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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US, Chinese fighter jets in brief aerial standoff over West Sea SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - A brief aerial standoff between U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) aircraft and Chinese fighter jets occurred over the West Sea earlier this week, multiple military sources said on Friday. The faceoff arose when China scrambled its own fighter jets in response to a large-scale air drill conducted by the USFK. According to the sources, about a dozen F-16 fighter jets took off from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province last Wednesday and reportedly flew February 20, 2026

South Korea's AI Basic Act sparks demand for industry-specific compliance guidelines SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - South Korea's Basic Act for AI has taken effect, but businesses are struggling to translate the sweeping legislation into concrete operational practice, prompting growing calls for tailored, industry-specific compliance guidelines. The law imposes transparency obligations and governance requirements on companies deploying generative AI and other artificial intelligence technologies, with administrative penalties including fines for non-compliance. Anal February 20, 2026