue to expand as well.”
  — Alex Domash (19:55)
• “Shame has to change sides.”
  — Giselle Pellico (quoted by Alexandra Sewich Bass, 23:48)

Additional Segment Timestamps

• Opening headlines and AI teaser: 01:28–02:13
• Deep dive on Yoon verdict: 02:13–10:48
• AI and the future of work: 11:57–19:59
• Culture: Giselle Pellico memoir: 20:32–25:34
• Culture: Wuthering Heights anti-recommendation: 26:01–26:57

Episode Takeaways

• The sentencing of ex-President Yoon has deepened South Korea's political and social divides, with the conservative opposition fractured and driven by far-right forces, creating long-term uncertainty for Korean democracy.
• Fears about AI destroying white-collar jobs are exaggerated, but disruption is real—especially at the entry level and in routine tasks. Tech change has historically created more opportunities than it destroyed, and that pattern seems to hold.
• Giselle Pellico’s memoir stands as a compelling story of resilience and cultural relevance, while a new adaptation of “Wuthering Heights” is firmly not recommended.