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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.

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Politics

Busan mayoral race enters final stretch as parties near primary picks

The mayoral race in Busan is entering its final stage, with both major parties set to select their candidates this week, ahead of the June 3 local elections. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is holding a primary between Rep. Chun Jae-soo and former Busan party chair Lee Jae-sung. Chun, a three-term lawmaker representing Busan's Buk District, served as minister of oceans and fisheries under the Lee Jae Myung administration and is widely seen as the DPK's strongest contender. Lee is a former Busan chairman for the DPK who is challenging Chun in the party’s primary. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is selecting its nominee through a contest between incumbent Mayor Park Heong-joon and first-term lawmaker Rep. Joo Jin-woo. Park is the current mayor of Busan and is seeking a third term under the PPP banner, while Joo is a first term lawmaker representing Busan’s Haeundae District. The DPK began voting this week, combining party member ballots with a public survey using anonymized phone numbers, and plans to announce its candidate on Thursday. The PPP will make their an

Apr 6, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Busan mayoral race enters final stretch as parties near primary picks
Foreign Affairs

Lee, Macron pledge cooperation to secure passage through Strait of Hormuz

President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed Friday to cooperate on securing safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with both leaders signaling a joint response to the economic and energy fallout from the Middle East war. "We agreed to share policy experiences and strategies to jointly respond to the economic and energy crisis caused by the Middle East war and to work together to resolve international economic uncertainty," Lee said, adding that the two had "confirmed their willingness to cooperate to secure safe maritime shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz." Macron said the two sides had discussed the Middle East situation at length. "I believe we can do useful things to stabilize the situation in Hormuz, and more broadly once the bombardments have ceased," he said. The agreement came out of a summit at the presidential office in Seoul, where the two leaders signed a series of agreements covering economic security and future technologies, with discussions ranging from trade and investment to artificial intelligence (AI), nuclear energy and space.

Apr 3, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee, Macron pledge cooperation to secure passage through Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Affairs

Seoul weighs direct Iran talks as Trump ramps up pressure over Hormuz

Korea is showing signs of backing away from its stance against direct bilateral talks with Iran, as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz intensify with U.S. President Donald Trump stepping up pressure on allies to take a more active role. Officials now indicate that Seoul's position — that it would not pursue negotiations with Tehran solely on behalf of Korean vessels stranded in the strait — may be shifting as the conflict evolves. “A decision could be made depending on developments on the ground and the needs of shipping companies,” a government official said. Currently, 26 Korean-flagged vessels remain unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with hundreds of crew members on board. The vessels are incurring combined daily losses of about 2.1 billion won ($1.43 million), according to the Korea Shipowners’ Association. Trump has sharply raised pressure on U.S. allies, singling out Korea in unusually direct terms. “Let the European countries do it. Let South Korea, who was not helpful to us, by the way. … Let South Korea do it,” Trump said during an annual Easter luncheo

Apr 2, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Seoul weighs direct Iran talks as Trump ramps up pressure over Hormuz
Defense

West Point cadets visit Korea Times, discuss alliance, democracy, media

Cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point visited The Korea Times in Seoul, Wednesday, as part of a regional trip across the Philippines, Korea and Japan, aimed at understanding how the U.S. engages with its allies in the Asia-Pacific. The group is traveling across Asia to better understand how the U.S. works with its allies. They chose Korea for its large U.S. military presence and long history as an ally. The visit brought together future U.S. military officers and the Korea’s oldest English-language newspaper, founded in November 1950 during the Korean War (1950-53) to inform U.S. troops and the international community about developments on the peninsula. The cadets arrived in Seoul on Sunday and spent several days visiting key military sites, including Camp Humphreys, the Demilitarized Zone and Camp Casey, where they met U.S. Forces Korea personnel and observed joint operations with Korean troops. The itinerary also included meetings with industry leaders at Hyundai Motor Group and Hanwha Aerospace. That background shaped much of the conversation with The Korea T

Apr 2, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
West Point cadets visit Korea Times, discuss alliance, democracy, media
Defense

Korea's next-gen destroyer program hit by dispute over design data

Legal disputes over design data in Korea’s next-generation destroyer program have exposed a growing fault line in how defense projects are awarded and managed. The row centers on the Korea Destroyer Next Generation project, also known as KDDX, a plan to build six 6,000-ton Aegis-class destroyers with domestic technology. The project, valued at around 7.8 trillion won ($5.1 billion), has already faced delays, and the latest clash adds fresh uncertainty as companies prepare bids for the next phase. This time, the issue is not about who will win the contract, but what information should be shared before the decision is made. The program was shifted from a negotiated deal to an open bidding process by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), after controversy over a past security breach involving HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. The move opened the competition to Hanwha Ocean, which did not take part in the basic design stage, to compete for the detailed design and construction work. That change created a practical dilemma. Hanwha Ocean needs access to the existing design to submit

Apr 1, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea's next-gen destroyer program hit by dispute over design data
Politics

US sees Korea as reliable investment partner, ruling party lawmaker says

U.S. government officials and lawmakers view Korea as a reliable manufacturing partner and have responded positively to its commitment to investing in the U.S., a Korean lawmaker told The Korea Times. However, they remain sensitive to certain nontariff trade issues as well as controversies surrounding Coupang, a U.S.-based e-commerce giant that experienced a massive customer data leak in Korea late last year. Rep. Lee Un-ju, a Supreme Council member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and a member of the Korea-U.S. Parliamentarians' Union, visited Washington last week as part of a six-member delegation from the union. She said U.S. officials and lawmakers showed a broadly favorable assessment of Korea’s economic role. “The U.S. side saw Korea as one of the most reliable manufacturing partners and a key supply chain ally,” Lee said in a written interview, referring to discussions with senators, House members and officials from the departments of State, Commerce and Energy. She added that this positive view was shared by both Republicans and Democrats, who also welcomed the

Mar 31, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
US sees Korea as reliable investment partner, ruling party lawmaker says
Defense

At Camp Casey, US general commands troops on field named after Korean War hero great-uncle

CAMP CASEY, Gyeonggi Province — Maj. Gen. Charles Lombardo did not start the interview sitting behind a desk. Instead, he stood up and said he wanted to show the space himself. In the newly opened dining and recreation area on the base, Lombardo pointed to a wooden bar built from salvaged materials taken from a former commanding general’s mess at now-closed Camp Red Cloud. The space, he explained, was designed as a place where soldiers could gather, eat and socialize. “This is where soldiers come to eat and be together,” he told The Korea Times, moving through the room before leading the way down a hallway lined with artifacts and photographs. The tour continued past displays honoring previous commanders and units as well as images from the 1950-53 Korean War, a reminder of the division’s long history on the peninsula. Lombardo paused to explain that the 2nd Infantry Division remains the only permanently forward-stationed U.S. Army division and operates as part of a combined structure with South Korean forces. “It’s the only combined division in the U.S. Army,” he said.

Mar 31, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
At Camp Casey, US general commands troops on field named after Korean War hero great-uncle
  • 'Our secret sauce': Why KATUSA program is backbone of Korea-US military alliance
Defense

'Our secret sauce': Why KATUSA program is backbone of Korea-US military alliance

CAMP CASEY, Gyeonggi Province — Within the 2nd Infantry Division, service as a Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army (KATUSA) is widely seen as more than just a supporting role. It provides a daily link between American and Korean soldiers and continues to shape relationships long after service ends. Maj. Gen. Charles Lombardo, commanding general of the division, described KATUSA as an essential part of the unit. “They are our secret sauce. They’re our superpower,” he told The Korea Times in an interview at Camp Casey, March 20. He noted that KATUSAs are embedded across the formation, working alongside U.S. soldiers at nearly every level. “Think about the relationships that are strengthened beyond service. There’s a KATUSA with every squad," he said. For Lombardo, their role extends beyond communication and administrative support. They are a defining element of how the combined division operates, helping build trust and cohesion between the two forces. That impact often continues well beyond military service. Kim Jong-wook, headquarters director of the Korea Defense Veterans Ass

Mar 31, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
'Our secret sauce': Why KATUSA program is backbone of Korea-US military alliance
  • At Camp Casey, US general commands troops on field named after Korean War hero great-uncle
Politics

Kim Boo-kyum declares Daegu mayoral bid, calls for break with PPP

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced Monday that he will run for mayor of Daegu in the June 3 local elections, urging voters in the conservative stronghold to rethink their long-standing political alignment. Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Kim said, “I have decided to once again challenge the Daegu mayoral race,” framing his candidacy as part of a wider effort to address regional imbalance and political stagnation. “Overcoming regionalism and achieving balanced national development is my final political mission,” he said. Kim said he had been urged to run since last fall but initially hesitated. “I felt it would be shameful to avoid this responsibility,” he said. “In the end, the responsibility I must bear lies with Daegu.” He also sharply criticized the People Power Party (PPP), which has long dominated politics in the city. “Daegu has effectively been controlled by a single party, and that has led to a lack of competition,” Kim said. “In a system where party nominations all but ensure victory, politicians have little incent

Mar 30, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Kim Boo-kyum declares Daegu mayoral bid, calls for break with PPP
Politics

PPP infighting deepens as ruling party pushes into conservative strongholds

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is entering the June 3 local elections with its nomination process still unsettled, as internal disputes continue to spill into the open. At the same time, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is widening its focus to conservative regions, sensing an opportunity. The sharpest turbulence inside the PPP is centered on the Daegu mayoral race. Rep. Joo Ho-young, who was cut from the primary, has taken the matter to court. Others have staged hunger strikes or are shaving their heads in protest against the nomination committee's decisions. The dispute has not remained confined to the race itself. Instead, it has spread across the party, raising questions about how the nominations were handled and who is really in control. The polling numbers are also dropping. A Gallup Korea survey released this week showed the PPP’s approval rating at 19 percent. This marks the first time under the current leadership that the party has fallen below 20 percent. The same survey also showed that in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang region, long considered the party

Mar 29, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
PPP infighting deepens as ruling party pushes into conservative strongholds
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