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  Robot royal guard patrol around Seoul palace through pilot operation SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - South Korea is expanding the use of artificial intelligence in heritage protection, as a patrol robot began a pilot operation at Changdeokgung Palace in central Seoul on Friday. The robot, named “Sunra-bot,” conducted a demonstration patrol near Yeonghwajeong Pavilion inside the UNESCO-listed palace complex. The name “Sunra” comes from the Joseon Dynasty-era sunragun, royal patrol guards who monitored the palace and surrounding ar February 20, 2026
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  Another case of foot-and-mouth disease detected in Goyang SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Another case of foot-and-mouth disease has been reported in Goyang, Gyeonggi province, health authorities said on Friday. It was detected at a farm raising 133 cattle, prompting quarantine officials to expand containment measures to nearby areas including Gimpo, Paju and Yangju, as well as Seoul. All cattle on the farm are set to be culled, and a 24-hour standstill order has been issued for workers and vehicles at livestock-related facilities, remaini February 20, 2026
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  Kazakhstan to hold national referendum on new constitution in March SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on February 11 to hold a national referendum on March 15 to decide on the adoption of a new constitution for the Republic of Kazakhstan. If approved by voters, the document will trigger a comprehensive political transition beginning July 1, including the end of the current parliament’s mandate and a fundamental shift in the country’s governance model. The proposed reform marks a t February 20, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-29: BTS on the Charts, RM on the Canvas Editor’s Note — As BTS prepares to return as a full seven-member act with a new album set for March 20 and an open-stage performance at Gwanghwamun on March 21, following a near four-year hiatus for rotational military service, AJP revisits the group’s 13-year trajectory. This series reexamines BTS’s history, music, performance identity and enduring appeal. The fifth installment traces the roots and growth of RM. SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - BTS’s February 20, 2026
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  Boeing picked as preferred bidder for South Korea's special-ops helicopters deal SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Boeing has been selected as the preferred bidder for a South Korean defense procurement program valued at approximately 3.4 trillion won ($2.3 billion), the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on Friday. According to DAPA, Boeing was the sole bidder to submit a proposal in November last year, after two previous bidding rounds in June and October failed to produce a contract. Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, had been expected February 20, 2026
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  Korean household debt hits new height as hot assets fuel leveraged investment SEOUL, Feb 20 (AJP) - Red-hot asset markets in South Korea pushed household debt to a fresh record by the end of 2025, as investors increasingly relied on borrowing for property and stock investment, data showed Friday. According to the Bank of Korea, total household credit outstanding stood at 1,978.8 trillion won ($1.37 trillion) at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, up 14 trillion won from the previous quarter. It marked the highest level since data collection began in the fo February 20, 2026
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  Kookmin University completes global leadership camp with United Nations University in Tokyo SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - The HUSS Global Symbiosis Project Group at Kookmin University successfully conducted the KMU x UNU Sustainable Global Leader Training Camp in Tokyo from January 26 to February 1, the prominent university located in Seoul said on Thursday. The program was developed in collaboration with the United Nations University (UNU) to provide a field-based educational model focused on international organizations. It featured the UNU Future Leaders Bootcamp, expert le February 20, 2026
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  SK hynix shares gain traction after BlackRock lifts stake to 5% SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) -Shares of SK hynix gained momentum after the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, raised its stake in the chipmaker above the 5 percent threshold for the first time in nearly eight years, according to a regulatory filing. BlackRock’s increased exposure comes as global investors seek to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom, with SK hynix emerging as a dominant supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI accelerators. A di February 20, 2026
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  K-pop girl band Hearts2Hearts to drop new single 'RUDE!' SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) -K-pop girl band Hearts2Hearts will release a new single "RUDE!" on Friday to celebrate its first anniversary. Along with the new song, its music video will also be released through the SMTOWN YouTube channel. SM Entertainment said in a statement that the eight-member band's new track RUDE!, a synth house dance track, will be released at 6:00 p.m. (0900 GMT) through various music and video platforms. The band's agency said that the new February 20, 2026
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  KOSPI unfazed by geopolitical risks in its record-setting winning streak SEOUL, February 20 (AJP)- South Korean shares extended their relentless rally in early Friday trading, brushing off global market weakness and rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran. The benchmark KOSPI surged past the 5,700 mark to set another record high. As of 10:50 a.m., the index was up 1.26 percent at 5,748.65. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ slipped 0.25 percent to 1,157.77. In regional markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index opened lower after a holida February 20, 2026