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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

Military under scrutiny after spate of soldier deaths

Four recent firearm-related deaths in the military have raised the alarm over lax safety procedures and insufficient mental health protections for soldiers. While the Ministry of National Defense has ordered a rare, comprehensive inspection of all units, pressure is mounting for more substantive reforms. On Saturday, a Marine Corps corporal from the 6th Brigade was found dead of a gunshot wound inside a vehicle on Daecheong Island, about 160 kilometers west of Seoul. He had just returned from a coastal patrol. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead less than two hours later. Investigators from the military, police, and the National Human Rights Commission conducted a joint inquiry at the scene and reported finding no signs of foul play. Attention quickly focused on whether safety protocols had been overlooked and why the rifle was loaded with live rounds. The Marine Corps confirmed that the soldier’s funeral was held at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital with the family’s consent. The incident came on the heels of three other recent deaths. On Aug. 23, a sergeant at a front

Sep 16, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Military under scrutiny after spate of soldier deaths
Foreign Affairs

Charter flight carrying released Korean workers arrives in Seoul

Hundreds of Korean workers taken into custody in Georgia during a U.S. immigration raid arrived in Seoul Friday afternoon, bringing to a close a weeklong ordeal that has triggered fresh debate over visa rules and labor protections for Korean companies in America. A Korean Air charter flight carrying more than 300 passengers landed at Incheon International Airport at 3:24 p.m., according to government and company officials. The group includes 316 Koreans and 14 foreign nationals, including people from China, Japan and Indonesia, who were released from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Folkston, Georgia. Most of the workers had been employed at a construction site for a Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution battery plant, where U.S. authorities carried out an unexpected immigration sweep on Sept. 4 (local time). They were held for seven days before negotiations led to their release and repatriation. Deputy Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, who was dispatched earlier this week to oversee the process, accompanied the workers on the flight and returned with them

Sep 12, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Charter flight carrying released Korean workers arrives in Seoul
Politics

Lee defends special tribunal on insurrection, rejects claims of unconstitutionality

President Lee Jae Myung dismissed concerns Thursday that a proposed special tribunal to handle insurrection-related cases might violate the constitution, saying that the will of the Korean people must remain at the heart of the nation’s democracy. The comments came during a press conference marking the first 100 days of the Lee administration at the presidential guesthouse in Seoul. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea has been pushing to establish a special tribunal to oversee trials related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration last December. Under the proposal, designated panels of judges at the Seoul Central District Court and Seoul High Court would handle initial and appellate cases, while a special judge would review arrest warrants. “The judiciary functions within the framework established by the legislature, and judges must rule in accordance with the Constitution and their conscience,” Lee said. “The judiciary cannot unilaterally decide its own structure.” Some legal experts and critics have warned that such a tribunal could compromise judicial

Sep 11, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee defends special tribunal on insurrection, rejects claims of unconstitutionality
Foreign Affairs

Detained Korean workers’ departure from US delayed

The planned departure of hundreds of Korean workers detained in Georgia during an immigration raid has been delayed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday, due to “a cause from the U.S. side.” It did not explain what the cause was, raising concerns that their detention could be extended. The ministry said in a message to reporters that the plane’s departure, which was initially planned for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday (local time) from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, was postponed, without stating a new departure time. “The government is continuing consultation with the U.S. for as swift a departure as possible. We will provide further updates once a new schedule is confirmed,” it said. The announcement was made hours after a Korean Air charter flight departed Incheon International Airport for Hartsfield-Jackson airport to transport some 300 Koreans. They were scheduled to arrive in Korea the following evening. While the ministry is refraining from naming the cause of the delay, speculation is rising that the two sides may have different interpretations of

Sep 10, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Detained Korean workers’ departure from US delayed
Defense

Defense minister calls for global solidarity to address Pyongyang's nuclear threats

Seoul’s defense chief called for stronger international cooperation to address a growing array of security threats, including Pyongyang’s advancing nuclear and missile programs, at a global forum Tuesday. He made the remarks at the 14th Seoul Defense Dialogue, an annual security forum hosted by the Ministry of National Defense. The event has become a key barometer of geopolitical shifts in Northeast Asia, offering senior defense officials a rare venue for public and private discussions that serve as a vital backchannel for diplomacy. This year’s edition, running through Wednesday under the theme of “Overcoming Geopolitical Challenges: Building Peace through Cooperation,” has drawn representatives from 68 countries and international organizations, including five defense ministers, eight vice ministers and the chairman of NATO’s military committee. With more than 1,000 participants, it is the largest gathering since the forum’s inception in 2012. In his opening speech, Ahn said Pyongyang’s advancing nuclear and missile programs remain “a serious challenge to peace and st

Sep 9, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Defense minister calls for global solidarity to address Pyongyang's nuclear threats
Politics

Party leaders meet for first time as tensions flare in Assembly

President Lee Jae Myung met with main opposition People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Jung Chung-rae for a luncheon at the presidential office Monday, just days before his 100th day in office. In the president’s first meeting with the leader of the main opposition party since taking office, Jang expressed concern that “uncertainty and anxiety have grown” under the new administration. He cited a number of issues, including stalled tariff negotiations, the recent detention of more than 300 South Korean workers at a factory in the United States, a worsening domestic business climate and rising security threats from North Korea, China and Russia. The luncheon was followed by a scheduled one-on-one session between Lee and Jang. The meeting was viewed as a test of the president’s ability to restart political dialogue ahead of a potentially confrontational session in the National Assembly over contentious bills, including proposals to expand special counsel investigations and detain a senior opposition lawmaker. The gatherin

Sep 8, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Party leaders meet for first time as tensions flare in Assembly
Defense

Poland highlights Korea as leading Asian investor, touting economic, cultural ties

KIELCE, Poland — The Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) hailed Korea as its most important Asian investor and “a key partner,” underscoring the growing need for cooperation in electric vehicles, batteries and semiconductors in the Polish economy. The agency said the partnership extends well beyond commerce, encompassing cultural and academic exchanges and producing an unusually close relationship between the two countries. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1989, Poland and Korea have strengthened their ties in areas such as trade, investment and culture. PAIH emphasized that this cooperation will now extend to emerging sectors such as semiconductors and data centers, describing the current stage as “only the beginning of a strategic partnership.” “Korea is currently the most significant Asian investor in Poland, with more than 650 companies operating here,” said Arkadiusz Tarnowski, deputy director of investment support department at PAIH. “Around half of these companies are connected to the electric vehicle battery supply chain, forming the basis of Pol

Sep 8, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Poland highlights Korea as leading Asian investor, touting economic, cultural ties
Defense

Poland showcases dual-use technologies at MSPO 2025

KIELCE, Poland — In the country that produced Marie Curie, a figure synonymous with scientific innovation, Poland is once again presenting itself as a center of technology. This time, however, it was not a laboratory, but the exhibition halls of Kielce that hosted the 2025 International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO), which was themed “Dual Use and Security.” The four-day event from Sept. 2 to 5 brought together more than 800 companies from 40 countries. As well as showcasing new defense equipment, the exhibition highlighted the growing role of dual-use technology, as defense technology is now directly tied to civilian applications and industrial growth. At the exhibition, WB Group, Poland’s leading private defense company, displayed the largest presence. Founded in 1987, it has grown into a group comprising over 20 firms. At MSPO, the group displayed its battlefield management platforms, tactical radios, unmanned aerial vehicles and the Warmate loitering munition, which has been used in Ukraine. “Without communication, there is no such thing as a military — just a singl

Sep 8, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Poland showcases dual-use technologies at MSPO 2025
  • Poland highlights Korea as leading Asian investor, touting economic, cultural ties
Foreign Affairs

Korean workers detained in US immigration raid to be released soon: presidential office

The Korean government said Sunday that talks with U.S. authorities to release more than 300 Korean workers detained in Georgia were finished, and that only administrative steps remained before a chartered plane would be dispatched to bring them home. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik announced the development at a high-level policy meeting in Seoul, saying the release as imminent thanks to swift cooperation among government ministries, business groups and companies. “Once the administrative procedures are finished, a charter flight will depart to bring our citizens back. Until they return safely, the government will stay fully alert,” Kang said. His remarks came about two days after the large-scale raid carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Homeland Security Investigations unit on Thursday (local time) led to the detention of 475 workers at the construction site of the HL-GA Battery Company, more than 300 of whom were Korean. The U.S. said the detainees were on short-term business or recreational visas that do not allow them to work. “The governme

Sep 7, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Korean workers detained in US immigration raid to be released soon: presidential office
Defense

Hanwha Aerospace to set up joint venture in Poland for Chunmoo rocket production

KIELCE, Poland — Hanwha Aerospace and Poland’s WB Group agreed to set up a joint venture, Tuesday (local time), for local production of guided rockets for the Korean-made Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system. The two sides held a signing ceremony for the agreement at the International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce, Poland. Under the deal, the new company will first manufacture 80-kilometer-range CGR-080 guided rockets to be deployed on the Homar-K, Poland’s variant of the Chunmoo. The joint venture plans to build new production facilities and hire local staff, with future goals including diversifying its munition lineups and pursuing export to other European countries. “Poland and Korea have both endured repeated invasions from larger neighbors, yet each has managed to overcome those hardships and grow stronger,” Son Jae-il, president and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, said during the signing ceremony. “That shared history of overcoming invasions and adversity is what makes Korea and Poland the best partners for each other,” he said. Son added that the joint ventur

Sep 3, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji
Hanwha Aerospace to set up joint venture in Poland for Chunmoo rocket production
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