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  Seoul claims progress in wartime command transfer talk with US SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Seoul claims it has made substantial strides in latest round of negotiation with Washington on the transfer of U.S. wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea. The 27th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD), a regular consultative meeting between the two defense ministries, was held in Seoul on Sept. 23-24, in which, the ministry said that the two have made "significant progress" toward meeting the conditions for the transfer, September 25, 2025
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  Suicide Becomes Leading Cause of Death for Koreans from Teens to 40s SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) -Suicide has become the leading cause of death among South Koreans from their teens through their 40s, with self-inflicted deaths overtaking cancer among people in their 40s for the first time since records began in 1983, according to a government report released Wednesday. The Statistics Korea data showed suicides accounted for 26.0 percent of deaths among those in their 40s in 2024, surpassing cancer at 24.5 percent. The total number of suicide deaths re September 25, 2025
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  HMM races toward net-zero as privatization battle looms Editor's Note: This article is the 37th installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - South Korea's state-run sea carrier HMM is betting big on clean fuel, digitalized fleet management, and business diversification as it navigates a turbulent freight cycle and an uncertain privatization push. On Sept. 12, HMM signed a 10-ye September 25, 2025
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  Kuwait revives delayed housing project with South Korean partner SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - South Korea’s state-run Land and Housing Corporation said Friday that work has resumed on a long-delayed housing development in Kuwait, reviving one of the Middle East’s largest urban projects. The development of Abdullah New City, located about 30 kilometers west of Kuwait City, is designed to provide 43,000 homes across 6.44 million square meters of desert land. The project, which carries an estimated budget of 23.6 trillion won, or ab September 25, 2025
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  Another K-pop themed movie set for release early next year SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Another K-pop themed movie has begun filming after finalizing its cast, following the success of Netflix's South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters," talent mill HYBE's U.S. branch said on Thursday. Produced by HYBE in collaboration with Paramount Pictures, the film stars singer-songwriter Eric Nam and Yoo Ji-young, an American actress of Korean descent known for her roles in American drama "Expats" on Amazon Prime Video as well September 25, 2025
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  Korea Legacy Committee marks 10 years of tackling elderly poverty with anniversary gala SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - The Korea Legacy Committee (KLC) will mark its 10th anniversary with a gala at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul on October 25. The event will reflect on the group’s work over the past decade while pointing to the continuing problem of elderly poverty in South Korea. Founded in 2015, KLC is a nonprofit set up to confront the country’s high elderly poverty rate through direct services, community programs, and youth engagement. Based in Seoul and o September 25, 2025
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  HD Hyundai discusses shipbuilding cooperation with Saudi Arabia SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - HD Hyundai is expanding its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the shipbuilding sector, strengthening ties through joint ventures and technology partnerships tied to the kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative. The company said Thursday its vice chairman, Jeong Ki-seon, met with Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih at the Banyan Tree Hotel in Seoul to discuss the progress of a joint shipyard and engine plant under construction in Saudi Arabia. The t September 25, 2025
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  India's information minister meets Krafton executives in Seoul SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - India’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Logesh Rajendran Murugan, visited Krafton’s headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday, marking the first visit by an Indian central government minister to the South Korean game publisher. Krafton said Thursday the meeting highlighted India’s importance as a strategic market and provided an opportunity to discuss policy cooperation and business collaboration. Murugan, who also serves as Mi September 25, 2025
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  KAIST turns 3D printing upside down to make custom brain chip SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) have developed a new way to build custom 3D brain chips that could change how scientists study the brain and treat neurological diseases. Traditional brain chips, used to study nerve cells grown outside the body, are usually built with semiconductor processes. These methods are expensive and flat in design, which makes it hard to create realistic 3D structures. Even with new September 25, 2025
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  Naver moving to acquire Korea's top cryptocurrency exchange operator SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - South Korean internet and tech powerhouse Naver Corp. is moving to integrate the nation's leading cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, into its ecosystem by acquiring Upbit's operator, Dunamu Inc. The core of the proposed deal is a comprehensive stock swap between Naver's fintech subsidiary, Naver Financial, and Dunamu. The news, which marks a major convergence between South Korea's dominant internet portal and the country's largest September 25, 2025