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

Health

Korea set to strengthen quarantine measures this week

An error message appears on Naver's vaccination certificate app, at a restaurant in Seoul, Tuesday, the second day of the mandatory vaccine pass system at multiuse facilities. Yonhap Vaccine pass system malfunctions for 2nd consecutive dayBy Bahk Eun-jiThe government is expected to introduce tougher social distancing rules in the coming days in a desperate bid to curb the unrelenting spread of COVID-19 amid a surge in the number of coronavirus deaths and critically ill patients. Park Soo-hyun, senior presidential secretary for public communication, said in a radio interview Tuesday that a range of options had already been prepared and the administration would choose from among them according to the situation.“I don't think the government's countermeasures will be delayed or insufficient at this critical time,” he said. “We'll review the virus situation on Wednesday and Thursday.”Park's comments seemed to indicate that strengthened quarantine guidelines would be anno

Dec 14, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea set to strengthen quarantine measures this week
Society

13 shops added to Seoul's 'Historical Stores' list

Ewha Myeong Joo, a hanbok shop that opened in 1978 in Seocho District, southern Seoul, was newly granted the status of a “Historical Store.” Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentBy Bahk Eun-jiSeoul is a city that changes rapidly. Low-rise buildings and old facilities are demolished in the name of urban development, skyscrapers have sprouted everywhere and old alleys are replaced with straightened roads.Many old stores can still be found throughout the alleys of downtown Seoul, but this is usually not the case for the younger, wealthy districts south of the Han River, which are better known for fancy restaurants and luxury shops with the latest fashions.The logo for “Oraegage,” or “Historical Store” / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentBut even in those districts, there are shops that have been around for a long time. Just around the corner from all the glitzy towers, there are places full of decades of good memories.The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced recently that it has selected 13 such places in the southeastern parts of the ci

Dec 14, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
13 shops added to Seoul's 'Historical Stores' list
Health

Health experts call for toughest social distancing measures yet

People wait in line to receive coronavirus tests at a temporary screening center in Songpa District, Seoul, Sunday. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiEpidemiologists are calling on the government to implement its toughest-yet social distancing measures, as the current COVID-19 situation is growing beyond the nation's medical capacity. They say it is going to be difficult to turn around the current virus situation and control the soaring number of daily infections, which has hovered around 7,000 daily new cases over the last week, with the government's recent new measures, including shortening the dosage interval for booster shots, as it will take at least two months for the policy to take a noticeable effect.Chon Eun-mi, a professor of respiratory medicine at Ewha Womans University Mok-dong Hospital, warned that if no stricter measures are taken immediately, the country's medical system could collapse, as the number of daily infections could possibly reach 10,000, or even double in just a couple of days.“In this situation, only stronger lockdown measures, on the premise of sufficient compens

Dec 12, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Health experts call for toughest social distancing measures yet
  • Coronavirus: Number of critical cases hits fresh high
  • Vaccine pass system comes into force
Health

Korea finally recognizes foreigners' overseas vaccination

Quarantine workers guide travelers in the arrival hall of Incheon International Airport, Thursday. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiKorea will recognize foreign nationals' vaccination history abroad so they can be verified as “vaccinated” against COVID-19, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Thursday.This move is aimed at including them in the “vaccine pass” program and facilitating their receiving of booster shots here.The KDCA said foreign nationals who have been vaccinated abroad will be able to register their overseas vaccination records on the COOV COVID-19 vaccine app by visiting a local health center with ID and vaccination certificates issued overseas.So far, such registration for overseas vaccinations was allowed only for Korean nationals, and non-Koreans could complete the registration only if they had quarantine exemption certificates, which are issued for urgent and inevitable entry for business, academic, public or humanitarian reasons.This measure has left many fully vaccinated foreign nationals categorized as “unvaccina

Dec 9, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea finally recognizes foreigners' overseas vaccination
  • High-school student files constitutional petition against vaccine pass expansion
Society

Wives of Sahmyook professors help int'l students during pandemic

Sahmyook University President Kim Il-mok, fifth from left, poses with members of Sahmyook Sarang Shop, a volunteer group of the wives of university professors, before they donate money for a scholarship for international students, at the university campus in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Sahmyook UniversityBy Bahk Eun-jiA volunteer group of the wives of professors at Sahmyook University has provided financial support for international students suffering through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Sahmyook Sarang Shop, the volunteer group, donated 30 million won ($25,500) to the university's development fund and the Sarang Shop Scholarship fund. The total amount of donations reached 120 million won, according to the university.Since 2013, the volunteer group has been carrying out activities to donate the entire proceeds from selling sponsored goods from various organizations and companies to raise funds the student scholarship program.In particular, from last year, it started helping students of foreign nationality who are in a blind spot, as they lack access to government quarantine sup

Dec 9, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Wives of Sahmyook professors help int'l students during pandemic
People & Events

Judge's comment: Award winners stand as hope for multicultural Korea

The judges for the 10th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards participate in the evaluation of award applicants online, Nov. 25. They are, clockwise from top left: Asian Friends Honorary Chairman Kim Joon-sik; Migrant Youth Foundation Board Chairman and Hanyang University professor emeritus Cha Yun-kyun; Asian Friends Chairwoman Lee Nam-sook; adviser to Woongjin Foundation Sohn Wie-soo; Seoul YMCA's civil society movement department representative Ju Gun-ihl; and Korea Cultural Diversity Organization Chair Jasmine Lee. / Captured from ZoomBy Cha Yun-kyungFirst of all, I sincerely congratulate you on being selected as the winners of the 10th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards organized by The Korea Times.I'm confident that the 11 children selected as winners this year will grow into valuable people who will lead the future of Korean society with extraordinary sincerity and talent.We judges were deeply touched and felt regret at the same time reading the applicants' life stories.The stories of the children with multicultural backgrounds were very impressive. Someone was a role model for many

Dec 9, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Judge's comment: Award winners stand as hope for multicultural Korea
  • Winners of 10th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards Outstanding elementary school students
  • Winners of 10th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards Outstanding middle school students
  • Winners of 10th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards Outstanding high school students
  • Winners of 10th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards Special awards
  • Winners of 10th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards Outstanding volunteer
  • Multi-talented student from biracial background inspires others
  • Prime minister's message: For more diverse, inclusive society
  • 11 talented students honored in Multicultural Youth Awards
Health

Home treatment feared to increase virus spread

A monitor at the disaster control center in Songpa District Office, Seoul, shows an all-time high of 7,175 new daily COVID-19 infections for Tuesday. YonhapExperts say daily infections could reach 10,000 in a few weeksBy Bahk Eun-jiThe government's COVID-19 quarantine measure of home treatment for non-critical patients is feared to have increased infections among family members as well as the number of serious cases, health experts said Wednesday. This concern was raised as the country's daily new number of coronavirus cases soared to a record high of 7,175 for Tuesday, a sharp rise of 2,221 from the previous day, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Health experts are now saying the number of daily infections could reach 10,000 in a few weeks.The number of critically ill patients also hit an all-time high of 840.Along with the high numbers, the government's policy of expanding home treatment for COVID-19 patients ― a measure to counter a shortage of hospital beds ― has fueled concerns because a patient's family members have to stay at home under self-

Dec 8, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Home treatment feared to increase virus spread
  • New cases, critical patients set new records as infections soar
  • Coronavirus: Number of critical patients hits all-time high
Politics

Protest against business restrictions

Self-employed people chant slogans during a rally near the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday, calling on the government to lift restrictions on their business hours and to provide better compensation for losses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yonhap

Dec 8, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Protest against business restrictions
Politics

Opening of Jeju National Cemetery

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum speaks during an opening ceremony for Jeju National Cemetery, a new state cemetery for fallen national heroes including independence fighters and soldiers who died in the Korean War, on the southern island of Jeju, Wednesday. Yonhap

Dec 8, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Opening of Jeju National Cemetery
Society

Foreign professor flees while being investigated for embezzling research funds

Seoul National University / Korea Times fileBy Bahk Eun-jiA foreign professor at Seoul National University (SNU) fled to his home country while being investigated on suspicions of embezzling more than 100 million won ($84,638) in research funds. Investigators failed to impose an overseas travel ban on the academic while looking into the case.According to local media reports, the professor at SNU's Graduate School of Dentistry had been under police investigation for allegedly pocketing research funds over four years from 2013.His case was reported to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) in March 2018. The ACRC referred the case to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the police in August that year. The ACRC sends reported cases to relevant agencies if it determines the information is credible and an investigation is necessary.The professor from India allegedly had graduate students return a large part of their salary to him and registered his family member as a researcher to receive a salaary. He also allegedly used the research lab's budge

Dec 7, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Foreign professor flees while being investigated for embezzling research funds
previous page
4041424344
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.