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  [UPDATE] Daegu wildfire extinguished after 23 hours, scorches 260 hectares of forest SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) - A massive wildfire that broke out in Buk-gu District in Daegu, the fourth largest city in South Korea, was brought under control on Tuesday, nearly 23 hours after it started. The fire, which had threatened nearby residential areas including dense apartment complexes, left 260 hectares (642 acres) of forest scorched, equivalent to about 364 football fields. According to forestry and firefighting authorities, the main blaze on Hamji Mountain in Daegu some 240 k April 29, 2025
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  Soo-young of Girls' Generation to make Hollywood debut in action thriller SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - Singer-turned actress Soo-young is set to make her Hollywood debut in the American action thriller "Ballerina," which is slated for release in June. "Ballerina," a spinoff of the John Wick series, revolves around a young assassin who seeks revenge for the murder of her father. The member of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation has been cast in a supporting role, helping the assassin, played by Ana de Armas, known for her roles in &quo April 28, 2025
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  Acting President expected to declare presidential bid later this week SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) -Acting President Han Duck-soo is expected to announce his presidential bid later this week, with the upcoming snap presidential election just a month away. Under relevant laws, a presidential candidate must resign from any official post at least 30 days before the election, meaning that Han must step down by May 4 to be eligible for the June 3 election. In political circles, there is speculation that Han could announce his candidacy as early as Wednesday, a April 28, 2025
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  IMF pushes back Korea's $40,000 per capita GDP forecast to 2029 SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - The International Monetary Fund has delayed its forecast for when South Korea will reach $40,000 in per capita gross domestic product, pushing the milestone back two years from 2027 to 2029. In its latest World Economic Outlook report, released this month, the IMF projected that South Korea’s per capita GDP would fall to $34,642 this year — a 4.1 percent decline from last year’s $36,129 — slipping below 2022 levels. The downgrade re April 28, 2025
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  Korea sets up fund in Singapore to support SMEs SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - The Korea Venture Investment Corporation under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups has established a subsidiary in Singapore as part of an ambitious effort to create a $200 million fund, the ministry said on Monday. The new entity marks a significant step in Korea’s drive to globalize its venture capital ecosystem. The fund, which is expected to launch by the second quarter of 2026, will use the Singapore subsidiary as its operational base. Previousl April 28, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Nationwide Buddhist celebrations are underway SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - In anticipation of Buddha's Birthday on May 5, South Korea's Buddhist community is immersed in a series of festive observances. Temples throughout the nation are adorned with a profusion of lanterns, casting a luminous glow on the upcoming holiday. Adding to the spectacle, a vibrant lantern parade unfolded in central Seoul on April 26, drawing throngs of participants and onlookers. A glimpse at the nationwide lantern festivities reveals the rich cultural and April 28, 2025
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  Korea's KHNP poised to sign final contract for Czech nuclear project SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Czech utility EDU II are expected to finalize a contract next month for the construction of new reactors at the Dukovany nuclear power plant, after clearing the last major regulatory hurdle, industry sources said on Monday. The Czech Republic’s Office for the Protection of Competition ruled last week that there were no legal grounds to challenge KHNP’s selection as the preferred bidder, dismissing an ap April 28, 2025
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  North Korea confirms deployment of troops to Russia's Kursk Region, hails soldiers as heroes SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - North Korea has publicly confirmed for the first time that its troops are operating in Russia’s Kursk Region, a front-line area in the ongoing war against Ukraine. In a statement issued Monday, Pyongyang hailed its deployed forces as “heroes,” ending more than a year of silence amid international speculation over its involvement. Intelligence agencies in the United States and South Korea reported last year that thousands of North Korean April 28, 2025
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  SK Telecom begins SIM card replacement after cybersecurity breach SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, began offering free SIM card replacements at its 2,600 stores nationwide on Monday, following a major cybersecurity breach that exposed sensitive customer information. The breach, detected on April 18, involved malicious code that compromised unique identification numbers tied to customer SIM cards, the company said. SK Telecom, which serves roughly 23 million subscribers and hosts an additional 1.87 April 28, 2025
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  DeepSeek updates privacy policy after Korean regulatory review SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek published a Korean-language privacy policy on Monday, days after South Korean regulators raised concerns over the company’s handling of user data. Despite the update, DeepSeek’s services remain suspended in South Korea. The move follows a regulatory inspection by South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), which concluded last week that DeepSeek had failed to secure use April 28, 2025