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  OPINION: BTS and the king's way When BTS step onto the stage for their upcoming Arirang performance, they are expected to open the show not with pyrotechnics, but with a procession — along a path once reserved for kings. The route is deliberate: from Geunjeongmun to Heungnyemun, onward to Gwanghwamun, and finally to the Woldae. Plans reportedly include a pre-recorded or partially live sequence of the group walking this restored axis — known historically as the “king’s road.” February 4, 2026
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  Rookie K‑pop girl group KATSEYE to appear in Super Bowl ad SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - Girl group KATSEYE will appear in a massively expensive commercial during this weekend's Super Bowl match. Insurance company State Farm's commercial, slated to air during the coveted Super Bowl slot on Sunday, will feature the Los Angeles–based six-member group, alongside American actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld, American actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key. A preview of KATSEYE performing to American rock band Bon Jovi's &quo February 4, 2026
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  LG Energy Solution, Hanwha Qcells team up to target US energy storage boom SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution (LGES) and Hanwha Qcells have joined hands to strengthen their position in the fast-growing U.S. market for large-scale energy storage systems. Industry sources said Wednesday that Hanwha Qcells plans to procure up to 5 gigawatt-hours of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries from LGES’s plant in Holland, Michigan. The batteries will be deployed in U.S. ESS projects where Hanwha Qcells will oversee engineering, procurement and co February 4, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-45: homecoming along the royal axis SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - The comeback of BTS is set trace one of Seoul's most resonant historical lines: the so-called King's road, the ceremonial axis once reserved for Joseon-era monarchs. The route runs from Geunjeongmun through Heungnyemun to Gwanghwamun, culminating at the Weoldae, a stone platform where kings appeared before the public. Built in 1866, the Weoldae was dismantled during the colonial period and remained lost for more than a century before February 4, 2026
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  POSCO to deploy humanoid robots at steel mills in logistics push SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korean steel giant POSCO Group announced Wednesday it will introduce humanoid robots to handle logistics operations at its steel mills, marking a significant step in the conglomerate's push to bring physical artificial intelligence to heavy industry. POSCO signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday with the group's engineering service affiliate POSCO DX and corporate venture capital arm POSCO Investment, along with U.S. humanoid robot st February 4, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-45: From humble beginning to a career build on accumulation 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 first installment traces the group’s roots and early growth. SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - It February 4, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-45: BTS' 'Save Me' tops Murapop rival match with power of Army SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - Global sensation BTS has secured its dominance at the top of Murapop, a global K-pop matchup platform, once again underscoring the group’s sustained fandom strength. Murapop is a participatory platform that stages rival matches between K-pop and other globally popular music videos. Winners are determined by combining scores calculated by summing up view counts on the official YouTube music videos and votes casted by global fans within the platf February 4, 2026
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  Greater rights offerings and fewer IPOs amid big-cap-led Korean stock boom SEOUL, Feb. 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s equity issuance saw a significant jump of approximately 55 percent last year, fueled by large-scale rights offerings. In contrast, new shares issued through initial public offerings (IPOs) contracted, underscoring a deepening funding freeze for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and venture firms. According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on Wednesday, public equity issuance last year totaled 13.71 trillion won ($ February 4, 2026
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  Seoul sees lowest population outflow last year as fewer move to outskirts SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - Fewer people moved to the outskirts of Seoul last year, with the capital seeing the lowest outflow in about 35 years. According to data released by the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) on Wednesday, some 27,000 residents left Seoul last year, down from 35,000 in 2022, 31,000 in 2023, and 45,000 in 2024. The figure was the lowest since 1990, when Seoul first recorded a decline in relevant statistics. KOSIS attributed the drop to an increa February 4, 2026
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  Samsung Biologics joins global vaccine network to bolster pandemic preparedness SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - Samsung Biologics has signed a partnership agreement with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to join the Vaccine Manufacturing Facility Network, positioning the South Korean drugmaker as a key player in global pandemic response efforts. Under the deal signed Tuesday, Samsung Biologics will serve as a "preferred" manufacturer for vaccines developed with CEPI support. The company will be capable of producing up to 50 million February 4, 2026