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  Strong dollar pressures Korea's FX reserves, down for 2nd month SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves fell by more than $2 billion in January, extending a decline for a second consecutive month as the won remained weak against the U.S. dollar. The Bank of Korea said Wednesday that reserves stood at $425.91 billion at the end of January, down $2.15 billion from $428.05 billion a month earlier. Holdings of securities, including government and corporate bonds, rose $6.39 billion to $377.52 billion. Ho February 4, 2026
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  Constitution Day to be national holiday again SEOUL, February 3 (AJP) - Constitution Day on July 17 will become a national holiday again this year, Cheong Wa Dae said on Tuesday. The Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung decided to restore Constitution Day as a national holiday to raise public awareness of the spirit of the Constitution. The day, which commemorates July 17, 1948, when the Constitution was promulgated, had been observed as one of major national holidays along with March 1 Independence Movement February 3, 2026
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  KOSPI, Nikkei rebound from 'Warsh Shock,' hit fresh record highs SEOUL, Feb 03 (AJP) - Asian equity markets staged a decisive rebound Tuesday, shaking off jitters dubbed the “Warsh Shock,” as South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI surged nearly 7 percent to a fresh all-time high and fueling a regionwide rally. The sharp recovery followed gains on Wall Street after U.S. purchasing managers’ index data returned to expansion for the first time in a year, easing concerns about an economic slowdown. Market sentiment also improved as i February 3, 2026
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  Presidential SNS politics: excess or essential? SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump is notorious for overnight social-media barrages — posting more than 160 times in a single day as recently as Dec. 1 — and for spending hours on Truth Social. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is a relative newcomer to such digital excess, but he appears to be embracing the medium with equal enthusiasm. On Sunday, Lee posted a reflective yet firm message on X, formerly Twitter, calling for a national debate on a p February 3, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-46: world tour map affirming global reach SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - Nearly four years after stepping away as a full group for mandatory military service, BTS is returning with a touring footprint that underlines just how much ground it covered — and how much leverage it still holds — in the global live music economy. A yearlong world tour spanning 80-plus stadium shows in roughly 30 cities across five continents is taking shape, positioning BTS’s comeback as one of the largest live music und February 3, 2026
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  Winter Olympics to kick off in Milan this week SEOUL, February 3 (AJP) - This year's Winter Olympics will kick off in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan later this week, bringing together around 3,500 athletes from over 90 countries to compete for 116 medals across 16 disciplines. The opening ceremony of the quadrennial sporting event is slated for Friday in Milan, marking a return to the European country for the first time in about two decades since the 2006 Turin Games. Italy has opted to use existing venues rather than February 3, 2026
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  Korean investors keep record holdings of US stocks despite domestic market rally SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - Demand for U.S. equities among South Korean investors remains strong despite a sharp rally in domestic markets, with holdings of American shares staying at record levels, according to data released Tuesday by the Korea Securities Depository. The benchmark KOSPI has climbed above 5,000 this year and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ has risen past 1,000. Yet South Korean investors’ holdings of U.S. stocks continued to grow. The data showed domestic investo February 3, 2026
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  Fire breaks out at confectionery factory in Siheung SEOUL, February 3 (AJP) - A fire broke out at confectionery company SPC Samlip's factory in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. According to fire authorities, the blaze broke out at around 3 p.m., prompting over 500 workers to evacuate immediately. About 70 firefighters, along with approximately 50 vehicles including pump trucks and other equipment were deployed to extinguish the fire. Three workers including a woman in her 40s were treated for minor symptoms after inhalin February 3, 2026
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  Korea Midland Power teams up with US firm for gas combined-cycle projects SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - Korea Midland Power Co. (KOMIPO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with a U.S.-based power plant operations and maintenance (O&M) specialist to cooperate on gas combined-cycle power projects in the United States. The agreement, signed on Jan. 29 local time, aims to combine KOMIPO’s plant operating experience with the U.S. partner’s workforce management and engineering capabilities, KOMIPO said Tuesday. The companies plan broad February 3, 2026
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  Memory price surge spreads from DRAM to NAND, analysts say SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - Memory chip prices are expected to continue rising in the first quarter, with momentum that began in DRAM now spreading to the NAND flash market as supply struggles to keep pace with demand, according to industry analyses. Counterpoint Research forecasts NAND flash prices will rise more than 40 percent quarter-on-quarter in the January–March period, following sharp gains already seen in DRAM during the fourth quarter amid tight supply conditions. February 3, 2026