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Kim Bo-eun

Korea Times Digital Content Reporter

Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.

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Companies

China emerges from COVID lockdown, but Korean companies see damage

An aerial view of Shanghai's container port / gettyimagesbankFrom small traders to some of South Korea's top conglomerates, China's hardline coronavirus containment policy has taken a tollBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― South Korean businesses in Shanghai are rushing to normalize operations after the city lifted its two-month long citywide lockdown on Wednesday.Park Sang-min, a South Korean businessman based in the commercial hub, said many companies involved in trade like his own had lost business partners during the lockdown, when cargo-handling capacity at the city's port plunged.The city's port, the world's biggest based on cargo throughput, handled 17 percent fewer containers in April compared with the same month of 2021, data from Shanghai International Port Group shows. As Park's company was unable to ship parts and materials overseas over the past two months, business partners in Europe and Northern Africa found other companies shipping goods from regions of China not under lockdown.Payments for some orders delivered before the lockdown were also suspended because banking services w

Jun 3, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
China emerges from COVID lockdown, but Korean companies see damage
World

Hong Kong sports center owners get back on their feet after COVID-19 shutdown

Top-down measures may have caused other health problemsBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― During Hong Kong's fifth COVID-19 wave, when basically all establishments were closed in the evenings and there was little to do outside of the home except for taking a stroll in parks, one could easily spot trainers with their trainees there.What appeared to be nice outdoor sessions were actually trainers trying to survive through the four-month shutdown of sports centers from January through April of this year.Following the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020, these facilities were closed for a total of 10 months.“It felt much longer than that because, throughout the pandemic, people have been concerned about contracting the virus, even during the times we were open, and opted not to come for sessions,” said Master No Rae, who set up a Taekwondo center in Hung Hom in 2016.“During the shutdown, we visited homes to offer smaller, one-on-one classes, but many did not want to take part because of more expensive fees. Online classes did not really work either, because due to the nature o

May 31, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Hong Kong sports center owners get back on their feet after COVID-19 shutdown
World

'Can you tell I'm not Korean?'

Hong Kongers present their Korean proficiency at city-wide contestBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― “It seems to be the case that Korea sees a rise in perfectionists, as in a competitive society, people need to strive to become better versions of themselves to maintain a better-quality life and satisfy one's parents that have invested much resources in them,” Wendy Lam, 21, a Hong Konger, says in almost-perfect Korean intonation. Lam was one of 14 contestants in a Korean speech contest hosted by the Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong (KCC), Saturday. University students studying about Korea and the Korean language made up the majority of participants, while there were also office workers. The applicants were screened from a wider pool to compete, via scripts and audio recording files.The participants explored themes such as nunchi ― a “unique” Korean term for the ability to catch others' moods, as well as the communal mind of Koreans reflected in the way they refer to family members as “our” instead of “my.”The contest, which awards the Korean

May 29, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
'Can you tell I'm not Korean?'
Economy

Regulatory clarity is key feature of Hong Kong as fintech hub: fintech association

Korea's fintech players advised to look beyond domestic marketsBy Kim Bo-eunFintech Association of Hong Kong Chairman Benjamin Quinlan / Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Deregulation is often cited as the key to spurring innovation and the growth of markets. But the latest Terra-triggered cryptocurrency crash is shedding light on the importance of having a sound regulatory regime.Hong Kong has developed into a fintech hub, backed by its status as a global financial center, and also by an adequate regulatory environment, the head of the city's fintech association said.“I would say it is an 'institution-first' approach, under which the mass retail environment is guarded by having institutions first test out new innovations and then potentially relaxing regulations,” Benjamin Quinlan, chairman of the Fintech Association of Hong Kong (FTAHK), said in an interview with The Korea Times. “A case in point is Hong Kong's regulations for virtual assets, given all of the calamity, scams and potential hazards associated with the crypto industry.” Hong Kong regul

May 25, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Regulatory clarity is key feature of Hong Kong as fintech hub: fintech association
Economy

Can Indo-Pacific Economic Framework help South Korea reduce reliance on China?

Under new conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korea looks to forge closer ties with a range of economies in the Indo-Pacific. gettyimagesbank Government urged to seek ways to diversify export destinationsBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is gearing up to reorganize the country's trade relations by reducing its dependence on China and building “supply chain alliances.”The world's No. 2 economy is by far South Korea's largest trading partner, accounting for 25 percent of total trade last year, followed by the United States, whose share stands at 15 percent.But under Yoon's new conservative administration ― which is seen as being more hawkish towards China ― Korea is looking to forge closer ties with a range of economies in the Indo-Pacific. The shift is set to take place as the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) materializes. While it is not a free trade pact, the trade rule-setting initiative is set to boost the econom

May 21, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Can Indo-Pacific Economic Framework help South Korea reduce reliance on China?
K-pop

What do Hong Kong students think of Korea?

A drawing by Wong Hin Ching, the Korean Culture Center's drawing competition's grand prize awardee, shows various elements of the country, including Gyeongbok Palace, Korean grilled meat and K-pop. Courtesy of Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong (KCC)Green glass bottle makes frequent appearance in drawings by teens in city By Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Korea's pickled cabbage side dish kimchi, the country's traditional attire hanbok and surprisingly ― the distilled liquor soju ― are some of the things Hong Kong teens widely associate with Korea, a recent event revealed. These were visible elements in pictures drawn by middle and high school students in Hong Kong, in a drawing contest hosted by the Korean Cultural Center in the city.Other elements in the drawings included characters from “Squid Game,” as well as chimaek ― a Korean term referring to the pairing of fried chicken and beer.A member of a Korean girl group exclaims “Oppa,” in this drawing by Leung Ching Ki. Courtesy of KCCKorean TV shows have served as a key means of learning about the country for the stu

May 15, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
What do Hong Kong students think of Korea?
Foreign Affairs

How will South Korea-China relations unfold under Yoon administration?

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, shakes hands with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan at his office in Yongsan, Seoul, before holding talks on Tuesday. The meeting took place after Yoon was sworn in as president earlier in the day. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonBeijing increasingly reaching out to Seoul under new president, as Washington steps up efforts to secure partners amid rivalryBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― South Korea's new leader Yoon Suk-yeol's evident siding with the U.S. has had observers projecting that ties with China will weaken under the new administration.The new president's plans to boost engagement with Washington in security and trade comes at a time when the U.S. rivalry with Beijing is escalating in the Indo-Pacific region.Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae-in had opted not to take sides, as Korea relies largely on the U.S. for security and on China for its economy. Moon had also counted on Beijing to help achieve progress in relations with reclusive North Korea.Foreign policy dynamics are expected to change under the Yoon administration. But China appears se

May 14, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
How will South Korea-China relations unfold under Yoon administration?
Economy

Will South Korea boost ties with Europe amid China-US rivalry?

EU alliances with Japan and South Korea have been highlighted amid the protracted war in Ukraine, as they are among the few Asian nations to have slapped sanctions on Russia. gettyimagesbankEU seeks to bolster relations with economies in Indo-PacificBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― The European Union (EU) appears to be increasingly reaching out to economies in Asia, as the world's largest trading bloc reassesses its economic ties with China and seeks greater engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.The EU Council, composed of government ministers from each EU country, endorsed its Indo-Pacific strategy in October and has been accelerating moves to bolster ties with economies there.In a time of escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing, Brussels is weighing the risks of relying so heavily on China in its supply chains.EU alliances with Japan and South Korea have also been highlighted amid the protracted war in Ukraine, as they are among the few Asian nations to have slapped sanctions on Russia.Late last month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Japan, rather than top trading partne

May 8, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Will South Korea boost ties with Europe amid China-US rivalry?
World

Longstanding group serves Koreans in Hong Kong

Korean Residents Association of Hong Kong's Chairman Cho Sung-keon, at the group's office in Sheung Wan, April 30, talks about the association's prize possession ― a framed paper that has the signatures of Koreans in Hong Kong who met on Jan. 3, 1948. The association was launched the following year. Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-eunKorean Residents Association of Hong Kong plans to launch scholarship for students in needBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― Hong Kong's handover to China by the U.K. and the Asian financial crisis were some of the major events that made headlines in the city in the past decades. But those events are fairly recent milestones compared to the history of the Korean Residents Association of Hong Kong, which has stood through thick and thin since its founding.The group supporting Koreans has a surprisingly long history in Hong Kong, being established in March of 1949 before the opening of South Korea's consulate in the city in May the same year.The Korean Residents Association of Hong Kong was founded after around 40 households moved to the city from mainland China after K

May 5, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Longstanding group serves Koreans in Hong Kong
Economy

Hong Kong remains important trade partner for S. Korea

A view of Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing container terminal / gettyimagesbankTrade set to expand when Hong Kong joins RCEPBy Kim Bo-eunHONG KONG ― The geopolitical situation in Asia continues to evolve, but Korea and Hong Kong remain important trading partners, data shows. Bilateral trade is set to get a further boost in the coming years when Hong Kong joins the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest trade bloc, which Korea is also a member of.In the first three month of this year, Hong Kong's exports to Korea totaled $2.38 billion, up 10.8 percent compared to the same period of 2021, figures released by Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department on Thursday showed, although there was a small year-on-year fall of 1.1 percent in March.Data from the Korea International Trade Association shows Hong Kong was Korea's seventh-largest trade partner as of 2021, with the value of exports and imports adding up to $39.71 billion. This figure was up 23 percent from $31.19 billion in 2020. Korea is Hong Kong's fifth-largest trade partner.Hong Kong was the fourth-largest

Apr 28, 2022By Kim Bo-eun
Hong Kong remains important trade partner for S. Korea
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