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  Older mothers on the rise due to later marriages SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - The number of women giving birth in their late 30s and 40s is on the rise, as more and more tie the knot later in life, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said on Thursday. Childbirths among women in their late 30s increased for 11 consecutive months last year, rising an average of 5.1 percent from January through November, compared with the same period in 2024. Births to women in their 40s showed a similar trend. Over the same period, childbirths amo February 5, 2026
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  Hanwha expands Middle East footprint with debut of AI-integrated defense systems SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - Hanwha is set to showcase next-generation, AI-enabled weapon systems on the global stage for the first time, signaling a major push into the Middle Eastern defense market and a deepening strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia. Hanwha aims to demonstrate South Korea’s defense competitiveness at the World Defense Show 2026 (WDS), to be held in Riyadh from Feb. 8 to 12. Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean announced Wednesday that they February 5, 2026
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  Hyundai Motor expands hydrogen truck push in Europe SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor is stepping up promotion of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles in Europe and North America, as its hydrogen-electric truck fleet in Europe surpassed 20 million kilometers in cumulative driving, the company said Thursday. The milestone underscores Hyundai’s push to expand hydrogen mobility overseas as governments and logistics companies seek to cut transport emissions. Hyundai’s XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks first entered servic February 5, 2026
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  Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu signs with Turkish club SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu has transferred from Belgium's KRC Genk to Turkey's Beşiktaş JK. According to the Turkish club, he signed a deal running through June 2029 for a transfer fee of 14 million euros. Beşiktaş JK, based in Istanbul, are one of Turkey's most decorated clubs with 16 Turkish Süper Lig titles and 11 Turkish Cup trophies. Oh began his European career in January 2023 with Scottish powerhouse Celtic FC after leaving Suwon S February 5, 2026
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  KAIST researchers create faster AI chip to speed up YouTube-style recommendations SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a new AI chip called AutoGNN that makes digital recommendation systems significantly faster and more energy-efficient. The technology speeds up the way computers analyze complex connections, such as those used to suggest videos on YouTube or detect credit card fraud. Professor Jung Myoung-soo and his team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) February 5, 2026
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  South Korean trade minister urges swift passage of US investment bill SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - South Korea’s trade minister Yeo Han-koo on Thursday urged swift passage of a special law to support investment in the United States, warning that delays in the National Assembly risk being misinterpreted in Washington as a lack of commitment. Speaking after returning from Washington, Yeo said progress on the bill has slowed, raising concerns that the United States could see this as reluctance by Seoul to carry out agreed tariff measures. Duri February 5, 2026
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  Korean conglomerates vow nearly $200 bn over 5 years for regional growth SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) -South Korea’s major business conglomerates have pledged to invest about 300 trillion won ($186 billion) across non-capital regions over the next five years, responding to President Lee Jae Myung’s call for more inclusive growth and balanced regional development. “As our companies work hard and the economy gradually begins to recover, I hope the fruits of growth will be shared more broadly,” Lee said at a meeting with February 5, 2026
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  Kim Jae-youl elected to IOC executive board, second Korean to serve on the body SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) -Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union and a member of the International Olympic Committee, has been elected to the IOC Executive Board, becoming only the second South Korean to serve on the body. Kim was chosen Tuesday (Korea time) during the 145th IOC Session in Milan, host city of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. He received 84 votes in favor out of 100 valid ballots, with 10 against and six abstentions. He joins the late Ki February 5, 2026
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  KOSPI and Samsung Elec tower over Asian bourses SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - Korean stocks continued to dominate regional markets on Wednesday, extending their record-setting streak and reinforcing South Korea’s growing influence in Asian equities. Samsung Electronics powered the rally, becoming the first Korean company to surpass 1,000 trillion won ($688 billion) in market capitalization based solely on common shares. The milestone cemented the chipmaking giant’s role as the anchor behind the KOSPI’s push into February 4, 2026
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  Seoul's FX battle costs $4 bn over the last two months SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korea has deployed nearly every tool in its policy playbook to defend the won, which authorities say has weakened “excessively” beyond its fundamentals — a view shared even by the U.S. Treasury secretary. Measures have ranged from pressuring public and private institutions to sell dollar holdings to offering tax incentives aimed at drawing capital back home. Yet despite these efforts, the national coffers have paid a heavy price. February 4, 2026