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  US surprise armed intervention in Venezuela renews flight to safe-haven assets SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - The United States’ surprise armed intervention in Venezuela is sending shockwaves through global markets, rekindling demand for traditional safe-haven assets as investors reassess geopolitical risk. The overnight operation targeting Venezuela’s leadership — followed by U.S. President Donald Trump publicly touting it as an “incredible thing” that could be repeated because “nobody can stop us” — has raised fea January 5, 2026
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  The Korean won wobbles after Venezuela turmoil SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) -Strenuous efforts to shore up the Korean won were undermined Monday on escalating tensions between between Venezuela and the United States after a surprise armed intervention. The dollar shot near to 1,450 won Monday on deepened bias towards safe-haven assets at times of geopolitical risks. The volatility may continue depending on developments related to energy and oil markets. January 5, 2026
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  Lee calls for stronger economic cooperation at Beijing forum SEOUL, January 5 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung called for stronger "economic cooperation" between South Korea and China during a business forum in Beijing on Monday, where he met with a slew of corporate leaders and executives from both countries as part of his state visit. In his opening remarks, Lee said the two countries were "like ships sailing on the same sea in the same direction," adding, "The two countries have worked together while also compet January 5, 2026
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  HOT STOCK: Doosan Enerbility jumps over 10% on AI-driven power demand SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - Shares of Doosan Enerbility surged more than 10 percent on Monday, buoyed by a string of major orders spanning offshore wind and nuclear power, as rising electricity demand in the AI era fuels investor optimism toward power infrastructure plays. The stock ended at 83,200 won, up 10.64 percent. Trading volume topped 12 million shares, well above recent averages, reflecting heightened investor interest. The shares have risen more than fourfold from their cl January 5, 2026
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  China travel surge lifts Incheon airport to record passenger traffic SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - Incheon International Airport handled a record 239,530 passengers on Jan. 4, the highest daily total since the airport opened in 2001, its operator said on Monday. The figure surpassed the previous record of 234,171 passengers set on Aug. 4, 2019, by nearly 5,000, and was up 13.7 percent from the same day a year earlier, when 210,891 passengers used the airport. By destination, travel to and from China accounted for 49.2 percent of total passenger January 5, 2026
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  Final season of 'Squid Game' wins Critics Choice award again SEOUL, January 5 (AJP) - Netflix's hit South Korean series "Squid Game" won an award for the Best Foreign Language Series at the annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California on Sunday. The third and final season of the dystopian thriller beat Apple TV's comedy "Acapulco" and Netflix's Japanese series "Last Samurai Standing" to claim its third Critics Choice honor, having previously won for its first season in 2022 and its sec January 5, 2026
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  Packaging becomes the real bottleneck in AI race — opening a window for Samsung SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - In the premium AI chip race, supremacy is increasingly defined not by transistor density but by advanced packaging — the ability to assemble multiple high-performance chips into a single accelerator capable of handling massive workloads efficiently. Packaging was once regarded as a back-end step, sealing finished chips into protective casings and mounting them onto boards, work largely handled by outsourced assembly and test firms. In the era of January 5, 2026
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  Incheon Airport sets daily passenger record with nearly 240,000 travelers SEOUL, January 5 (AJP) - A record 239,530 passengers passed through Incheon International Airport last Sunday, the most in a single day since it opened in 2001, operators said on Monday. The figure was nearly 5,000 higher than the previous record of 234,171 set on Aug. 4, 2019, and was also up about 13.7 percent from a year earlier, when 210,891 passengers used the airport. Chinese passengers accounted for the most at 49.2 percent of all travelers, seeing the biggest increase January 5, 2026
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  South Korea's top business leaders join President Lee on China visit SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) - A large delegation of South Korea’s top business leaders, including the heads of the country’s biggest conglomerates, are accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his state visit to China as attention turns to whether bilateral economic cooperation can enter a new phase amid shifting global supply chains. Business groups said on Monday that an economic delegation organized by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry is travelling to China t January 5, 2026
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  K-pop anime wins two gongs at Critics Choice Awards SEOUL, January 5 (AJP) - Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" won two prizes at the annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California on Sunday. The 110-minute film by Korean-Canadian director Maggie Kang won an award for "Best Animated Feature" and also received a gong for "Best Song" with its main theme song, "Golden" at the 31st prestigious awards which "honor the finest in cinematic and television achieveme January 5, 2026