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  Antitrust watchdog moves to penalize seven flour millers over price-fixing cartel SEOUL, Feb 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s competition authority has initiated formal sanctioning procedures against seven major flour producers and distributors, including industry giants CJ CheilJedang and Daehan Flour Mills, for alleged price-fixing. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) announced Friday that it has dispatched examination reports—equivalent to a criminal indictment—to seven companies: CJ CheilJedang, Daeseon Flour Mills, Daehan Flour Mills, Sajo Don February 20, 2026
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  Rosé and Bruno Mars win IFPI Global Single Award for APT. SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - A collaborative track between South Korean singer Rosé and American artist Bruno Mars has become the first K-pop song to top the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Global Single Chart. The rock-pop single "APT." led the worldwide sales and streaming rankings for 2025. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) on February 19, "APT." secured the top position on the annual cha February 20, 2026
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  Satellite images suggest North Korea gearing up for massive military parade SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - With North Korea's key party congress underway this week, satellite images suggest the country has been preparing for a large-scale military parade, with over 12,000 people believed to have been mobilized. According to Yoo Yong-won of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), satellite images taken between Feb. 9 and 17 by Vantor, formerly Maxar Intelligence, showed around 12,000 troops gathered at Mirim Airport near Pyongyang for the parade's February 20, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-29: Why Gwanghwamun is the ideal stage SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) -Snow has melted on Mount Bugak, revealing dark rocks and early greenery above the skyline. Below, the statue of King Sejong the Great stands at the mouth of Gwanghwamun Gate, gazing over an avenue quietly preparing for a moment it was never designed to imagine — the return of BTS. The historic corridor, where royal processions once passed and modern protests later gathered, is being transformed into an open-air stage. As spring settles over central February 20, 2026
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  Robot royal guard patrol around Seoul palace through pilot operation SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - South Korea is expanding the use of artificial intelligence in heritage protection, as a patrol robot began a pilot operation at Changdeokgung Palace in central Seoul on Friday. The robot, named “Sunra-bot,” conducted a demonstration patrol near Yeonghwajeong Pavilion inside the UNESCO-listed palace complex. The name “Sunra” comes from the Joseon Dynasty-era sunragun, royal patrol guards who monitored the palace and surrounding ar February 20, 2026
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  Another case of foot-and-mouth disease detected in Goyang SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Another case of foot-and-mouth disease has been reported in Goyang, Gyeonggi province, health authorities said on Friday. It was detected at a farm raising 133 cattle, prompting quarantine officials to expand containment measures to nearby areas including Gimpo, Paju and Yangju, as well as Seoul. All cattle on the farm are set to be culled, and a 24-hour standstill order has been issued for workers and vehicles at livestock-related facilities, remaini February 20, 2026
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  Kazakhstan to hold national referendum on new constitution in March SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on February 11 to hold a national referendum on March 15 to decide on the adoption of a new constitution for the Republic of Kazakhstan. If approved by voters, the document will trigger a comprehensive political transition beginning July 1, including the end of the current parliament’s mandate and a fundamental shift in the country’s governance model. The proposed reform marks a t February 20, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-29: BTS on the Charts, RM on the Canvas Editor’s Note — As BTS prepares to return as a full seven-member act with a new album set for March 20 and an open-stage performance at Gwanghwamun on March 21, following a near four-year hiatus for rotational military service, AJP revisits the group’s 13-year trajectory. This series reexamines BTS’s history, music, performance identity and enduring appeal. The fifth installment traces the roots and growth of RM. SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - BTS’s February 20, 2026
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  Boeing picked as preferred bidder for South Korea's special-ops helicopters deal SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Boeing has been selected as the preferred bidder for a South Korean defense procurement program valued at approximately 3.4 trillion won ($2.3 billion), the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on Friday. According to DAPA, Boeing was the sole bidder to submit a proposal in November last year, after two previous bidding rounds in June and October failed to produce a contract. Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, had been expected February 20, 2026
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  Korean household debt hits new height as hot assets fuel leveraged investment SEOUL, Feb 20 (AJP) - Red-hot asset markets in South Korea pushed household debt to a fresh record by the end of 2025, as investors increasingly relied on borrowing for property and stock investment, data showed Friday. According to the Bank of Korea, total household credit outstanding stood at 1,978.8 trillion won ($1.37 trillion) at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, up 14 trillion won from the previous quarter. It marked the highest level since data collection began in the fo February 20, 2026