BTS Live D-2 : RM and Jin urge fans safety for landmark Gwanghwamun return SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Members of K-pop legend band BTS -- RM and Jin -- shared Thursday their anticipation for a long-awaited comeback while placing public safety at the center of their preparations for a massive performance in South Korea. Writing on the fan platform Weverse, the artists addressed the upcoming March 21 concert at Gwanghwamun Square, which follows the release of their fifth full-length album, "Arirang," on Friday. The messages align with the stringent March 19, 2026

South Korea, US wrap up annual joint military exercise SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - This year's joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States has concluded, military authorities from both countries said in a joint statement on Thursday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) said the annual exercise dubbed "Freedom Shield" (FS) was conducted under more realistic scenarios simulating full-scale war and other conflicts to prepare for contingencies on the Korean Peninsula & March 19, 2026

AI war jolts Seoul into bipartisan push for defense chips SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - The U.S.-Israel war on Iran — increasingly described as the world’s first “AI war” — is forcing South Korea to confront a critical vulnerability: its heavy reliance on foreign semiconductors in defense systems. Both Washington and Tel Aviv have confirmed deploying a “variety” of artificial intelligence tools in combat, from targeting systems to leadership strikes. The conflict has underscored how modern warfare is rap March 19, 2026

Young newlyweds drive marriage rates to rise for third straight year SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Some 240,000 couples tied the knot last year, up 8.1 percent or 18,000 couples from a year earlier, seeing a rise for a third straight year since 2025, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said Thursday. The figure is also the highest in seven years, up from 239,200 in 2019, recovering to pre-pandemic levels after dipping to around 200,000. Of the total 240,000 couples, some 82.6 percent were first-time marriages for both spouses, while 9 percent were remar March 19, 2026

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan trade potential estimated at forty percent growth SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - The Center for Economic Research and Reforms has determined Thursday that mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan possesses the potential to increase by 30 to 40 percent. This assessment was presented today in Tashkent during an international conference regarding new prospects for a regional alliance. The center, an analytical body under the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan, indicates that bilateral engagement remains only partially realize March 19, 2026

KAIST researchers identify new mechanism for forming magnetic skyrmions SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have discovered a new physical principle that allows for the formation of skyrmions, tiny magnetic vortices, without the specialized conditions previously thought necessary. This finding opens new pathways for developing next-generation, ultra-low-power information storage devices that could address the rising energy demands of artificial intelligence. KAIST said Thursday that a r March 19, 2026

BTS Live D-2: K-tech takes center stage for a show of the century SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - South Korea is home not only to BTS but also to some of the world's most advanced technology — and it does not need the Olympics to prove it. Saturday's comeback spectacle is set to showcase both K-pop and K-tech prowess on a truly global stage. The K-pop supergroup will return after nearly four years in groundbreaking fashion — an open-air concert at Gwanghwamun, Seoul's historic government and palace district — staged free of c March 19, 2026

Retailers to slash grocery prices to ease burden on households SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Major retailers will cut prices by more than 10 percent next month to ease the burden on households. After a meeting in Seoul on Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said retail prices for roughly two dozen items including confectionery, bakery products, and ice cream will be reduced by 100 to 400 won (US$0.07 to $0.27) or up to 13.4 percent starting from next month. Cooking oil and instant noodle makers will also lower price March 19, 2026

Naver to bolster AI tools to block abusive comments ahead of local elections SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Naver will enhance its artificial intelligence (AI)-based system to detect abusive comments ahead of local elections in early June, South Korea's largest online portal said on Thursday. It plans to introduce a feature dubbed "Cleanbot" by April that will automatically prevent users from leaving comments on certain articles such as politically sensitive or election-related stories, months ahead of the June 4 elections to elect mayors and govern March 19, 2026

Asian stocks turn lower on Fed inflation warning, oil surge SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) — Asian stock markets opened lower on Thursday as a renewed surge in oil prices driven by escalating Middle East tensions and a more hawkish Federal Reserve outlook weighed on investor sentiment. Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field on Wednesday, marking its first attack on the country’s energy infrastructure in retaliation for the killing of senior intelligence and military officials. The escalation sent Brent crude up 6.1 percent t March 19, 2026