I could not find a good answer to this except here. Maybe it's trivial, or maybe it's just uncommon.
I want to develop an open source application, and I am keen to use a GPL license, but I need to embed a third-party closed-source library. The wrapper to the library I write would be open sourced, but the binaries of the libraries would be closed.
I am implying here that I have the right to use the closed-source library and that the owner of that library is aware of my intention to publish my code as open source. Think of an SDK as an example.
My question is: can I distribute my source code with a GPL license? And, importantly, can I distribute the complete binary bundle, including both my code and the third party, with a GPL license (maybe specifying that it does not apply to that third party lib)?
My understanding is that the GPL is "viral" for what sits "on top" of the code with that license, that is: any derivative work, but not for what stays "below", that is: any used library or lower layers functionalities.
If this is allowed, is it allowed by all versions of the GPL? If it is not allowed, which license would you recommend that is the closest, in spirit, to the GPL, but that would allow me to include third-party, closed source dependencies?