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  Acting president says US reciprocal tariffs will have limited impact SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - Acting President Choi Sang-mok said Friday that U.S. plans for reciprocal tariffs would likely have limited impact on the Korean economy due to existing free trade agreements, but warned that non-tariff barriers require close monitoring. The remark follows U.S. President Donald Trump's signing of a memorandum on reciprocal trade and tariffs that would examine not only tariffs but also non-tariff barriers and exchange rates of trading partners. The February 14, 2025
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  Constitutional Court to hold two additional hearings for Yoon's impeachment trial next week SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - The Constitutional Court of Korea said on Friday that it will hold one more hearing session for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over his botched martial law debacle in December last year. This follows the court's earlier announcement that the trial's ninth hearing will be held on Tuesday, meaning that there will be two additional hearings scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday next week. The court also accepted a request from Yoon February 14, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Graduation season SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - As graduation season unfolds across South Korea, universities are hosting commencement ceremonies to honor their graduates. February 14, 2025
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  Hanmi Science leadership dispute ends as founder's widow takes helm SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - A protracted leadership dispute at Hanmi Science, the holding company of South Korean pharmaceutical firm Hanmi, has drawn to a close with the appointment of Song Young-sook as its sole chief executive officer. The board of directors announced Friday that Song, the widow of Hanmi’s late founder, Im Sung-ki, will replace Im Jong-hoon as CEO. The decision comes nine months after Song stepped down from her position as co-CEO last May. In a further February 14, 2025
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  South Korea, US to hold ministerial talks in Germany SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is set to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany. The three-day conference, one of the world's largest annual security forums, kicked off on Friday. Their first one-on-one meeting scheduled for Saturday comes about a month after U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. The two are expected to discuss various topics incl February 14, 2025
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  US bill on naval ship construction could open doors for Korea's shipbuilders SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s shipbuilding industry is expressing cautious optimism following the introduction of a bill by Republican U.S. senators that would permit naval vessels to be built by allied nations. Since 1965, U.S. law has required all military ships and key components to be constructed domestically by American workers. However, the proposed legislation would allow the U.S. to contract naval shipbuilding to nations with which it has a mutual defen February 14, 2025
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  Korean shipbuilder unveils nuclear-powered container ship design SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has unveiled its first design for a nuclear-powered container ship, incorporating Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, at the Houston Maritime Nuclear Summit. The vessel, which has received an approval from the American Bureau of Shipping, eliminates the need for internal combustion engines and fuel tanks, repurposing the traditional engine room space for additional container storage. The design also fe February 14, 2025
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  BLACKPINK's Jisoo revs up with new solo album SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - Jisoo, a member of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, is releasing her solo mini album on Friday, according to her agency Blisoo. The album "AMORTAGE" marks her first solo album in nearly two years since her single "ME" in March 2023. To convey the album's themes of love and breakups, the word was coined by combining "amor," the Spanish word for love, with "montage," a cinematic technique of juxtaposing different sce February 14, 2025
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  Social media linked to surge in overseas shopping fraud SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - A sharp rise in online shopping fraud linked to overseas direct purchases has been reported by South Korea’s consumer watchdog, with a majority of cases originating from social media advertisements. The Korea Consumer Agency said Friday it found that 82.3 percent of fraud victims accessed fraudulent shopping sites through social media content or targeted advertisements. Instagram was the most common platform associated with these scams, accounti February 14, 2025
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  Netflix's hit dating show to return for fifth season SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - Netflix's popular reality dating show "Single's Inferno" will return for a new season, according to the U.S. streaming giant. "Thanks to the immense interest from viewers, we decided to produce its fifth season. The next season will be even more exhilarating," Netflix said during a press event on Thursday. While the exact release date for the upcoming season has not been decided, the hit dating show has become the first South February 14, 2025