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  South Korean researchers use AI to design high-efficiency catalysts for hydrogen vehicles SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - A research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Seoul National University has developed a technology that uses artificial intelligence to precisely predict the arrangement of atoms in catalysts. By calculating atomic tendencies before conducting experiments, the researchers identified a way to improve both the performance and durability of the fuel cells that power hydrogen vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cells are often described February 26, 2026
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  BOK holds at 2.5% as asset inflation fuels leverage risks SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5 percent on Thursday, extending a pause that has been in place since May last year, as surging asset prices rekindle concerns over leveraged investing and record-high household debt. The decision at the central bank’s second policy meeting of 2026 was widely expected. In January, the BOK subtly shifted its policy language, removing references that implied further easing and si February 26, 2026
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  Korea's top-shelf defense export K9 anchors India's frontline firepower in evolving form POKHRAN, INDIA, February 26 (AJP) - The desert does not forgive hesitation. At the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges, under the abrasive winds of the Thar Desert, the K9 Vajra-T halted only long enough to compute its fire solution. Turret rotating independently of the hull, target data fed digitally, the first round was out within 30 seconds. On the move, the gun delivered in under a minute. Moments later, the battery displaced — engines growling, tracks carving arcs through sand February 26, 2026
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  Pyongyang sidelines Seoul while signaling potential for Washington ties SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated that there is "no reason not to get along" with the United States if Washington abandons its hostile policy, even as he intensified his rhetoric against South Korea by vowing to permanently exclude the country from the category of "compatriots." North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Thursday that Kim delivered a summary report during the 9th Congress of the Work February 26, 2026
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  OPINION: Risks lurking behind South Korea's export boom SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Despite heightened external uncertainty, exports have posted unexpectedly strong performance so far this year. Preliminary cumulative figures through mid-February show an increase of roughly 30 percent, a notable gain. With the domestic economy still struggling to regain its footing after a prolonged slump, this export surge comes as welcome relief. Still, it remains uncertain how long this momentum can last. Uncertainty persists in the semiconductor sec February 26, 2026
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  Musinsa goes offline to challenge beauty Goliath on Seoul's beauty street SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Musinsa, the online fashion platform that has grown into a household name in K-fashion, is venturing into brick-and-mortar cosmetics — a field long dominated by CJ Olive Young under CJ Group. The move is being watched closely, either as a possible overreach or as a necessary step in Musinsa’s bid to scale beyond fashion. Musinsa said it will open its first permanent offline beauty flagship, “Musinsa Megastore Seongsu,” between February 26, 2026
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  Indian satellite startup invites Korean tech names to develop military solutions BENGALURU, INDIA, February 26 (AJP) - Astrome Technologies, an Indian defense technology startup specializing in high-frequency satellite and wireless systems, is seeking strategic partnerships with South Korean companies to jointly develop next-generation military satellite solutions, its president said in an exclusive interview with AJP. “We would be very happy to work with the satellite and telecom businesses of Korean companies such as SK Telecom, Samsung Electronics and L February 26, 2026
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  Samsung Electronics ushers in agentic AI phone era with Galaxy S26 SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) -The drizzle over the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco did not stop more than 1,200 journalists and influencers from crowding into the domed venue Wednesday for Samsung Electronics’ latest Unpacked event — a return to the same stage where the company once declared it was preparing for a “new decade” of mobile. This time, instead of dazzling hardware theatrics, Samsung framed the Galaxy S26 series as its first truly “agent February 26, 2026
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  SK hynix okays $16 bn investment into Yongin chip facility to stay ahead in HBM race SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - SK hynix said Wednesday it will invest more than 21 trillion won ($15.7 billion) in new semiconductor production facilities at the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, as it moves to expand capacity and stay ahead in the high-bandwidth memory race amid the artificial intelligence boom. According to a regulatory filing with the Financial Supervisory Service, the company plans to invest 21.61 trillion won in the construction of Phases 2 through 6 of its first fabri February 25, 2026
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  South Korea, US to stage annual joint drill with scaled-down field training SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - South Korean and U.S. troops will stage their annual joint military exercise next month to strengthen their combined defense posture, the Joint Chiefs of Staff here said on Wednesday. The exercise, dubbed Freedom Shield (FS), is scheduled to be held from March 9 to 19 under a scenario simulating a full-scale war to prepare for contingencies on the Korean Peninsula. The exercise aims to strengthen combined combat readiness while preparing for the tra February 25, 2026