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  OPINION: What 'Operation Epic Fury' signals to North Korea SEOUL, March 4 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un defined inter-Korean relations as "the most hostile state-to-state relationship," calling South Korea an "eternal enemy" at a rare party gathering that wrapped up late last month. He also said the North has "nothing to discuss with and will exclude it from the category of compatriots forever." However, Kim showed a different stance on the U.S., as state media quoted him as saying, &qu March 4, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-17: 'ARIRANG' tracklist unveiled as heat builds up in countdown             SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - BTS has drummed up anticipation for its long-awaited comeback with the release of the 14-song tracklist for its upcoming album ARIRANG — the group’s first full-member project in nearly four years — due March 20, with fans already preparing to camp out for the closest view of the open-air comeback show the following day. The tracklist was unveiled by HYBE through its official website and social media channels, accompanied by a visual feat March 4, 2026
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  Inside MWC 2026: Korean tech titans redefine the 'Physical AI' and data frontier SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - South Korean telecommunications giants and global infrastructure leaders are shifting the paradigm of artificial intelligence at MWC 2026, moving beyond digital chatbots toward "Physical AI" and hyper-efficient data architectures. LG Uplus: From voice to humanoid action LG Uplus (LGU+) unveiled its vision for Physical AI, integrating its proprietary AI call agent, ixi-O, with humanoid robotics. Unlike traditional voice assistants, ixi-O is de March 4, 2026
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  WAIFF D-2: Seoul edition marks global expansion in 2026 SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - The World AI Film Festival (WAIFF), which debuted in Nice, France on April 11, 2025, will expand globally in 2026, with Seoul emerging as one of its key host cities. Putting emphasis on collaboration between artificial intelligence and human creativity, WAIFF aims to bridge technology, industry and artistic expression. The 2026 circuit will move through China, Korea, Japan and Brazil before culminating in April at the WAIFF Cannes Edition in France. Select March 4, 2026
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  BOK issues verbal intervention amid near-4% slide in won since war outbreak SEOUL, Mar 04 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) issued a verbal intervention Wednesday, pledging a “timely” response after the Korean won briefly touched crisis-era levels around 1,500 per U.S. dollar amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and rising oil concerns. The warning came after the dollar in the offshore market climbed above the 1,500-won mark overnight — the first time since March 2007 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. BOK Governor March 4, 2026
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  Asian markets tank; Seoul plunges more than 8% as won hovers near crisis-era levels SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - Asian markets tumbled Wednesday as escalating tensions in the Middle East rattled investors, with Seoul stocks plunging more than 8 percent and the Korean won sliding to near crisis-era levels. A pledge by the United States to provide security escorts and insurance guarantees for tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz did little to reassure investors. Markets across the region remain highly sensitive to the waterway, through which a large share of Middle E March 4, 2026
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  Trump assures US Navy will step in to protect tankers in Strait of Hormuz SEOUL, March 4 (AJP) - The U.S. Navy will escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz "if necessary," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, amid growing concerns that the ongoing Middle East conflict could disrupt oil shipments through the strategically vital waterway. "If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible," Trump wrote on his own social media platform Truth Social. "No mat March 4, 2026
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  South Korea, Philippines agree to expand cooperation in emerging sectors SEOUL, March 4 (AJP) - South Korea has agreed to expand bilateral cooperation with the Philippines in emerging sectors for future growth, such as artificial intelligence (AI), shipbuilding, and nuclear energy, as part of the two countries' strategic partnership. During a summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in Manila on Tuesday, the two countries signed about a dozen memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to str March 4, 2026
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  UPDATE: Korea's factory output turns negative in Jan on reduced chip activity **Additional data information added** SEOUL, Mar 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s factory output turned negative for the first time in three months in January on slower semiconductor and construction activity, underlining the fragility of the economic recovery as the year-end base effect faded. Mining and manufacturing output fell 1.3 percent in January from the previous month — the first decline since October, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Da March 4, 2026
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  Middle East turmoil pounds Korean stocks and won for second session SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - South Korean shares extended their downward spiral in the aftermath of the Middle East crisis, losing more than 5 percent at the opening bell Wednesday following Tuesday’s rout. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI tumbled 6.09 percent to 5,444.51 on panicky retail selling after a 7.24 percent plunge in the previous session. The retreat later eased to around 3 percent by about 9:20 a.m., as foreign and local institutional investors moved to scoop up la March 4, 2026