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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

‘Combat ready’: Inside Korea’s Cheongung-II missile defense unit

SACHEON, South Gyeongsang Province — Sirens echoed as members of an Air Force missile defense unit rushed toward Cheongung-II launchers during a simulated ballistic missile interception drill, Wednesday. As the warning sounded, soldiers quickly moved into position around the launch vehicles, activating power systems and checking equipment status. Inside the control center, personnel relayed simulated alerts based on a North Korean ballistic missile launch scenario, while troops repeated procedures they appeared to know by heart. The Air Force opened the missile defense site to reporters this week as part of a media tour at Sacheon Air Base, offering a rare look inside one of the military’s frontline missile defense units. The Cheongung-II system, also known as KM-SAM Block II, is one of the key components of Korea’s multilayered missile defense network designed to detect, track and intercept incoming ballistic missile threats. Even while troops moved around the launchers, interception procedures continued inside the system. Under normal conditions, the interceptors remain in standby

May 15, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
‘Combat ready’: Inside Korea’s Cheongung-II missile defense unit
  • Air Force looks beyond KF-21 toward AI-assisted future
Defense

Air Force looks beyond KF-21 toward AI-assisted future

SACHEON, South Gyeongsang Province — A KF-21 fighter roared down the runway at Sacheon Air Base on Wednesday morning, before climbing into the sky as maintenance crews watched from below. A few hundred meters away, inside Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) final assembly plant, rows of additional KF-21s sat in various stages of production, surrounded by engineers, robotic systems and wiring equipment. The scene reflected not only Korea’s first domestically developed supersonic fighter program, but also the Air Force’s broader effort to prepare for a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems. The Air Force and KAI opened parts of the Sacheon base and production facilities to reporters this week during a media tour centered on the KF-21 Boramae program. While the final assembly line had previously been shown during the rollout ceremony for the first production aircraft in March, the Air Force said this was the first time reporters were allowed to see nearly the entire batch of initial production fighters — around 20 aircraft — assembled toge

May 14, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Air Force looks beyond KF-21 toward AI-assisted future
People & Events

Navy’s first female command sergeant major chose warships over cherry blossoms

At the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, most visitors come for the cherry blossoms. When Hwang Ji-hyun visited in her early 20s, the gray warships moored along the coast caught her eye more than the flowers. "I was drawn to the warship and even had a chance to look inside," Master Chief Petty Officer Hwang recalled during an interview with The Korea Times. "That was when I decided I wanted to become a sailor serving aboard ships." Nearly two decades later, Hwang, now 44, became the first female command sergeant major in the history of the Korean Navy. The draw to military life had roots even earlier, influenced in part by her family’s military background. Her father served as a noncommissioned officer in the Navy, while her uncle graduated from the Naval Academy. She enlisted as part of the Navy’s 211th noncommissioned officer class in 2006 and officially assumed her new post last month at the Maritime Operations Center under the Navy Operations Command. Along the way, she accumulated a series of firsts, including becoming the Navy’s first female tra

May 13, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Navy’s first female command sergeant major chose warships over cherry blossoms
Defense

Korea pushes OPCON transfer as US presses for expanded alliance role

Differences emerged between Seoul and Washington over the future direction of the alliance during this week’s Korea-U.S. defense ministers’ meeting, as the Lee Jae Myung administration pushes for an earlier transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) while the Donald Trump administration seeks a broader role for Korea as an ally. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met Monday at the Pentagon to discuss major alliance issues, including OPCON transfer, alliance modernization, maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and Korea’s potential role in regional security, according to a joint statement released after the talks. In his opening remarks, Ahn emphasized Seoul’s intention to strengthen what he described as “Korea-led defense” on the peninsula. “We are also making every effort to secure core national defense capabilities through increased defense spending so that we can realize Korea-led defense of the Korean Peninsula,” Ahn said. His remarks are aligned with the Lee administration's goal to take over wartime OPCON by 2028, with

May 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea pushes OPCON transfer as US presses for expanded alliance role
Politics

Just 2 women in 25 district chief races exposes Seoul's political glass ceiling

Seoul's district chief races remain heavily male-dominated ahead of the June 3 local elections, even as female candidates gain ground in neighboring Gyeonggi Province. Among the 25 district chief races in the capital, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) have so far confirmed only two female candidates combined, both incumbent district heads seeking reelection. The lack of new female contenders has renewed criticism that Seoul's political scene remains difficult for women to break into. According to party nominations finalized so far, the DPK’s Kim Me-kyung, the incumbent chief of Eunpyeong District, and the PPP’s Lee Soo-hee, the incumbent leader of Gangdong District, are the only confirmed female candidates from the two major parties. Kim is seeking a third consecutive term and could become Seoul’s first three-term female district head if reelected. Lee is also running for reelection after winning Gangdong in the 2022 local elections. The number could rise to three if former Chuncheon MBC announcer Lee Yoo-won wins the PPP pri

May 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Just 2 women in 25 district chief races exposes Seoul's political glass ceiling
Foreign Affairs

Gov’t says unidentified objects struck HMM Namu near Hormuz

The Korean government said Sunday that a joint investigation team has concluded that two unidentified airborne objects struck the stern of the Korean-operated bulk carrier HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government team conducted an on-site inspection on Friday and determined that the unidentified objects hit the vessel’s rear section on May 4. The ministry said there are limitations in determining the exact type and physical size of the objects, adding that further analysis will be conducted on debris collected at the scene. The Panama-flagged vessel operated by Korean company HMM caught fire after an explosion while anchored off the coast of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. All 24 crew members aboard the ship were reported safe. At a later briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il said two unidentified airborne objects struck the vessel about one minute apart, hitting the port-side outer hull of the stern and triggering flames, smoke and strong vibrations throughout the ship. “The fire is believed to have star

May 10, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Gov’t says unidentified objects struck HMM Namu near Hormuz
Politics

Landslide outlook fades for DPK as races in PPP base tighten

What once appeared to be a near-certain landslide victory for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is becoming more competitive as the June 3 local elections approach, with conservative candidates narrowing the gap in several key battlegrounds. The shift comes as backlash grows over the DPK’s push for a special counsel bill tied to what the ruling party calls “fabricated prosecutions” under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The controversy has energized conservative voters in parts of the country where the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) had appeared to be collapsing only weeks ago, particularly in the southeastern strongholds of Daegu, Busan and the Gyeongsang provinces. Political observers, however, say the overall landscape still favors the DPK, arguing that what appears to be a conservative rebound may simply reflect traditional conservative voters returning to the PPP rather than a broad shift among swing voters. Earlier in the campaign, some analysts had floated a “15-to-1 scenario,” referring to the possibility that the DPK could win 15 of the nat

May 10, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Landslide outlook fades for DPK as races in PPP base tighten
  • Constitutional revision drive stalls as PPP boycotts Assembly vote
  • EXPLAINER Special counsel bill sparks debate over power to drop ongoing trials
Politics

Constitutional revision drive stalls as PPP boycotts Assembly vote

A constitutional revision aimed at tightening conditions for declaring martial law fell through Thursday after the conservative People Power Party (PPP) boycotted a parliamentary vote, claiming the amendment bill was politically motivated. The National Assembly on Thursday voted on a constitutional amendment package for the first time in 39 years, with a plan to hold a national referendum for the revision alongside the June 3 local elections. The proposed amendment, jointly introduced by six parties excluding the PPP, included provisions requiring parliamentary approval for a presidential declaration of martial law and strengthening the Assembly’s authority to lift martial law. The amendment also added references to the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising of 1979 and the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising of 1980 to the Constitution’s preamble. The revision package also included calls for balanced regional development. The bill's passage required approval by more than 191 sitting lawmakers, or two-thirds of all 286. However, the PPP, which holds 107 seats, did not participate in the votin

May 7, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Constitutional revision drive stalls as PPP boycotts Assembly vote
Defense

After 1,600 test flights, KF-21 is officially combat-ready

The Korean-made KF-21 Boramae fighter jet has received final combat suitability approval, marking a major milestone for the country’s indigenous fighter aircraft program after more than a decade of development. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Thursday that the KF-21 Block-I, the air-to-air combat variant of the aircraft, passed the final stage of system development after completing extensive testing and evaluation. The approval process involves DAPA submitting the evaluation results to the Ministry of National Defense, with the defense minister making the final decision. The approval follows nearly three years of additional testing conducted after the aircraft received a provisional combat suitability assessment in May 2023. According to DAPA, the KF-21 satisfied the Air Force’s required operational capability standards and demonstrated sufficient stability and technical reliability for missions in actual combat conditions. Officials said the latest approval effectively confirms that the aircraft can be deployed for operational use and represents the comple

May 7, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
After 1,600 test flights, KF-21 is officially combat-ready
Politics

EXPLAINER Special counsel bill sparks debate over power to drop ongoing trials

A special counsel bill proposed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) would allow an independent counsel to withdraw indictments in ongoing trials, a provision now at the center of debate over its impact on court proceedings. The bill, introduced on Thursday, calls for an investigation into alleged fabricated investigations and indictments under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. It designates 12 cases for review, including the Daejang-dong and Wirye development projects — large-scale land development schemes launched during President Lee Jae Myung’s tenure as mayor of Seongnam that have since become among the most politically sensitive issues in South Korea — as well as the Ssangbangwool remittance case, which centers on allegations that a private firm transferred funds to North Korea. The proposal follows a parliamentary inquiry led by the ruling party, which claimed that prosecutors may have relied on coercive questioning, selective investigations and distorted evidence. The DPK argues that an independent probe is needed to reassess whether those cases were handl

May 4, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
[EXPLAINER] Special counsel bill sparks debate over power to drop ongoing trials
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