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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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Defense

Defense ministry probes psychological operations unit over unauthorized leaflet missions

The Ministry of National Defense has launched an intensive investigation into allegations that the army’s psychological operations unit carried out balloon-borne leaflet missions targeting North Korea without reporting them to its higher command. The probe includes questioning former and current commanders and conducting on-site inspections of frontline bases, according to military officials familiar with the matter. The ministry’s Inspection and Investigation Bureau dispatched a team of more than 20 investigators to two units on islands in the West Sea and along the western front line on Monday, following an urgent directive from Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back. Investigators completed their first round of fieldwork on Wednesday before returning to Seoul for further review. They later summoned commanders who led the unit between late 2022 and mid-2024 to determine whether unauthorized operations had taken place during their tenure. The investigation was triggered by testimony from a former enlisted soldier who served in the unit. The soldier told a local newspaper that between October

Dec 5, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Defense ministry probes psychological operations unit over unauthorized leaflet missions
Politics

Conservatives in disarray as martial law dispute resurfaces

A year after the Dec. 3 martial law crisis, remarks by former President Yoon Suk Yeol and main opposition People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok have reignited tensions within the conservative bloc, drawing harsh criticism from both rival parties and members of their own camp ahead of next year’s local elections. In a message issued from prison on Wednesday, Yoon claimed the last year’s martial law declaration had been a “constitutional duty” carried out to resist an alleged attempt to paralyze state functions and undermine the nation’s democratic order. His comments were met with swift condemnation. Former National Assembly Secretary-General Yoo In-tae dismissed the statement as “delusional,” adding on a radio program that Yoon sounded as if “he still hasn’t sobered up.” Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, criticized Yoon for reviving disputed claims about election fraud. Former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon accused Yoon of “justifying martial law” and attempting to shift responsibility to subordinates. Jang has adopted an increasingly hardline st

Dec 5, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Conservatives in disarray as martial law dispute resurfaces
Environment & Animals

Heavy snowfall disrupts evening commute across Seoul, capital region

Heavy snow swept through Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area on Thursday evening, slowing traffic across the region and prompting authorities to issue heavy snowfall advisories. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the capital could receive 2 to 6 centimeters of snow overnight, with some parts of Gyeonggi Province seeing snow falling at rates of up to 3 centimeters an hour. Snow quickly made the roads slippery, and traffic slowed to a near standstill at major intersections and highway ramps. Some areas saw delays in snow removal, raising the risk of skidding and minor accidents. Commuters crowded into subway stations to avoid bus delays, while cities in Gyeonggi Province such as Namyangju and Suwon reported similarly difficult conditions as snow piled up through the evening. As the weather worsened, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety activated the government's emergency response headquarters and raised the national heavy snow alert from “attention” to “caution.” Heavy snow advisories were in effect across Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province and parts of

Dec 4, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Heavy snowfall disrupts evening commute across Seoul, capital region
Politics

Coupang data leak raises concerns over possible exposure of military information

A data breach at Coupang that exposed information from roughly 33.7 million customer accounts has stirred concerns within the Korean military that the detailed delivery records could inadvertently disclose the secret locations of military facilities. Although no security incidents have been reported, military officials say the breach has renewed scrutiny of how personal parcels are managed on and around military installations. The issue came to light after reports that some soldiers had entered building numbers, unit names and personal identifiers into the company’s delivery app to ensure accurate drop-offs. One junior officer said that troops had routinely listed a brigade, battalion and building number, along with names and ranks, because broader addresses often resulted in packages being sent to the wrong location. He added that such information could inadvertently reveal the layout or size of certain facilities. Military officials, however, emphasized that the Coupang data breach is unlikely to translate into direct security risks. Delivery workers do not enter restricted areas, an

Dec 4, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Coupang data leak raises concerns over possible exposure of military information
Politics

Lee signals intention to apologize to NK over predecessor’s dispatch of drones to Pyongyang

President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday he intends to extend an apology to North Korea over the previous government’s alleged dispatch of drones to Pyongyang to distribute anti-regime leaflets. However, Lee added that the current domestic political landscape makes such a gesture difficult. Speaking at a press briefing with foreign correspondents at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Lee said, “You are reading my mind,” when asked if he is thinking of issuing a state-level apology for the action as a way to help to reduce inter-Korean tensions. “On one side, I think we need to apologize, but on the other side, I worry that (an apology) could become an issue of political and ideological conflict, where the administration would be labeled pro-North Korea,” Lee said. Lee’s comments came amid an ongoing investigation by a special counsel into the drone issue. Lee’s predecessor, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, and some of his close aides in the military allegedly ordered the deployment of drones carrying leaflets critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Pyongyang in October 2024 in ord

Dec 3, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee signals intention to apologize to NK over predecessor’s dispatch of drones to Pyongyang
Politics

A year after martial law scare, Koreans recall shock, call for safeguards

Nearly a year has passed since then President Yoon Suk Yeol abruptly declared martial law, plunging the country into confusion. Many Koreans say the memory still feels unreal. In interviews with The Korea Times, people of all ages described their initial reactions as disbelief, fear or sheer bewilderment. Most said they remain unconvinced by the justification offered for such an extraordinary measure. Kim Ja-min, a 25-year-old student in Busan, said he was studying for an exam in his dormitory lounge when an alert appeared on his phone. “At first, I thought it must be fake,” he said, adding that he could not believe that something he had only ever read about in history textbooks was happening in real time. A consultant in her 30s said she considered the declaration “unimaginable in this era,” arguing that a leader’s political frustrations could not justify a decision that had such a profound impact on financial markets and people’s lives. A woman in her 60s said her first thought was simply, “Why martial law?” She could not fathom what could possibly justify it. Others reco

Dec 3, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji, Lee Hae-rin and Anna J. Park
A year after martial law scare, Koreans recall shock, call for safeguards
Politics

1 year after martial law, Seoul courts still grapple with fallout

One year after the country found itself suddenly under martial law, an event that shook Korea’s political system and precipitated the removal of a sitting president, the investigations and trials stemming from that night still dominate Seoul’s courtrooms. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, removed from office by impeachment for his Dec. 3 martial law declaration, now stands as a criminal defendant facing multiple indictments. He appears in court almost daily as three special counsel teams pursue charges including leading an attempted insurrection, violating national security laws and abusing his presidential authority. The inner circle that once governed alongside him has also been dispersed into related legal cases, with several former senior officials either indicted or detained. As additional evidence and testimonies emerge, the full scope of the events continues to come into clearer view. Yoon Suk Yeol Yoon now sits at the center of the unfolding legal drama. The main trial accuses him of orchestrating the plan to impose martial law. The court has continued hearings throughout the wi

Dec 2, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
1 year after martial law, Seoul courts still grapple with fallout
Politics

Yoon called foreign leaders ‘leftist populists,’ revealing troubling diplomatic mindset

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol described several leaders he met at last year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Group of 20 (G20) summits as “leftist populists” and suggested that such multilateral gatherings should be attended by the prime minister rather than the president, according to testimony presented in court earlier this week. Yoon made the comments on Wednesday when he appeared as a witness in the trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who faces charges related to Yoon's botched declaration of martial law. During the hearing, prosecutors asked Yoon whether he had instructed Han to attend diplomatic events on his behalf in late November, shortly before the martial law imposition on Dec. 3. Yoon initially declined to answer, but later acknowledged that he “may have said something to that effect.” He then described his experience at the multilateral summits held in Peru and Brazil, saying that he had encountered what he called “so-called leftist populist government leaders” who had been “invited in large numbers although the countries were not ev

Nov 21, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Yoon called foreign leaders ‘leftist populists,’ revealing troubling diplomatic mindset
Politics

Lone Star rejects ICSID annulment, eyes new arbitration

Lone Star said it does not accept this week’s annulment ruling by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), signaling that it could pursue a new round of arbitration against the Korean government. The statement came days after an ICSID ad hoc committee nullified the portion of a 2022 ruling that ordered Korea to pay roughly 400 billion won ($272 million) in an investor-state dispute over the U.S. private equity firm’s sale of Korea Exchange Bank (KEB). In a written response to The Korea Times, a spokesperson for the U.S. firm said it disagrees with the outcome. The spokesperson added that Lone Star was “disappointed in the decision of the ad hoc committee,” emphasizing that the ruling was voided “on procedural grounds.” The firm added that the decision “does not change the underlying fact that Korean regulators improperly blocked and interfered with Lone Star’s multi-year effort to sell its controlling interest in KEB.” The company also said it “looks forward to presenting its case again to a new tribunal,” expressing confidence that a

Nov 20, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Lone Star rejects ICSID annulment, eyes new arbitration
Foreign Affairs

Korea, Germany sign MOU to launch student exchange program

The Korea Germany Network, or Alumninetzwerk Deutschland-Korea (ADeKo), signed a memorandum of understanding with the Embassy of Germany in Seoul on Wednesday to establish a student exchange program aimed at strengthening educational and cultural links between the two nations. The ceremony, which took place at the National Assembly, brought together lawmakers Kim Hee-jung and Kim Young-bae of the Korea-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Association, German Ambassador Georg Schmidt, and ADeKo Chairman Kim Hyo-joon. Under the agreement, exchanges will begin in 2026 with about 200 students from 10 schools taking part in weeklong reciprocal visits. The program is expected to grow to 1,000 students by 2028 and may later expand into a semester-based model. “The firsthand exposure is essential for building lasting connections between young people in both countries,” Schmidt said. He added that “a single student’s experience often influences entire families and social circles,” calling the exchange “a foundation for long-term stability in bilateral relations.” ADeKo Chairman Kim Hyo-

Nov 19, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea, Germany sign MOU to launch student exchange program
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