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  Trump 'won't rule out deploying US ground troops to Iran' SEOUL, March 3 (AJP) - The U.S. would not rule out sending ground troops into Iran "if they were necessary," U.S. President Donald Trump hinted amid an escalation of hostilities across the Middle East. In an interview with the New York Post on Monday, a day after the U.S.-led military action against Tehran dubbed "Operation Epic Fury," Trump said, "I don't have the yips with respect to boots on the ground — like every president says, 'There wil March 3, 2026
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  Seoul claims fuel stock enough to last more than 6 months SEOUL, March 03 (AJP) -South Korea moved to calm markets, saying it holds enough crude oil and petroleum products to last at least 208 days, as spiraling fighting in the Middle East escalated into a direct threat to global energy flows and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint responsible for around 70 percent of fuel imports for Asia's fourth-largest economy. With Iran declaring restrictions in the strategic waterway following U.S.-Israeli strikes and retali March 3, 2026
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  New nominees tapped to lead Budget and Oceans ministries SEOUL, March 2 - Nominees to fill two vacant ministerial posts were tapped as part of a minor cabinet reshuffle, Cheong Wa Dae said on Monday. In a press briefing in Seoul, Lee Kyu-yeon, the presidential senior secretary for public relations and communications, said that President Lee Jae Myung, currently on a trip to Singapore and the Philippines, has named veteran lawmaker Park Hong-keun and senior official Hwang Jong-woo to head the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Min March 2, 2026
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  South Korea, Singapore agree to upgrade free trade deal SEOUL, March 2 (AJP) - The leaders of South Korea and Singapore agreed on Monday to begin negotiations to upgrade their free trade agreement, as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. The agreement was reached as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who arrived in Singapore the previous day, sat down for talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for the first time in several months since they last met in Seoul in November. In a joint press statement March 2, 2026
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  Boston Dynamics IPO emerges as pivotal card in Hyundai Motor governance overhaul SEOUL, March 02 (AJP) -The long-running governance overhaul of South Korea's top automobile conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group could finally gain traction as a potential initial public offering of its robotics unit Boston Dynamics moves closer to reality. The automaker officially maintains that “no plans have been set,” but industry observers say preparations for a possible Nasdaq listing are increasingly visible behind the scenes. More importantly, the IPO is wi March 2, 2026
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  Asian markets reel from Iran strikes as Seoul bourse remains closed for holiday SEOUL, March 2 (AJP) - South Korea's stock market remained closed on Monday in observance of a makeup holiday for March 1 Independence Movement Day, leaving investors to monitor developments in regional markets following the U.S.-led military strikes against Iran over the weekend. Most Asian markets opened lower amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following a joint air strike by the U.S. and Israel that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to end his 3 March 2, 2026
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  WAIFF D-4: Seoul to host event for AI-driven films this week in lead up to Cannes SEOUL, March 2 (AJP) - Excitement has been building for an event as part of the annual World AI Film Festival (WAIFF), which is set to kick off in Seoul this week. As part of WAIFF's worldwide journey leading to Cannes in April, the two-day event is set to open at Lotte Concert Hall in southern Seoul on Friday, following last month's stop in São Paulo and with upcoming events scheduled later this month in Kyoto, Japan, and Wuxi, China. The festival's stop in Se March 2, 2026
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  Seoul braces for fallout as Trump vows to continue military action against Iran SEOUL, March 2 (AJP) - South Korea is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East after U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday vowed to continue what he calls a "righteous mission" against Iran until "all objectives are achieved." In a six-minute video clip posted to his social media platform Truth Social, he said, "We grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission fo March 2, 2026
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  South Korea's February exports surge 29% to record high on semiconductor boom SEOUL, March 01 (AJP) - South Korea's exports jumped 29.0 percent in February from a year earlier to $67.45 billion, marking the highest tally for the month on record, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The result was especially striking given that the Seollal, or Lunar New Year, cut working days by three compared with the same month last year, a factor that typically weighs on shipment volumes. On a daily average basis, exports soared 49.3 percent to $3.55 March 1, 2026
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  South Korea's Lee orders emergency readiness during Singapore, Philippines trip SEOUL, March 01 (AJP)-South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Sunday for a four-day state visit to Singapore and the Philippines, aiming to strengthen cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in advanced industries and strategic sectors. Lee left Seoul Air Base following his attendance at the 107th Independence Movement Day ceremony earlier in the day. He was accompanied by First Lady Kim Hye-kyung aboard the presidential aircraft. Chief of Staf March 1, 2026