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  K-pop becomes protest anthem in rallies against Yoon SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - K-pop songs have emerged as the new soundtrack of protest in South Korea since President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration, with their stimulating tempo, dynamic beats and catchy hooks energizing young participants at rallies. Girls' Generation's 2007 debut song "Into the New World" has become a rallying cry at candlelight protests across Seoul, where demonstrators are calling for Yoon's resignation and impeachment. December 12, 2024
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  Global experts to discuss AI's impact on communication in Istanbul SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - A global forum focusing on the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in communication is set to kick off in Istanbul on Friday. Organized by Türkiye's Directorate of Communications, the International Strategic Communication Forum, also known as Stratcom Summit, will bring together government officials, academics, and industry leaders to discuss the latest AI trends, challenges, and transformative potential in communication. Over 3,000 December 12, 2024
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  Apple integrates ChatGPT into iPhone, marking major AI push SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Apple announced on Wednesday that it has integrated ChatGPT into its Siri voice assistant, expanding the AI capabilities of iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The feature, first unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, leverages the power of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model to provide more comprehensive and informative responses to complex queries. With this update, Siri can now access and process information from the real world through Apple& December 12, 2024
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  AI companion robot 'Hyodol' showcased at conference SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Hyodol, a South Korean robot maker, showcased its artificial intelligence-powered companion robot at a recent smart welfare conference. The event, held at the Gungdong Community Welfare Center on Nov. 27, brought together about 60 people to discuss the future of technology-driven social services. Hyodol’s robot, also named Hyodol, leverages ChatGPT technology to engage in interactive conversations, fostering emotional connections and supporting cog December 12, 2024
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  South Korea's petrochemical industry faces overhaul SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - South Korea's government is seeking sweeping measures to restructure its beleaguered petrochemical industry, which has been grappling with intense competition from China. The initiative, unveiled by Economy Minister Choi Sang-mok, aims to bolster the sector's competitiveness by easing regulations and providing financial incentives. The move comes as major domestic players like LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, and Hanwha Solution have reported significant l December 12, 2024
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  Yoon defends aborted martial law decree, vows to fight to the end SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his aborted declaration of martial law last week as a legitimate exercise of his authority in governing state affairs and vowed to fight to the end, in a pre-recorded nationwide address at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul on Thursday. Yoon, who had holed up in his official residence in Hannam-dong after making a brief apology last Saturday, appeared to deliver the address to justify last Tuesday's debacle and r December 12, 2024
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  OPINION: Taiwan president's trip skillful, successful KENOSHA, December 12 (AJP) - "Peace is priceless, and war has no winners." Taiwan President Lai Chin-te, also known as William Lai, included that statement in a Honolulu address to an audience of Hawaii and U.S. government officials, including members of Congress. Lai was on a brief two-day “transit” stop in Hawaii, carefully choreographed to show U.S. support for Taiwan without indicating formal diplomatic relations. This reflects ongoing tensions with m December 12, 2024
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  OPINION: Why Trump's election could hasten end of US dollar dominance SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Donald Trump's victory in November's U.S. presidential election saw the U.S. dollar strengthen. It surged to a one-year high within two weeks, and has since retained its strength against its major peers. His election has also again brought the prospect of U.S. tariffs on imports, and attention has focused on the disruption to global trade that these may bring. As part of this, Trump made a not-so-veiled threat of steep levies on the Brics group of December 12, 2024
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  Russian Embassy in Pyongyang hosts banquet to celebrate ratification of military pact SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - The Russian Embassy in North Korea hosted a banquet on Tuesday to celebrate the ratification of a military defense pact between the two countries, North Korean state media reported Wednesday. The official state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said its leader Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong, Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, and other top officials including Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly, attended the event. December 11, 2024
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  Joint team formed to probe martial law debacle SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - A team of investigators from three different agencies is set to launch a joint probe into President Yoon Suk Yeol's abrupt declaration of martial law last week. Consisting of investigators from the Ministry of Defense, the National Police Agency, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), an independent agency established to root out corruption in government, the team formed on Wednesday aims to minimize inefficiency and December 11, 2024