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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

Lee condemns White House Correspondents' dinner shooting as 'grave threat to democracy'

President Lee Jae Myung expressed his shock Sunday over a violent incident at the White House Correspondents’ dinner, condemning political violence and offering sympathies to the American public. In a post on social media platform X, Lee said he was “deeply shocked by the violent incident” and called it “especially regrettable” given that the event was meant to reaffirm the role of the press and freedom of speech. According to media reports, the incident occurred during the annual dinner hosted by the White House Correspondents’ Association at the Hilton in Washington, D.C., where an armed suspect opened fire at Secret Service agents before being subdued and taken into custody. The White House Correspondents’ dinner is a high-profile event attended by senior government officials, journalists and public figures, highlighting the symbolic importance of the gathering. No injuries were reported among key attendees, and U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady were evacuated safely from the venue following the incident, according to reports. Lee expressed relief over their

Apr 26, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee condemns White House Correspondents' dinner shooting as 'grave threat to democracy'
Politics

PPP picks Choo Kyung-ho to face Kim Boo-kyum in Daegu mayoral election

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Sunday confirmed Rep. Choo Kyung-ho as its candidate for Daegu mayor in the June 3 local elections, setting up a two-way race with Kim Boo-kyum, the candidate for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Choo, who served as deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance from 2022 to 2023 under ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, secured the nomination through a combination of party member voting and a public opinion poll conducted over Friday and Saturday. PPP nomination committee chief Rep. Park Duk-hyum announced Choo's candidacy during a briefing at the party’s headquarters in Yeouido. “The final result was calculated by converting both the party member votes and the public survey into a unified percentage based on valid votes, and then applying additional weighting factors,” he said. The nomination comes after weeks of internal friction within the conservative PPP, which had raised the possibility of independent bids, have largely subsided. Rep. Joo Ho-young’s legal challenge to his exclusion from the primary w

Apr 26, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
PPP picks Choo Kyung-ho to face Kim Boo-kyum in Daegu mayoral election
Defense

Korea marks 75th anniversary of Battle of Kapyong with Commonwealth allies

Korea marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Kapyong Friday with a ceremony honoring veterans of the 1950-53 Korean War and reaffirming defense ties with partner nations that fought alongside it during the conflict. Lee Yong-cheol, minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), attended the event at the Commonwealth War Memorial in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, alongside senior military officials and ambassadors from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — the four Commonwealth countries that participate in the annual commemoration. Speaking at the event, Lee said Korea will “remember the sacrifice and dedication of the veterans who came to defend liberal democracy” and continue to strengthen cooperation with countries that fought alongside it during the war. The Battle of Kapyong, fought in April 1951 during the Chinese Spring Offensive, is widely regarded as one of the Korean War’s key engagements. About 2,000 troops from the 27th Commonwealth Brigade held off a Chinese force more than five times their size, helping United Nations forces

Apr 24, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea marks 75th anniversary of Battle of Kapyong with Commonwealth allies
Defense

US military looks to make Korea regional hub for equipment repair

The U.S. military is moving to expand the repair and maintenance of its equipment in Korea, leveraging the country’s advanced defense industry as part of a broader effort to strengthen logistics support on the Korean Peninsula. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of United States Forces Korea, raised the idea during a recent congressional hearing, saying, “Our continued emphasis on things like a regional sustainment hub, because of the importance of sustainment to the region.” He also noted that sustaining combat power remains essential to maintaining readiness in a contested environment. His remarks brought renewed attention to the concept of a Regional Sustainment Hub, which is aimed at reinforcing maintenance and logistics capabilities across the region. Brunson also addressed the issue in a written testimony submitted to Congress, where he outlined a plan to make greater use of Korea’s industrial base. He wrote that the effort would involve “leveraging the ROK industrial base to support maintenance, repair, and overhaul,” signaling a shift toward conducting more repair work clo

Apr 23, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
US military looks to make Korea regional hub for equipment repair
Defense

USFK commander warns against 'political expediency' in rushed OPCON transfer

Remarks by the top U.S. military commander in South Korea have prompted a fresh round of debate over the planned transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, with experts cautioning against letting political timelines override military conditions. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), emphasized a conditions-based approach to OPCON during testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday (local time), urging that “political expediency does not outpace the conditions.” His use of the phrase “political expediency” — a departure from his earlier, broader references to conditions — is being interpreted by analysts as a message aimed at slowing the momentum for OPCON transfer under Seoul’s current policy direction. The Lee Jae Myung administration has made completing OPCON transfer within its five-year term a policy priority, with 2028 widely discussed as a possible target year. That timeline has raised concerns that political considerations could begin to shape what has traditionally been a conditions-based p

Apr 22, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
USFK commander warns against 'political expediency' in rushed OPCON transfer
Defense

Korea's military academy merger plan sparks debate

A government push to integrate Korea’s Army, Navy and Air Force academies is gaining traction, but so is the backlash. What began as a proposal to modernize officer training has evolved into a broader debate about the structure of the military and the type of officers it needs to produce. While the Ministry of National Defense argues that reform is essential to prepare for future warfare, critics warn that the plan could undermine service-specific expertise and weaken the foundations of officer development. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has made it clear that he intends to proceed with the plan. Speaking at a recent press briefing, Ahn described the integration of the three academies as a long-standing issue that has resurfaced across administrations. “This has been a recurring topic regardless of political orientation,” he said. “Now is the time to respond proactively.” Ahn presented the proposal as a response to structural changes in both the military and society. He pointed to a decline in the competitiveness of applicants, noting that fewer top-tier students are choosing milit

Apr 22, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea's military academy merger plan sparks debate
Foreign Affairs

Foreign ministry says no details finalized for Wang Yi’s South Korea visit

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that no specific arrangements have been finalized for Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s potential visit to Seoul, adding that the two sides are still communicating over the matter. The ministry also rejected reports that the visit had been delayed due to recent changes to Korea’s electronic arrival card system, describing the revision as “a simple administrative and technical adjustment” to improve traveler convenience. It stressed that this is unrelated to the scheduling of Wang’s trip, which is seen as a follow-up to the Korea-China summit in January. A foreign ministry official said the change to the entry system has no bearing on the timing of Wang’s visit, adding that “it would be difficult to interpret the scheduling issue as reflecting any problem in bilateral relations.” The official said the two sides have been communicating on various issues and that discussions on the visit are ongoing. The two sides are maintaining close strategic communication through multiple channels, including a Korea-China Joint Economic Commit

Apr 20, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Foreign ministry says no details finalized for Wang Yi’s South Korea visit
Foreign Affairs

Lee vows ‘practical contribution’ to secure Hormuz shipping routes

President Lee Jae Myung pledged Friday that Korea will make a “practical contribution” to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing the country’s reliance on the vital maritime route. Lee made the remarks during a virtual summit on maritime security in the strait, jointly led by France and the United Kingdom and attended by leaders and representatives from around 50 countries, according to vice presidential spokesperson Jeon Eun-soo. The meeting focused on securing safe passage through the waterway, protecting seafarers and vessels and exploring measures to guarantee maritime safety after the conflict ends. Lee was the first among the leaders participating virtually to speak at the meeting. He warned that the disruptions to the strait, “a critical artery supporting the global supply chain,” are shaking energy, financial, industrial and food security worldwide. Lee also pointed to worsening conditions for crews stranded in the area, emphasizing that their safety and health cannot be fully guaranteed under current circumstances. He urged the international

Apr 17, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee vows ‘practical contribution’ to secure Hormuz shipping routes
Politics

PPP infighting deepens as Daegu primary narrows to 2

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has narrowed its Daegu mayoral primary to two candidates — Reps. Yoo Yeong-ha and Choo Kyung-ho — Friday, moving into the final stage of the nomination process ahead of the June 3 local elections. However, the race continues to be clouded by backlash from earlier eliminated contenders, including Rep. Joo Ho-young and former Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook, raising the prospects of a split in conservative support in one of the party’s traditional strongholds. The party’s nomination committee said the two finalists were selected from six preliminary candidates, based 70 percent on party member votes and 30 percent on public polling. Reps. Yun Jae-ok and Choi Eun-seok, former lawmaker Hong Suk-joon and former Dong District Mayor Lee Jae-man were eliminated in the preliminary round. The two finalists move on to a runoff between Yoo and Choo that includes a debate on Sunday and another round of voting and polling on April 24 and 25, with the party set to pick its final Daegu mayoral candidate on April 26. Yet attenti

Apr 17, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
PPP infighting deepens as Daegu primary narrows to 2
Politics

PPP candidates keep distance from party leadership ahead of June 3 elections

Candidates from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) are distancing themselves from party leadership ahead of the June 3 local elections, as internal tensions deepen and criticism mounts over leader Jang Dong-hyeok’s recent trip to Washington D.C. A growing number of mayoral and provincial candidates have called for the establishment of region-based campaign committees, effectively pursuing independent campaign structures rather than relying on the central party. The move reflects mounting concern that current leadership could hurt rather than help electoral prospects. The trend is visible across key battleground regions. In the conservative stronghold of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, for example, there have been calls for a joint regional campaign committee to consolidate local support. In Seoul, incumbent mayor Oh Se-hoon — who is expected to win the PPP’s mayoral primary on April 18 — is considering setting up his own campaign team, while Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok is also distancing himself from party leadership. In Busan, Mayor Park Heong-joon has signaled a

Apr 16, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
PPP candidates keep distance from party leadership ahead of June 3 elections
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