• 
  How TSMC of Taiwan became beating heart of AI chip industry Editor's Note: This article is the eighth installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - At a distinguished industry event in late 2023, Jensen Huang, the founder and chief executive of Nvidia, took the stage to acknowledge a partnership he deemed indispensable to his company’s success. “Nvidia would not be possible w February 27, 2025
• 
  Former PPP leader releases book for political comeback SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon released a new book on Wednesday, reflecting on his brief political career while hinting at his presidential ambitions. The prosecutor-turned-politician is set to embark on a nationwide tour to promote his book, with the first stop in Seoul scheduled for next Tuesday. It will be his first public appearance in about three months since stepping down as party leader, shortly after President Yoon Suk Yeol's De February 26, 2025
• 
  South Korea birthrate rises for first time in 9 years SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - South Korea’s birth rate increased for the first time in nine years in 2024, with the number of newborns rising by approximately 8,300 to 238,300, according to preliminary data released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday. The country’s total fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime — rose to 0.75 from 0.72 the previous year, marking the first uptick since 2015. The modest rebound f February 26, 2025
• 
  TRAVEL: Soyosan Mountain in Dongducheon SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - One of the best things about hiking is the opportunity to connect with nature as it changes beautifully with each season. Typically, a 4- to 5-hour hike involves steady walking through fresh forest air, navigating slopes that enhance physical fitness while boosting cardiovascular health. It is often said that people in their 30s and 40s live off their innate stamina, but after 50, physical strength depends on how well it was maintained in earlier years. February 26, 2025
• 
  Cryptocurrency exchange Upbit slapped with 3-month partial suspension SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - South Korea’s financial regulator has imposed a three-month partial business suspension on Dunamu, the operator of the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, citing violations of anti-money laundering regulations. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) announced on Wednesday that the suspension, effective from March 7 to June 6, will bar new customers from transferring virtual assets to or from the platform. Existing users, however, w February 26, 2025
• 
  PHOTOS: Sungkyunkwan University honors ancestors ahead of graduation SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul observed a traditional rite known as "Goyurye" on Feb. 25, just prior to its graduation ceremony. Goyurye is a traditional practice in which individuals or institutions notify their ancestors of significant upcoming events. Sungkyunkwan University, which traces its origins to the Joseon-era national education institution of the same name, continues to uphold these traditional ceremonies for important occasions. February 26, 2025
• 
  Nominee for Pentagon deputy secretary call for enhanced missile defense to counter North Korean threat SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Stephen Feinberg, a nominee for U.S. deputy secretary of defense, stressed the need to counter North Korea's growing nuclear arsenal, which poses a "clear threat to stability on the Korean Peninsula, in the Indo-Pacific region, and across the globe." In a written response submitted to the Senate Committee on Armed Services for his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Feinberg said, North Korea "remains intensely focused on expanding its illi February 26, 2025
• 
  Middle East's growing healthcare market attracts Korean companies SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - South Korean pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are making significant inroads into the Middle East, capitalizing on the region’s growing demand for medical and aesthetic treatments. Daewoong Pharmaceutical has recently entered the Saudi Arabian market with its botulinum toxin product, Nabota, making it the first Asian firm to introduce such a product in the country. While Daewoong had previously secured regulatory approvals in the United February 26, 2025
• 
  INTERVIEW: Kazakh envoy highlights growing collaboration opportunities in tech and commerce sectors SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Kazakhstan and South Korea share a bond that goes beyond diplomacy, rooted in deep historical ties, cultural connections, and growing economic collaboration. In an exclusive interview with Nurgali Arystanov, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Korea, the envoy emphasized the importance of strengthening these ties while looking to the future of bilateral relations. The relationship between Kazakhstan and South Korea is unique, mark February 26, 2025
• 
  Hyodol to showcase AI-powered companion robot at MWC in Barcelona SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - South Korean robotics company Hyodol is showcasing its latest artificial intelligence-powered companion robot at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC), which kicked off its four-day run in Barcelona, Spain earlier this week. Hyodol said Thursday that its latest innovation for the annual trade show is a feature called "Advanced Voice Mode," which allows for smoother, more natural conversations. According to Hyodol, the new feature enabl February 26, 2025