South Korea stands at the crossroads of global power - caught between China, the United States, Japan, and its unpredictable neighbor to the north. Jacob Shapiro and Professor Jeffrey Robertson unpack how a nation long described as “the shrimp among whales” has learned to navigate the world’s toughest geopolitical waters. From shifting alliances and nuclear restraint to the economic promise of unification, this episode reveals how Korea’s pragmatism may shape the future of Asia.--Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction(01:45) - Professor Jeff Robinson(02:08) - Jeff's Background and Experience in South Korea(02:55) - South Korea's Rapid Changes and Current Events(04:54) - US-South Korea Relations and Historical Context(12:43) - South Korea's Domestic Politics and Policy(16:51) - South Korea-Japan Relations(19:59) - South Korea's Perception of China(24:05) - South Korea's Stance on Taiwan and Nuclear Deterrent(25:48) - Nuclear Deterrence on the Korean Peninsula(27:40) - North Korea's Current Status and International Relations(29:10) - Prospects of Korean Peninsula Unification(37:57) - South Korea's Economic and Demographic Challenges(41:56) - Australia-South Korea Relations(48:27) - Impact of US-South Korea Relations on Education and Future Prospects(50:42) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts--Referenced in the Show:Jeffrey Robinson's Website: https://junotane.com/--Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com --Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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51:55
The Rightist International
When U.S. aircraft carriers appear off Venezuela’s coast, it’s not just saber-rattling - it’s a mirror held up to a century of empire. Jacob and LatAm analyst Elohim Monard dissect what’s really driving Washington’s renewed aggression in the Caribbean, from Trump and Rubio’s internal power struggle - to the shadow of China, the lure of oil, and the global rise of hard-line politics. Together, they trace the fault lines connecting Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, and the United States... and ask whether a new “right-wing international” is already reshaping the Americas.--Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction(00:29) - Halloween Anecdote and Personal Updates(01:16) - Coca-Cola and American Empire(02:53) - Venezuela and US Foreign Policy(04:35) - US Military Movements and Implications(10:53) - Internal US Politics and Foreign Policy(20:37) - Historical Context and Neoconservatism(35:06) - US Strategy in Latin America(35:41) - China's Influence and Russia's Role(36:43) - US Military Presence and Economic Interests(42:22) - Historical Context and Legal Justifications(44:25) - Emerging Right-Wing Politics in Latin America(48:07) - Comparative Analysis of US and Latin American Politics(56:02) - Future Implications and Concluding Thoughts--Referenced in the Show:Conversando de Política - https://conversandodepolitica.com--Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com --Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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1:06:54
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1:06:54
Sovereignty vs. Swipe Fees
When a Brazilian payment system threatens U.S. credit-card profits, it exposes a deeper fracture in the global economy: sovereignty versus rent-seeking, innovation versus control. Jacob and Rob trace the fight over PIX from Brasília to Washington and beyond -into currency wars, trade tantrums, and the strange new politics of the Western Hemisphere. What does it mean when the world’s “rules-based order” starts punishing countries for building better systems?--Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Overview(00:50) - Halloween in Paris vs. New Orleans(01:40) - Current Events and Volatility(02:36) - Introduction to Pix Payment System(03:25) - How Pix Works and Its Impact(05:58) - US Investigation into Pix(08:35) - Geopolitical Implications and US-Brazil Relations(13:30) - Privacy Concerns and Central Bank Control(17:23) - Credit Card Companies vs. Pix(22:25) - Brazil's Political Landscape and Economic Outlook(28:08) - US-Argentina Relations and Economic Policies(30:25) - Discussing Currency Strategies(31:16) - Argentina's Currency Swap and US Involvement(32:49) - US Banks and Argentina's Financial Crisis(35:55) - US Military Buildup in the Caribbean(36:48) - US-Colombia Relations and Regional Tensions(42:22) - Impact of Cocaine Production on Latin America(48:35) - Currency Discipline and Global Financial Stability(54:27) - The Future of Global Currencies(01:00:19) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts--Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com --Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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1:00:34
A Wild New Era of Japanese Politics
Japan rewired its politics: a power shift, a woman at the helm, and a minority government forced to bargain for every vote. What follows when high approval collides with hard math - aging demographics, weak yen, and defense budgets racing past old taboos? Analyst Tobias Harris, author of The Iconoclast and writer of Observing Japan, joins The Jacob Shapiro Podcast to unpack the country’s most surprising election in years - one that produced its first female prime minister and a government held together by negotiation. Expect sharper debates on security, energy, food, and China ties, with South Korea and Washington watching. Is this real generational change or a new face for old factions? The stakes: whether Japan can act before events act on it.--Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction (00:25) - Challenges in Understanding Japanese Politics(01:05) - Recent Japanese Election Overview(02:00) - Unexpected Election Results and Political Shifts(05:45) - Historical Context and Political Fragmentation(07:29) - Farewell to Shigeru Ishiba(12:31) - Rise of Japan's First Female Prime Minister(22:57) - Public Perception and Future Prospects(27:46) - Understanding Political Longevity(28:30) - Policy Expectations and Challenges(32:49) - Economic and Fiscal Policies(37:39) - Foreign Policy and Relations with China(43:15) - Japan-South Korea Relations(48:55) - Japan-US Relations and Defense Strategy(55:45) - Concluding Thoughts on Leadership--Referenced in the Show:Tobais' website: https://observingjapan.com/Observing Japan Substack: https://substack.com/@observingjapan--Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com --Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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57:55
Leverage on Leverage on Leverage
Gold prices are soaring, private equity is unraveling, and data centers have become the next speculative frontier. Beneath all of it lies a simple question: what happens when faith in liquidity, stability, and infinite growth begins to fray? From central banks hoarding bullion to insurers gambling on AI infrastructure, the same story unfolds—risk disguised as resilience. And somewhere between coffee tariffs and capital flows, you can glimpse the new shape of a global economy learning to live without certainty.--Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction(01:03) - Catch-Up and Current Events(02:09) - Gold Market Analysis(08:40) - Global Currency Dynamics(17:42) - US Gold Reserves and Fiscal Policy(25:24) - Podcast Wrap-Up and Listener Engagement(26:25) - Urgent Financial News: Private Equity and Insurance Capital(27:57) - Private Equity's Desperation for Retail Investors(28:33) - The Volatility Spiral and Liquidity Crisis(31:43) - Private Equity's Leverage on Captive Insurance(32:48) - The Data Center Investment Bubble(41:23) - AI Demand and Data Center Overcapacity(48:52) - The Future of Energy Prices and AI(50:45) - Rising Coffee Prices and Tariff Impacts(57:19) - The Global Trade System and Commodity Markets(01:00:05) - Conclusion: The State of Global Markets--Referenced in the Show:--Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com --Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Hosted by Jacob Shapiro, the Jacob Shapiro Podcast is long-form exploration of geopolitics, markets, crypto, agriculture, macro-finance, commodities, ForEx, and much much more! Tune in biweekly for interviews with experts across the globe, and weekly for roundups of global financial and geopolitical events!
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
South Africa