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

Society

Animal rights activists call for release of beluga whale from aquarium

An animal rights activist holds a photo of a beluga whale that died in an aquarium in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, in a protest rally in front of the building of Hanwha Group, the operator of the aquarium, in central Seoul in this July 24, 2020 photo. Courtesy of Korean Animal Welfare AssociationBy Bahk Eun-jiAnimal rights activists have urged the immediate release of a beluga whale kept in an aquarium in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, after the deaths of two others there.Thirteen animal and environmental advocacy groups, including the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA), held a demonstration in front of Aqua Planet Yeosu, Wednesday, demanding the company and the provincial government release the animal immediately.“A beluga whale died recently only 10 months after another died last July. Now there is only one whale left in the aquarium, and we have to send the remaining one back to its natural habitat before it dies, too,” KAWA said in a statement.“Although beluga whales have a lifespan of 30 years, the two died at the age of 12. The death of two out of three

May 21, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Animal rights activists call for release of beluga whale from aquarium
Health

Korea to run clinical test on mixing COVID-19 vaccine doses

A quarantine official disinfects a vaccination center in Seoul, Wednesday, after reopening earlier in the day following a closure amid the supply shortage of vaccines. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe government said Thursday that it will conduct a clinical test on mixing COVID-19 vaccine doses from different companies, following an overseas study that showed the vaccination technique was effective. Under the supervision of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the National Institute of Health will conduct the test on the safety and efficacy of using different vaccines in the two-shot regimen. Results from the study are likely to determine whether the government will allow this method of vaccination that has been adopted by some European countriesThe decision to run the clinical trial follows a study by Spain's state-run Carlos III Health Institute, which said earlier this week that those who received the AstraZeneca vaccine and then the Pfizer vaccine for their second shot had a higher anti-body response to the coronavirus than those getting only AstraZeneca doses.“We

May 20, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea to run clinical test on mixing COVID-19 vaccine doses
Law & Crime

86-year-old man gets suspended jail term for stealing tenant's clothes and underwear

gettyimagesbankBy Bahk Eun-jiA man in his 80s has received a suspended jail term for illegally entering the rental property of a female tenant where he stole a number of pieces of her clothing including underwear. The Seoul Western District Court said, Wednesday, that it sentenced the 86-year-old man, identified only by his surname, Hong, to a six-month prison term, suspended for one year, for burglary.According to the court, Hong snuck into the living room of the house in Seodaemun District, Seoul, which the woman was renting from him, at 9:35 p.m. on June 4 last year, and stole several items of her clothing and underwear, including a brassiere, pantyhose and a slip.He entered the house while the door was opened, as she was taking out household garbage.The court did not accept the man's claims that he took the items because he thought she was going to throw them away. “The woman has not psychologically recovered and wants the man to be punished to the full extent of the law. But we suspended the term considering his old age,” the court said in the ruling.

May 20, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
86-year-old man gets suspended jail term for stealing tenant's clothes and underwear
Health

Korea ranks low on expats' favored nations list

Foreign students take part in a Korean-language essay contest at Yonsei University in Seoul, in this Oct. 8, 2019 photo. Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwonBy Bahk Eun-jiKorea ranked 47th out of 59 countries in an index based on a survey to determine the favorability of the living environment and conditions for expats. In the Expats Insider 2021 index released by InterNations, the world's largest expat community with around 4 million members, those in Korea had difficulty settling in, finding friends and feeling at home.The community conducted the annual survey in January on 12,420 expat respondents, representing 174 nationalities and living in 186 countries or territories, regarding their satisfaction in areas including quality of life, ease of settling in, working life, personal finance and cost of living.Korea ranked 13th in general living conditions among 61 countries in 2014, but its ranking fell to 55th in 2019. It bounced back slightly to 54th in 2020 and 47th this year.Taiwan topped the list, followed by Mexico and Costa Rica, while the bottom three countries were Kuwait, Ita

May 19, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea ranks low on expats' favored nations list
Society

Full resumption of in-person classes triggers debate

Students arrive at an elementary school in Seoul, Monday. While schools currently offer both in-person and online classes that follow the COVID-19 pandemic social distancing guidelines, the education ministry aims to resume in-person classes fully starting from the second semester. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiParents and educators are showing mixed responses to the education ministry's plan to resume fully in-person classes at schools in the second semester.Supporters of the plan say the quality of education has deteriorated and that a learning gap between children has widened due to online classes conducted over the past year, while opponents say that the full-fledged resumption of in-person classes should be decided carefully as there is still a risk of virus transmissions inside classrooms.Under the current COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, schools have a cap on in-person attendance, from one-third to two-thirds of the total students, according to different levels of social distancing in each region. In Seoul, all students ― other than first- and second-graders of elementary schools

May 18, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Full resumption of in-person classes triggers debate
Society

Oh to maintain ex-mayor's 'I.SEOUL.U' city brand

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a press conference at City Hall, Monday, to mark a month since he took the office. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiSeoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Monday that the metropolitan government would continue to use the slogan “I.SEOUL.U,” which was created under his predecessor Park Won-soon. The decision runs contrary to earlier expectations among the public that the new mayor from the conservative main opposition People Power Party would reverse or abolish many of the policies promulgated by Park who was a member of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea.Saying consistency in administrative affairs was important, Oh said he would not abolish his predecessor's policies just because they were established by a person with different political views, but would develop them so they could help city affairs and the residents of the capital.“Even if some policies or decisions made by my predecessor are insufficient or undesirable, I, as a successor, want to keep my philosophy to respect administrative consistency in order not to waste our citizens' tax

May 17, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Oh to maintain ex-mayor's 'I.SEOUL.U' city brand
Law & Crime

Belgian envoy's wife to avoid punishment for assault thanks to diplomatic immunity

The photo on the right shows the swollen face of a clothing shop employee who was allegedly hit by the wife of Belgian Ambassador to Korea Peter Lescouhier, and the left photo shows a blurred view of the scene of the incident. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe wife of Belgian Ambassador to Korea Peter Lescouhier is likely to avoid punishment over her alleged assault of a clothing shop employee, because she has decided to maintain her diplomatic immunity, according to police, Sunday.Officers of Yongsan Police Station said they sent an official query to the embassy asking whether the wife of Ambassador Lescouhier, named in multiple media reports as Xiang Xueqiu, intends to maintain her diplomatic immunity, which allows diplomats and their family members to avoid arrest, detention or indictment in a host country. The embassy sent a letter informing police of her intention to maintain diplomatic immunity, Yongsan police confirmed on Friday.As the decision makes it impossible for her to be tried here, police said that they will close the case instead of sending it to the prosecution.Police have bee

May 16, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Belgian envoy's wife to avoid punishment for assault thanks to diplomatic immunity
Society

Garden show provides green Seoul to citizens

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during the opening ceremony of the Seoul International Garden Show at Sohn Kee Chung Sports Park in Seoul, Friday. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiCitizens are invited to visit various gardens decorated with styles from around the world at Seoul International Garden Show, which will run until Thursday in the city's downtown areas near Seoul Station.The city's gardening event, which kicked off on Friday, is being held at Sohn Kee Chung Sports Park, Malli-dong Square and around Jungnim-dong, under the theme of “Link Garden, Think Life.” It displays 58 gardens including those created by horticultural designers from seven countries ― the Netherlands, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Colombia, France and Korea.The city government decided to hold the event at multiple locations with smaller scales each, rather than one big event at one place, to prevent large crowds gathering in one place and reduce the chances of coronavirus infection. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Seoul City Council Chairman Kim In-ho, Jung District Office head Seo Yang-ho, Spanish Am

May 16, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Garden show provides green Seoul to citizens
Society

Effectiveness of tightened rules on e-scooters raises questions

A man rides an e-scooter in Seoul, Tuesday, two days before revised regulations with strengthened safety measures took effect. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiRevised regulations on electric scooters took effect on Thursday, accompanying toughened safety measures such as requirements of driver's licenses and helmet use. However, doubts are rising over the effectiveness of the toughened regulations due to poor ID-certification procedures and the difficulty of policing users.Under the revised rules, only people with class 2 driver's licenses for motorcycles or permits for other types of vehicles are allowed to ride e-scooters. The class 2 license is available for people aged 16 or over who fulfill the appropriate requirements, while higher level driver's licenses are available for people aged 18 or over. Previous rules allowed people aged 13 or older to use e-scooters without no license requirement in place. Violators are now subject to a 100,000 won fine.Those riding the scooters without a helmet are also subject to a fine of 20,000 won.In line with the revision, operators of the shared e-scooter

May 13, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Effectiveness of tightened rules on e-scooters raises questions
Society

84-year-old woman passes exam for high school diploma

Jang Ok-soon, right, poses for a photo at Chungcheongbuk-do Office of Education in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of Chungcheongbuk-do Office of EducationBy Bahk Eun-jiAn octogenarian has passed a qualification exam equivalent to a high school diploma, becoming the oldest person to achieve the feat, according to the Chungcheongbuk-do Office of Education, Tuesday.Jang Ok-soon, 84, said she hopes to become a college student if she has enough energy to do so.“I really want to go to college. If I were like 14 years younger than now, I would have entered college without any worries, but I wonder how my health would be, considering my age,” she said.Jang passed the exam for a middle school diploma in August 2017. Since 2018, she applied six times for the biannual high school equivalency diploma and finally passed this time.“I was so disappointed when I failed last year's exam with an average score of 59.85 points,” Jang said, adding the minimum score to pass the test was 60 points.“I like mathematics because it's fun, but studying Engl

May 13, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
84-year-old woman passes exam for high school diploma
previous page
5960616263
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.