my timesThe Korea Times
ejb

Bahk Eun-ji

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.

Go to Email

Read more

Foreign Affairs

Korean tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz after Seoul-Tehran coordination

A Korean tanker that had been stranded near the Strait of Hormuz passed through the strait along an Iran-approved route on Wednesday after coordination between Seoul and Tehran. It marked the first known transit by a Korean vessel since maritime traffic in the region was disrupted earlier this year. "An oil tanker of Korea has passed the Strait of Hormuz and is continuing its voyage," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. A ministry official said that Iran informed the Korean Embassy in Tehran on Monday night that one Korean vessel would be allowed to transit the strait. The Korean government relayed the message to shipping company HMM, which later decided to proceed with the voyage. The vessel, identified as the HMM-owned crude oil carrier Universal Winner, began sailing from waters near Qatar early Tuesday and passed through the strait on Wednesday evening, according to the ministry. About 10 Korean crew members were aboard the tanker. “The move is taking place in coordination with Iran and other relevant countries to ensure navigational safety,” the official said, adding that neith

May 20, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korean tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz after Seoul-Tehran coordination
Foreign Affairs

Why Lee chose Andong to host Japan PM

The decision to hold Tuesday's Korea-Japan summit outside of Seoul and instead in the southeastern city of Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, was no logistical coincidence. From the venue and cultural program to the menu and gifts exchanged, nearly every element of the summit was designed to showcase Korea’s traditional heritage and frame the meeting through culture as much as diplomacy. Andong, President Lee Jae Myung’s hometown, is widely regarded as one of Korea’s most traditional cities. Home to the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Hahoe Folk Village, Confucian academies and centuries-old clan houses, it has long been considered a custodian of Korea's cultural spirit. That symbolism was central to this week’s summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The visit also carried personal significance. It came as a return visit after Lee traveled to Nara Prefecture — Takaichi’s hometown and political base — in January. The presidential office described the exchange as the first realization of “mutual hometown visits” between the two leaders, adding a personal dime

May 19, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Why Lee chose Andong to host Japan PM
Politics

Chong blames Oh for housing woes, unveils expanded support plan for young renters

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) Seoul mayoral candidate Chong Won-o on Monday unveiled a package of housing measures aimed at easing financial pressure on young people and newly married couples, while accusing rival Oh Se-hoon of mismanaging the city’s housing policy and contributing to the worsening rental market. Speaking at a campaign event in front of Seoul City Hall, Chong announced three housing stability plans for young adults and newlyweds, centered on expanded rent subsidies, additional housing supply and broader support for youth housing. Housing affordability and rising rent burdens have emerged as major issues in the Seoul mayoral race, particularly among younger voters struggling with high deposits and monthly rents. Chong argued that Seoul’s current rental difficulties stem from what he described as policy failures under Oh, the incumbent mayor and People Power Party's mayoral candidate. “The housing difficulties facing young people in Seoul today are clearly the result of housing administration failures under Oh Se-hoon,” Chong said. As part of the plan

May 18, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Chong blames Oh for housing woes, unveils expanded support plan for young renters
Foreign Affairs

Korean Peninsula sidelined at US-China summit, signaling Pyongyang's shrinking place on global agenda

The Korean Peninsula was conspicuously sidelined from this week’s summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with experts viewing the development both as a sign of easing tensions and a reflection of how North Korea issues have slipped down Washington’s agenda. During their meeting in Beijing, Thursday, Trump and Xi focused heavily on trade, Taiwan and the Middle East, while publicly emphasizing the need to stabilize bilateral ties despite intensifying strategic competition. Chinese state media later reported that the two leaders “exchanged views” on the Korean Peninsula, but neither side disclosed details or highlighted the issue in official readouts. The muted treatment of North Korea stood in noticeable contrast to previous U.S.-China summits, where denuclearization and regional security were often framed as shared priorities. Experts in Seoul said the shift suggests that both Washington and Beijing are currently more focused on managing immediate geopolitical flashpoints — particularly tensions over Taiwan and instability in the Middle East

May 15, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korean Peninsula sidelined at US-China summit, signaling Pyongyang's shrinking place on global agenda
  • Trump voices hope relations with China will be 'stronger, better than ever before'
  • Taiwan says China is 'sole risk' to regional peace, stability
  • US, China agree Iran can never have nuke, Strait of Hormuz must remain open: White House
Defense

‘Combat ready’: Inside Korea’s Cheongung-II missile defense unit

SACHEON, South Gyeongsang Province — Sirens echoed as members of an Air Force missile defense unit rushed toward Cheongung-II launchers during a simulated ballistic missile interception drill, Wednesday. As the warning sounded, soldiers quickly moved into position around the launch vehicles, activating power systems and checking equipment status. Inside the control center, personnel relayed simulated alerts based on a North Korean ballistic missile launch scenario, while troops repeated procedures they appeared to know by heart. The Air Force opened the missile defense site to reporters this week as part of a media tour at Sacheon Air Base, offering a rare look inside one of the military’s frontline missile defense units. The Cheongung-II system, also known as KM-SAM Block II, is one of the key components of Korea’s multilayered missile defense network designed to detect, track and intercept incoming ballistic missile threats. Even while troops moved around the launchers, interception procedures continued inside the system. Under normal conditions, the interceptors remain in standby

May 15, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
‘Combat ready’: Inside Korea’s Cheongung-II missile defense unit
  • Air Force looks beyond KF-21 toward AI-assisted future
Defense

Air Force looks beyond KF-21 toward AI-assisted future

SACHEON, South Gyeongsang Province — A KF-21 fighter roared down the runway at Sacheon Air Base on Wednesday morning, before climbing into the sky as maintenance crews watched from below. A few hundred meters away, inside Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) final assembly plant, rows of additional KF-21s sat in various stages of production, surrounded by engineers, robotic systems and wiring equipment. The scene reflected not only Korea’s first domestically developed supersonic fighter program, but also the Air Force’s broader effort to prepare for a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems. The Air Force and KAI opened parts of the Sacheon base and production facilities to reporters this week during a media tour centered on the KF-21 Boramae program. While the final assembly line had previously been shown during the rollout ceremony for the first production aircraft in March, the Air Force said this was the first time reporters were allowed to see nearly the entire batch of initial production fighters — around 20 aircraft — assembled toge

May 14, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Air Force looks beyond KF-21 toward AI-assisted future
People & Events

Navy’s first female command sergeant major chose warships over cherry blossoms

At the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, most visitors come for the cherry blossoms. When Hwang Ji-hyun visited in her early 20s, the gray warships moored along the coast caught her eye more than the flowers. "I was drawn to the warship and even had a chance to look inside," Master Chief Petty Officer Hwang recalled during an interview with The Korea Times. "That was when I decided I wanted to become a sailor serving aboard ships." Nearly two decades later, Hwang, now 44, became the first female command sergeant major in the history of the Korean Navy. The draw to military life had roots even earlier, influenced in part by her family’s military background. Her father served as a noncommissioned officer in the Navy, while her uncle graduated from the Naval Academy. She enlisted as part of the Navy’s 211th noncommissioned officer class in 2006 and officially assumed her new post last month at the Maritime Operations Center under the Navy Operations Command. Along the way, she accumulated a series of firsts, including becoming the Navy’s first female tra

May 13, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Navy’s first female command sergeant major chose warships over cherry blossoms
Defense

Korea pushes OPCON transfer as US presses for expanded alliance role

Differences emerged between Seoul and Washington over the future direction of the alliance during this week’s Korea-U.S. defense ministers’ meeting, as the Lee Jae Myung administration pushes for an earlier transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) while the Donald Trump administration seeks a broader role for Korea as an ally. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met Monday at the Pentagon to discuss major alliance issues, including OPCON transfer, alliance modernization, maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and Korea’s potential role in regional security, according to a joint statement released after the talks. In his opening remarks, Ahn emphasized Seoul’s intention to strengthen what he described as “Korea-led defense” on the peninsula. “We are also making every effort to secure core national defense capabilities through increased defense spending so that we can realize Korea-led defense of the Korean Peninsula,” Ahn said. His remarks are aligned with the Lee administration's goal to take over wartime OPCON by 2028, with

May 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea pushes OPCON transfer as US presses for expanded alliance role
Politics

Just 2 women in 25 district chief races exposes Seoul's political glass ceiling

Seoul's district chief races remain heavily male-dominated ahead of the June 3 local elections, even as female candidates gain ground in neighboring Gyeonggi Province. Among the 25 district chief races in the capital, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) have so far confirmed only two female candidates combined, both incumbent district heads seeking reelection. The lack of new female contenders has renewed criticism that Seoul's political scene remains difficult for women to break into. According to party nominations finalized so far, the DPK’s Kim Me-kyung, the incumbent chief of Eunpyeong District, and the PPP’s Lee Soo-hee, the incumbent leader of Gangdong District, are the only confirmed female candidates from the two major parties. Kim is seeking a third consecutive term and could become Seoul’s first three-term female district head if reelected. Lee is also running for reelection after winning Gangdong in the 2022 local elections. The number could rise to three if former Chuncheon MBC announcer Lee Yoo-won wins the PPP pri

May 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Just 2 women in 25 district chief races exposes Seoul's political glass ceiling
Foreign Affairs

Gov’t says unidentified objects struck HMM Namu near Hormuz

The Korean government said Sunday that a joint investigation team has concluded that two unidentified airborne objects struck the stern of the Korean-operated bulk carrier HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government team conducted an on-site inspection on Friday and determined that the unidentified objects hit the vessel’s rear section on May 4. The ministry said there are limitations in determining the exact type and physical size of the objects, adding that further analysis will be conducted on debris collected at the scene. The Panama-flagged vessel operated by Korean company HMM caught fire after an explosion while anchored off the coast of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. All 24 crew members aboard the ship were reported safe. At a later briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il said two unidentified airborne objects struck the vessel about one minute apart, hitting the port-side outer hull of the stern and triggering flames, smoke and strong vibrations throughout the ship. “The fire is believed to have star

May 10, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Gov’t says unidentified objects struck HMM Namu near Hormuz
previous page
910111213
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.