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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

PPP in total disarray: no renewal, no message, no direction

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is slipping deeper into political turmoil, caught between hard-line supporters and a widening public backlash. Since the martial law crisis late last year under then-President Yoon Suk Yeol of the PPP, political observers say the country's main conservative party has yet to show any signs of reform. It has instead relied on boycotts of parliamentary sessions and government events, along with inflammatory rhetoric and internal feuds that have alienated moderate voters. The party’s boycott of President Lee Jae Myung’s policy speech, its declaration of “total war” against the administration, and a series of verbal gaffes by senior members have reinforced its image as combative but purposeless. Even during last month’s parliamentary audit, the PPP failed to mount a single effective challenge, fueling perceptions that the opposition has lost its political edge entirely. “Today’s PPP can hardly be called a healthy opposition,” political commentator Park Sang-byoung said. “The party is paralyzed by a self-serving system dominated by

Nov 7, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
PPP in total disarray: no renewal, no message, no direction
Politics

Kim Keon Hee admits receiving 2 Chanel bags, denies bribery or ties to husband’s presidential duties

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee admitted Wednesday that she received two Chanel handbags from an individual associated with the Unification Church, acknowledging the gifts for the first time but denying allegations of bribery or that they had any connection to her husband’s official duties. In a statement released through her lawyers, Kim said she had accepted “two handbag gifts from Jeon Seong-bae,” a spiritual figure also known as “Geonjin,” who was allegedly acting on behalf of Yoon Young-ho, a former official of the Unification Church. However, the lawyers added that there was “no collusion with the church and no form of solicitation or quid pro quo involved. Kim also rejected prosecutors’ claims that she accepted a Graff diamond necklace valued at 62 million won ($43,000). “The allegation about the necklace is clearly untrue,” her lawyers said. This is the first time Kim has acknowledged receiving luxury goods since her indictment in August on charges of bribery and stock manipulation linked to Deutsch Motors, a local BMW dealer. She had previously told special pros

Nov 5, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Kim Keon Hee admits receiving 2 Chanel bags, denies bribery or ties to husband’s presidential duties
Defense

Hegseth vows full US support for Korea’s nuclear submarine program

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the United States will fully support Korea’s plan to develop nuclear-powered submarines, reaffirming U.S. President Donald Trump’s prior approval of the initiative. “President Trump has approved this historic step, and I want to reaffirm that decision. As defense authorities, we will, of course, do our best to actively and fully support it,” Hegseth said during a joint press conference with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back after the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul. He added, “There are other agencies involved, including the Department of State and the Department of Energy, and we will continue to coordinate closely with them. President Trump wants our allies to be strong, and the Republic of Korea is a model ally. Because of that, the president has been open to Korea acquiring greater and more advanced capabilities.” The comment by Hegseth, who is also referred to by his government as the secretary of war, came after Trump said on social media last week, following a su

Nov 4, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Hegseth vows full US support for Korea’s nuclear submarine program
Defense

S. Korea, US defense chiefs visit JSA ahead of talks on nuclear subs, OPCON transfer

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a joint visit to the Joint Security Area (JSA) at the truce village of Panmunjeom on Monday, marking the first such appearance by the defense chiefs of the two allies in eight years. The visit took place one day before the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul, where both sides are expected to review the alliance’s key security agenda, including South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine program and the long-awaited transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON). Ahn and Hegseth had earlier met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday during the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, where they discussed follow-up measures to last month’s summit between Presidents Lee Jae Myung and Donald Trump. Hegseth arrived in Korea over the weekend for a two-day visit, which included the JSA tour alongside Ahn. The joint appearance followed last week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, where a potential U.S.-North Korea summit did not take place. The tw

Nov 3, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
S. Korea, US defense chiefs visit JSA ahead of talks on nuclear subs, OPCON transfer
Defense

Minister pushes two-track defense diplomacy balancing engagement and deterrence

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to pursuing both deterrence and dialogue in managing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation, including with China and other neighboring countries. Speaking at the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Ahn warned that North Korea’s expanding nuclear and missile programs — along with its modernization of conventional forces — pose a grave threat to peace and stability in the region. “The Ministry of National Defense will maintain a strong deterrence posture through close Korea-U.S. combined defense readiness, while consistently pursuing a two-track approach of easing military tensions and building trust,” he said. He added that lasting peace on the peninsula “must be built together by both Koreas, neighboring countries and the international community.” Ahn’s remarks, the defense ministry said, reflect Seoul’s broader strategy of balancing deterrence and dialogue — a dual-track approach that has become the foundation of its

Nov 2, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Minister pushes two-track defense diplomacy balancing engagement and deterrence
Foreign Affairs

APEC 2026 host China will leverage experience from Shanghai, Beijing summits

China will chair the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2026, marking the third time it has hosted the event. Although the host city has yet to be decided, China’s previous hosting of the forum in Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014 demonstrates its ability to handle major international events requiring political, economic and logistical coordination. Notably, the 2001 Shanghai APEC summit took place only weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, becoming the first large-scale multilateral meeting to address economic uncertainty and global security concerns in its aftermath. With the theme of “Meeting new challenges in the new century,” China added counterterrorism to the agenda, emphasizing trade liberalization and regional cooperation. APEC 2001 carried out a wide range of infrastructure upgrades — from airports and hotels to media facilities — to accommodate the thousands of participants. The summit coincided with China’s preparations to join the World Trade Organization, helping to strengthen Shanghai’s status as an emerging global busine

Oct 31, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
APEC 2026 host China will leverage experience from Shanghai, Beijing summits
Foreign Affairs

After Trump-Xi summit, Seoul faces real test of balance

The long-awaited meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan on Thursday has patched up the escalating tension between the world's top two superpowers over trade and other issues. While the brief but symbolic encounter on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings signaled a fragile pause in the rivalry, Seoul — as the host of APEC — is now placed at the center of the increasingly narrow diplomatic corridor, with its carefully calibrated foreign policy of “balance” now being tested in practice, not just in principle. During the 100-minute meeting, the U.S. and Chinese leaders agreed that China will cooperate in preventing the inflow of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, into the U.S., and the U.S. in return will reduce tariffs on Chinese goods by 10 percent. China also agreed to suspend its export restrictions on rare earths exports for one year. Trump called Xi “a great leader of a great nation,” and Xi responded by saying that the differences between the two countries were “normal” — indicating b

Oct 30, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
After Trump-Xi summit, Seoul faces real test of balance
Foreign Affairs

Seoul wins US support to develop nuclear submarines

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed agreement on the need for South Korea to develop nuclear-powered submarines in response to the changing regional security situation, according to National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. Wi told reporters Wednesday that during the 87-minute luncheon summit held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Trump “acknowledged that changing conditions, including North Korea’s construction of nuclear submarines, require South Korea to acquire nuclear-powered submarine capabilities,” and agreed to “pursue follow-up consultations.” “The two leaders discussed a broad range of issues, including economic and industrial cooperation, alliance modernization, peace on the Korean Peninsula and regional developments,” Wi said. “The key outcome was confirmation of the U.S. administration’s active support for strategic agenda items aimed at modernizing the alliance.” Wi added that President Lee Jae Myung “highly valued the role of the South Korea-U.S. alliance in maintaining peace and

Oct 29, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Seoul wins US support to develop nuclear submarines
Society

Gov’t probes London Bagel Museum on overwork allegations

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has launched a special inspection into London Bagel Museum, a popular bakery chain, after the death of a 26-year-old employee raised allegations of overwork and labor law violations. The ministry said Wednesday that inspectors have begun reviewing the company’s headquarters and its Incheon branch, where the employee, identified as Jeong Hyo-won, had been working. Officials are examining working-hour records, payroll data and management practices to determine whether the Labor Standards Act was breached. “We will review whether employees were made to work beyond legal limits and if management took proper safety measures, a ministry official said. Jeong, who joined the company about 14 months ago, had been helping to open the Incheon store and oversee daily operations. His family said he had been working close to 80 hours a week, often skipping meals and sleeping for only a few hours at night. He was found dead in the company dormitory in July, a day after returning from a late shift. “The photo he took for his job interview ended up as his funeral

Oct 29, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Gov’t probes London Bagel Museum on overwork allegations
North Korea

Trump renews call for Kim meeting, but North Korea remains silent

U.S. President Donald Trump said he is willing to extend his stay in South Korea in order to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but Pyongyang has offered no response, maintaining its customary silence ahead of this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during his flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Tokyo on Monday, Trump said, “If he [Kim] wants to meet, I’d love to,” adding that he “could go over there” while in South Korea. He emphasized that he and Kim had a “very good relationship” and that extending the trip would be “easy if needed.” It was the latest in a series of gestures that began before his departure for Asia last week. Trump also referred to North Korea as “a nuclear power,” repeating a phrase he has used since returning to office, and said he is “100 percent open” to another encounter with the North Korean leader. He noted that Washington’s strongest leverage remains “sanctions,” describing them as “a pretty big issue to start f

Oct 28, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Trump renews call for Kim meeting, but North Korea remains silent
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