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  Taekwang Industries to acquire Dongsung Pharmaceutical in K-beauty push SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Taekwang Industries said Wednesday it will acquire mid-sized drugmaker Dongsung Pharmaceutical through a consortium with United Asset Management Co., known as UAMCO, marking its latest move to diversify beyond its core chemicals and textiles businesses. Taekwang's board approved the acquisition at a meeting held Jan. 7. Dongsung produces a range of consumer health and personal-care products. Taekwang said the deal is intended to accelerate its ex January 14, 2026
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  Seoul bus workers to resume wage talks as strike enters second day SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Unionized bus workers in Seoul are set to resume wage negotiations with management on Wednesday, after going into an indefinite strike the previous day that suspended all services. With a second day of major traffic disruptions, the two sides are scheduled to sit down for talks again at 3 p.m., following a series of previous negotiations that collapsed as they failed to narrow their differences. The main point of dispute is whether bonuses should be incl January 14, 2026
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  South Korea's stock market cap jumps 76 percent in 2025 SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock market capitalization surged nearly 80 percent over the past year, propelled by sharp gains in Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Total market capitalization rose by 1,718 trillion won ($1.3 trillion) to 3,972 trillion won at the start of this year, from 2,254 trillion won a year earlier, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the Korea CXO Institute. The rally also broadened the ranks of large-cap stocks. T January 14, 2026
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  Lee–Takaichi Nara summit strikes light tone with K-pop drums, sidesteps thorny issues SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) -South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a summit Wednesday in Japan’s ancient city of Nara, reaffirming their commitment to what they described as a new 60 years of bilateral relations while striking an unusually light-hearted tone that emphasized cultural rapport over sensitive disputes. After their talks and joint press statements, the Japanese side arranged an unannounced cultural event during a closed-do January 13, 2026
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  Korean pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon arrested over alleged role in court rampage SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) -South Korean ultra-right pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church was arrested at court on suspicion of orchestrating a violent rampage at the Seoul Western District Court following the arrest of former President Yoon Suk Yeol last year on Wednesday, the same day prosecutors asked for a death penalty for Yoon for his ill-served marital-law attempt. The Seoul Western District Court issued an arrest warrant for Jeon after a pre-arrest hearing, citing co January 13, 2026
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  Special counsel seeks death penalty for ex-President Yoon over failed martial law bid SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) -Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk on Wednesday sought the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, accusing him of leading an insurrection through his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. Cho’s team asked the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 25, presided over by Judge Ji Gui-yeon, to impose the maximum sentence during the final sentencing hearing, describing Yoon as the “ringleader” of an anti-c January 13, 2026
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  Japan and Korean stocks keep up rally SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Asian equities were mostly higher on Tuesday, led by sharp gains in Japan and Korea. In Seoul, the KOSPI rose 1.5 percent to close at a fresh high of 4,692.6, helped by gains in autos, energy and industrial shares. In contrast, the tech-heavy KOSDAQ edged down 0.1 percent to finish at 948.9. Among blue-chip stocks, Samsung Electronics edged down 0.7 percent to 137,900 won ($93.5), while SK hynix slid down 1.4 percent to 738,000 won, weighing on the br January 13, 2026
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  Rigorous Korean hair formula behind perfect K-drama hair fuels global sales SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) — Long, glossy black hair catching the light as it moves in the breeze has become a familiar image of Korean heroines in romantic dramas. The look has captivated global audiences — and it is translating into booming overseas sales of Korean hair-care products. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), cosmetics exports reached a record $11.4 billion in 2025, up 12.3 percent from a year earlier. The United States a January 13, 2026
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  PHOTOS:Tracking horse history in the Year of Horse SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - An exhibition titled “Year of the Horse, 2026: Galloping into Eternity,” planned by the Cultural Heritage Administration, opened on Jan. 9 at The Heritage of Shinsegae Department Store’s main branch in central Seoul, marking the Year of the Horse in 2026. The exhibition explores the cultural and historical significance of horses from ancient times to the present, examining how they have coexisted with humans and shaped life and society. January 13, 2026
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  Stock-bound cash hits record as KOSPI powers higher SEOUL, Jan. 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI has extended its rally for a third straight week, brushing past the 4,700 level on Wednesday and moving closer to the long-anticipated 5,000 mark, buoyed by a record pile-up of investor cash on the sidelines. According to the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA), investor deposits stood at 88.9 trillion won ($60.4 billion) as of Jan. 9, after briefly topping 92 trillion won a day earlier as retail investors rushe January 13, 2026