• 
  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
• 
  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
• 
  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
• 
  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
• 
  POSCO seeking to deploy Persona AI's humanoid robots for steelworks SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - POSCO Group is moving to deploy humanoid robots in steel logistics operations in cooperation with U.S.-based startup Persona AI. The group said Wednesday that POSCO, POSCO DX, POSCO Technology Investment and Persona AI signed a memorandum of understanding a day earlier to jointly pursue on-site deployment of industrial humanoid robots. Under the agreement, POSCO will identify steel mill tasks suitable for humanoid robots and assess their operation February 4, 2026
• 
  Samsung Heavy deepens Gulf ties with Qatar shipyard agreement SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - Samsung Heavy Industries said Wednesday it has signed sign an agreement with Qatar Shipyard Technology Solutions (QSTS), a state-owned shipyard operator, to explore joint projects involving eco-friendly technologies. QSTS, located in eastern Qatar, is a subsidiary of Nakilat, the country’s state-owned shipping company and the world’s largest operator of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The yard has completed repair work on roughly 2,00 February 4, 2026
• 
  Seoul, Washington reaffirm alliance including cooperation on nuclear subs, shipbuilding SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. agreed to continue close cooperation to strengthen the bilateral alliance, the U.S. Department of State said on Tuesday. In a press release, the department's principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Washington, D.C., where they "discussed ways to advance" the bilateral alliance. Pigott added that the two "agreed to cont February 4, 2026
• 
  Strong dollar pressures Korea's FX reserves, down for 2nd month SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves fell by more than $2 billion in January, extending a decline for a second consecutive month as the won remained weak against the U.S. dollar. The Bank of Korea said Wednesday that reserves stood at $425.91 billion at the end of January, down $2.15 billion from $428.05 billion a month earlier. Holdings of securities, including government and corporate bonds, rose $6.39 billion to $377.52 billion. Ho February 4, 2026
• 
  Constitution Day to be national holiday again SEOUL, February 3 (AJP) - Constitution Day on July 17 will become a national holiday again this year, Cheong Wa Dae said on Tuesday. The Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung decided to restore Constitution Day as a national holiday to raise public awareness of the spirit of the Constitution. The day, which commemorates July 17, 1948, when the Constitution was promulgated, had been observed as one of major national holidays along with March 1 Independence Movement February 3, 2026
• 
  KOSPI, Nikkei rebound from 'Warsh Shock,' hit fresh record highs SEOUL, Feb 03 (AJP) - Asian equity markets staged a decisive rebound Tuesday, shaking off jitters dubbed the “Warsh Shock,” as South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI surged nearly 7 percent to a fresh all-time high and fueling a regionwide rally. The sharp recovery followed gains on Wall Street after U.S. purchasing managers’ index data returned to expansion for the first time in a year, easing concerns about an economic slowdown. Market sentiment also improved as i February 3, 2026