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  Samsung Elec gets head start in HBM4 race, SK hynix plays it cool SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has moved a step ahead in the race to commercialize next-generation high-bandwidth memory, shipping early samples of its HBM4 chips and preparing for mass supply, according to industry sources. In the sixth-generation memory standard expected to power future artificial intelligence accelerators from Nvidia and Google, Samsung appears to have gained an early edge over local rival SK hynix, which currently dominates the HBM market. A February 9, 2026
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  Lee congratulates Japan's PM on landslide election win SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung on Monday congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her party's landslide victory in a snap election the previous day. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Lee said he "sincerely congratulates" the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led coalition on securing a majority in Japan's House of Representatives. Wishing for Japan's continued development under Takaichi's leadership, he recalled hi February 9, 2026
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  Hundreds of fat cats at major businesses to face axe in 1st half SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - Nearly half of outside directors at major businesses in South Korea will see their terms expire in the first half of this year, a study shows. Corporate tracker Korea CXO Institute surveyed the country's 50 largest companies and found they had around 1,235 outside directors as of this month. Of them, 543 or 44 percent are scheduled to have their terms end in the first half of this year. Among conglomerates, SK Group had the most with 85, followed February 9, 2026
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  Military helicopter crashes in Gapyeong, killing two crew members SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - A military helicopter crashed in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province on Monday, killing two crew members, according to military authorities. The South Korean Army said the AH-1S Cobra went down at about 11:04 a.m. during training, which involved practicing emergency landings in conditions similar to an abnormal situation without shutting down the engine. The exact reasons for the crash were not immediately known. Two officers on board were rushed to a hospi February 9, 2026
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  KAIST Professor receives AIBN Medal for translational research SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - Lee Sang-yeop, a distinguished professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and vice president of research at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology was awarded the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Translational Research Award in Brisbane, Australia, on February 3, the South Korean institute said in a statement on Monday. The Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) Medal is a prestig February 9, 2026
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  OPINION: Takaichi's sweeping win in a high-ground gamble - and democracy's test Politics has always been war by other means. Weapons have been replaced by language, battlefields by parliaments and social media. But the logic of victory has changed far less than we like to believe. In this sense, the most enduring manual for understanding modern politics remains The Art of War. Sun Tzu located victory not in manpower or tactics, but in shi—the configuration of power, momentum, and terrain. The decisive battle, he argued, is often won before it is fought February 9, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-40: Seoul readies an army to protect ARMY on concert day SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) -South Korea’s elite counterterrorism units are preparing for a mission unlike any other this spring: protecting not a summit, not a visiting head of state, but the global fan base of BTS. On March 21, Gwanghwamun Square — framed by royal palaces and glass towers — will host the group’s first full-member comeback concert in nearly four years. Police expect up to 260,000 people to converge on the historic plaza for what is alrea February 9, 2026
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  South Korea, U.S. air forces hold first Buddy Squadron exercise of the year SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - The South Korean Air Force and the U.S. Air Force on Monday began their first Buddy Squadron exercise of the year, which runs through Friday, at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province. The Buddy Squadron exercise is a squadron-level combined air drill in which South Korean and U.S. fighter units take turns training together at air bases across the country. The exercise began in 1991 under the name “Friendship Training” to enhance combined operat February 9, 2026
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  Lee praises late bloomer's surprise silver-medal finish at Winter Olympics in Italy SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung on Monday congratulated snowboarder Kim Sang-kyum after the athlete secured South Korea's first medal at this year's Winter Olympics, which kicked off in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan last Friday. Lee praised Kim's silver-medal finish in the men's parallel giant slalom, saying the athlete spent "years of training for races decided by fractions of a second, perfecting his technique and equipment on harsh snow, February 9, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-40: Free tickets for Gwanghwamun Square show SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - BTS will open free ticket reservations for their upcoming outdoor comeback stage at Gwanghwamun Square starting February 23. According to an announcement posted to the fan platform Weverse on Monday, the group has finalized the entry process for "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG," a massive event marking their return as a full seven-member unit. The ticketing is split into two categories to accommodate both the general public and dedicated fa February 9, 2026