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  Gwanghwamun redresses to play the host for BTS show SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) -An electronic billboard near Gwanghwamun Square flashes the announcement: BTS is coming back. The towering digital screen lights up the intersection in central Seoul with promotions for “BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG,” the group’s highly anticipated concert scheduled for March 21 — just eight days away. Around the historic square, the city is already wearing the band’s colors. Towering buildings along the Gwanghwamun boulevar March 13, 2026
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  BTS Comeback D-8: Gwanghwamun's oldest residents - a Joseon king and admiral SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - At the heart of Seoul stands Gwanghwamun Square, often called the symbolic center of South Korea. The broad boulevard stretching from the ancient gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace has witnessed centuries of history — from the royal administration of the Joseon Dynasty to modern civic gatherings. Next Saturday, the historic square will host another moment in that long timeline: a comeback performance by global K-pop group BTS. March 13, 2026
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  Director Jang Hang-jun treats fans to coffee to celebrate his box-office success SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - Director Jang Hang-jun shared the joy of his latest film’s huge box-office success with an up-close, personal event for Seoulites in central Seoul on Thursday. Jang served around 200 cups of coffee in front of the Korea Press Center, expressing his gratitude to his fans. The event was arranged as a gesture of appreciation after period film "The King's Warden" attracted over 10 million moviegoers, about a month after its release on Feb March 12, 2026
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  Shopping arcade in Seoul finds new life as elderly hangout SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - A shopping arcade in central Seoul has found an unlikely second life as a favorite hangout for elderly people with little money. On the first floor of Nakwon Arcade in Jongno, a boisterous crowd of seniors fills the tables daily, some seated, others standing nearby, their laughter and chatter echoing all the way to the entrance. This is where the neighborhood’s best janggi (or Korean chess) players gather to compete. With recreational activities bann March 12, 2026
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  Activists rally in Seoul to mark 15th anniversary of Fukushima disaster SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - Activists held a rally in central Seoul on Wednesday to mark the 15th anniversary of Japan's Fukushima disaster in 2011. The protesters, wearing boards shaped like nuclear reactors, were members of an anti-nuclear civic group. They gathered in front of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Gwanghwamun, reading a declaration to urge remembrance of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, oppose the construction of additional nuclear power plants, and advocate March 11, 2026
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  Biathlete Kim Yun-ji adds another medal at Winter Paralympics in Italy SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - Biathlete Kim Yun-ji on Tuesday added another medal at the Winter Paralympics, which kicked off last week in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Kim finished second in the women's sitting cross-country sprint final with a time of 33:10.1, just behind the U.S.' Oksana Masters, who claimed gold with a time of 33:07.01. It was her second medal at this year's quadrennial sporting event, after she won gold in the women's sitting sprint 12.5- March 11, 2026
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  Tools to detect deepfakes and voting fraud showcased ahead of local elections SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - A demonstration to detect artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfakes and prevent other election-related fraud was held at the government complex in central Seoul on Tuesday. It was part of efforts by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to prevent any illegal activities in voting and other violations ahead of local elections slated for early June. The ministry said it has worked with the National Forensic Service since 2024 and ca March 10, 2026
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  No booze, just brews: Morning rave in Seoul SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) -Music filled a beauty brand store in Bukchon, central Seoul, early in the morning as people gathered with coffee cups in hand, swaying to a DJ set to begin the day. The gathering followed the format of a “morning rave,” a lifestyle event gaining popularity overseas. Instead of alcohol and late-night partying, participants came for music, coffee and conversation. Around 200 people attended, moving between dance space, makeup experiences and person March 10, 2026
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  Independence fighter's lifelong dedication remembered SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - People gathered at a memorial hall in southern Seoul on Tuesday to mark the 88th anniversary of the death of independence fighter Ahn Chang-ho. They laid flowers and bowed their heads in remembrance of his enduring devotion and sacrifice for the country. It was the Sino-Japanese War that changed everything for him. At the age of just sixteen, watching foreign powers clash on Korean soil in 1894, he realized that it was because the country had no strength to March 10, 2026
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  Annual South Korea–US joint military exercise underway SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - The annual joint military exercise between South Korean and U.S. troops has been underway since early this week. The exercise, dubbed "Freedom Shield," which kicked off on Monday, aims to prepare for contingencies on the Korean Peninsula while assessing combat readiness to prepare for the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul. Approximately 18,000 troops are participating in this year's exercise, similar to last yea March 10, 2026