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  Chip rally, GDP surprise drive KOSPI to fresh record high SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - Geopolitical uncertainty failed to derail South Korea’s stock rally, with the KOSPI closing at a fresh all-time high Thursday as strong chip earnings and an upside GDP surprise lifted investor sentiment. The benchmark index closed at 6,475.81, up 0.90 percent, while the KOSDAQ ended at 1,174.31, down 0.58 percent. The Bank of Korea said first-quarter real GDP expanded 1.7 percent from the previous quarter, nearly double its February forecast of 0.9 pe April 23, 2026
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  Japan's arms export shift tests Korea's security calculus amid regional buildup SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - Japan’s decision to allow exports of lethal weapons for the first time since World War II marks a decisive step in Asia’s quiet arms buildup, raising both strategic opportunities and deep-seated concerns for South Korea as regional security dynamics shift. The government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi this week revised its “Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology,” expanding exports beyond non-lethal categor April 23, 2026
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  Kookmin University to hold third ceramic craft exhibition and sale SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - Kookmin University will host the 2026 3rd Ceramic Craft Fair from May 14 to May 17 to showcase the work of emerging artists and facilitate the sale of student and alumni projects, the university said Thursday. The four-day event will take place in the lobby of the Kookmin University (KMU) Administration Hall in Seoul, South Korea. Students and alumni from the Department of Ceramic Craft within the College of Design are set to participate in the exhibition, April 23, 2026
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  Chips carry Korea's Q1, but Gulf fallout looms large SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) — From the headline, South Korea’s economy looks robust — gross domestic product posting its strongest growth in more than five years while chipmakers log staggering margins nearing 70 percent. But beneath the surface, the expansion is widely seen peaking, exposing structural fault lines from overreliance on a single sector and mounting inflationary pressure. According to the Bank of Korea on Thursday, the nation’s GDP grew 1.7 p April 23, 2026
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  South Korean envoy meets Iranian foreign minister in Tehran SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - South Korea's special envoy to Iran Chung Byung-ha has met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. According to the ministry, Chung, who was dispatched to the Middle Eastern country earlier this month, met Araghchi the previous day. During the meeting, which came about two weeks into his stay there, Chung reportedly sought Iran's cooperation, as he continues efforts to ensure the April 23, 2026
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  Honda Korea to exit car sales after two decades SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - Honda Korea announced it will cease automobile sales in the country by the end of 2026, pulling the curtain on a presence that once crowned it the top-selling import brand but withered steadily over the past several years. Lee Ji-hong, CEO of Honda Korea, told a hastily convened press conference on Thursday at COEX in Seoul that the decision came after a thorough review of shifting market conditions and persistent currency headwinds. "We have comprehe April 23, 2026
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  S. Korean researchers identify protein mechanism to overcome leukemia drug resistance SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - A joint research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Uijeongbu Eulji University Hospital, and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has identified a new molecular mechanism that controls how chronic myeloid leukemia responds to anticancer drugs, the state-operated research institute located in the central city of Daejeon said Thursday, April 23, 2026. Chronic myeloid leukemia is caused by an abnormal protein called April 23, 2026
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  OPINION: Paradox of the second shock - Why protectionism cannot solve productivity problem KARACHI, April 23 (AJP) - The global economic order is currently grappling with a phenomenon that many have termed China Shock 2.0. Unlike the first iteration at the turn of the millennium, which saw a surge of low c April 23, 2026
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  Harim to rescue Homeplus Express, completing farm-to-fork empire SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - South Korea's poultry giant Harim Group has been named preferred bidder for Homeplus Express, the supermarket arm of the country's No. 2 retailer Homeplus, in a deal that could throw a lifeline to the creditor-protected hypermarket chain and complete Harim's long-pursued vertical integration from chicken farm to checkout counter. Homeplus said on Tuesday that Harim Group affiliate NS Shopping was selected as the preferred bidder for its smaller-fo April 23, 2026
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  After rare catch, Han River survey sets sights on new discovery SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - Expectations are rising for new discoveries in this year’s regular catch season along the Han River, following last year’s rare find of a protected species that underscored improving ecological conditions in the capital’s main waterway. The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday conducted a fish species survey near Bamseom Island beneath Seogang Bridge in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul, as part of its semiannual monitoring progr April 23, 2026