MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Housing Authority (HA) announced today the clearance and rehousing arrangements for the redevelopment of Sai Wan Estate (SWE) and Phase 1 of Ma Tau Wai Estate (MTWE), under which affected tenants have more than 40 months to move out of their units.

The clearance and rehousing of SWE will be carried out in one go, with a target clearance date of September 2029.

Phase 1 of the Ka Wai Man Road public housing development nearby will serve as the reception estate, providing sufficient public rental housing (PRH) units for SWE tenants to move into together with their neighbours.

MTWE will be redeveloped in two phases, with Phase 1 clearance covering Geranium House and Narcissus House. The target clearance date is July 2029.

The To Kwa Wan Road public housing development and part of the new Mei Tung Estate public housing development will serve as the reception estates for tenants affected by the Phase 1 clearance.

The HA noted that it will reduce the number of redevelopment phases from three to two, therefore significantly shortening the rehousing period for all MTWE residents from 14 years to seven years.

There are diverse rehousing options. Affected tenants may choose to move either to reception estates or to suitable and refurbished PRH units in other districts, and will be accorded priority to purchase subsidised sale flats launched for sale before the target clearance date.

Affected households will be offered a Domestic Removal Allowance ranging from $10,350 to $33,050, depending on the household size, to help cover part of their moving expenses.

Eligible one-person and two-person households may also opt for cash in lieu of rehousing to a PRH unit under the Alternative Rehousing Allowance, with the rates at $82,700 and $100,220 respectively.

Meanwhile, tenants who have special circumstances may apply for transfer to a unit in Phase 2 of MTWE. The applications will be considered with discretion.

To preserve featured shops with cultural affinities in the estate, the HA will identify shops with unique characteristics and values of retention through community engagement exercises, and engage the shop tenants in bidding for new commercial premises reserved in the reception estates or the redeveloped estates by way of restricted tenders.

Moreover, all eligible commercial tenants affected by the MTWE Phase 1 redevelopment will be offered ex-gratia allowances equivalent to 15 times the monthly exclusive rent as specified in the tenancy agreement applicable on the day of the formal announcement of the clearance, and will be allowed to participate in the restricted tender exercises to lease selected vacant shops in the HA’s existing retail facilities.

If the retail tenants choose not to participate or are unsuccessful in the restricted tender exercises, they will be granted a lump sum payment of $113,500 in lieu.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Charges at 11 government public car parks will be increased from March 1, the Transport Department announced today.

The facilities include: Kennedy Town Car Park, Rumsey Street Car Park, Star Ferry Car Park, City Hall Car Park, Tin Hau Car Park, Shau Kei Wan Car Park, Aberdeen Car Park, Sheung Fung Street Car Park, Wong Tai Sin Car Park, Kwai Fong Car Park and Tsuen Wan Car Park.

The department said it had taken into account nearby public car park charges, public acceptability and utilisation of the government car parks when adjusting the fees.

Source: Government of the Republic of Korea

Distinguished business leaders from across our economies,
thank you for joining us at the CEO Summit despite your busy schedules.

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to Gyeongju,
the ancient capital of Silla, a city that flourished for a thousand years
through the enduring spirit of harmony and unity.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation
to Chairman Chey Tae-won and his team
for their tireless efforts in preparing this meaningful event.

Over the past thirty-six years,
APEC’s journey has stood as a powerful testament to how
cooperation and solidarity can lead to shared prosperity.

At the heart of these remarkable achievements
are the business leaders gathered here at the CEO Summit,
Visionaries who have worked together to shape solutions to the challenges of our time.

Since its inception in 1996,
the CEO Summit has served as a vital bridge —
connecting governments and businesses, as well as markets and policies, and ensuring that dialogue leads to tangible progress.

From finance and economy to biotechnology, healthcare, Artificial Intelligence, and the digital sector, 
your passion and insights have been the seeds of innovation,
growing into towering trees of change that continue to shape our world.

The “APEC Business Travel Card”, or ABTC, introduced in 1998,
stands as one of the most representative achievements
that began from the proposals of business leaders.

By providing visa-free and fast-track entry for business travelers,
the “ABTC” has played — and will continue to play —
a vital role in facilitating people-to-people exchanges
and promoting business activities across the Asia-Pacific region.

The same holds true for
the “APEC Cross-Border Privacy Enforcement Arrangement”,
established in 2011.

Built upon the continued proposals and efforts of the business community
to protect privacy while enabling the free flow of data,
it has become an excellent example of ‘international cooperation’ —
one that has set a model for the world to follow.

The report titled “Artificial Intelligence in APEC,”
published by the Business Advisory Council in 2020
served as a valuable foundation for
preparing ahead of the transformative era of AI,
and for fostering discussions on global norms surrounding AI.

I am confident that today’s CEO Summit
will also be remembered in history as a defining moment – a gathering
where we sought solutions together for the challenge we face,
and took another step forward toward building a “better tomorrow.”

Distinguished business leaders,
Twenty years ago in Busan, Korea, the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting
marked a major turning point — not only in APEC’s history
but also, in the evolution of the global free trade system itself.

The “Busan Roadmap”, announced by Korea as the Chair Economy at the time,
embodied the united voice of APEC member economies
in support of a free and open trading system.

Today, in 2025, the external environment surrounding APEC
looks very different from what it was two decades ago.

At a time when protectionism and nationalism are on the rise,
and the very act of survival itself feels uncertain,
the ideals of cooperation, mutual growth, and inclusive prosperity
can seem distant and even hollow.

Paradoxically, it is precisely in moments of crisis such as these,
that the role of APEC as a platform for solidarity shines brightest. .

As the saying goes, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Time and again, in moments of crisis, APEC economies have stood together hand-in-hand ,
proving that “mutual trust” is the surest path to “mutual prosperity.”

When the world faced an unprecedented crisis of a pandemic,
APEC worked together to ensure
the free flow of medical supplies and essential workers,
and pooled its wisdom to achieve an economic recovery.

Twenty years ago, Korea united the collective will of APEC.
Now, once again, as the Chair Economy,
Korea will lead the path toward renewed multilateral cooperation
to overcome this moment of crisis.

Gyeongju is the perfect place to reaffirm
the values of cooperation and solidarity that we must uphold,
for this city is deeply imbued with that very spirit.

Even amid the fierce struggle for dominance
during the Three Kingdoms period,
and under the heavy pressure of foreign powers,
the Silla Kingdom never stopped embracing openness and exchange.

With that spirit, Silla ultimately overcame division,
unified the Three Kingdoms,
and ushered in a new era of unity on the Korean Peninsula.

I am confident that the spirit of Silla —
ever renewing itself and embracing all directions —
embodies the very essence of the priorities of
this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting: Connect, Innovate, Prosper.

“Connect” represents the power of solidarity
that bridges an era of division.

As a responsible member of the global community,
Korea will contribute to restoring the bonds of regional trust and connection.

At the heart of this effort lies supply chain cooperation.

For the first time in APEC’s history,
Korea hosted the “APEC 2025 KOREA Public-Private Dialogue”
to pave the way for the private sector
to take an active role in discussions on supply chains.

In 2023, Korea enacted the “Framework Act on Supply Chain Stabilization”
and established a responsive system
to address supply chain disruptions both at home and abroad.

At the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting held last May,
APEC member economies successfully concluded the implementation
of the “APEC Connectivity Blueprint,”
and agreed to further strengthen
people-to-people, physical, and institutional connectivity
through enhanced digital cooperation.

At the edge of traditional wooden buildings in Gyeongju,
there is a traditional Korean giwa tile called “Sumakse.”

The “Sumakse,” protects the structure from rain and wind,
while firmly connecting the many different giwa tiles together
to form a single, unified roof.

Just as the “Sumakse”, embodying the wisdom of connection,
has withstood a thousand years to safeguard the East Asian civilization,
so too will people-to-people, physical, and institutional connectivity
serve as the roof that shelters APEC’s growth and prosperity.

Next, “Innovate” is the key driving force behind future growth.

Today, artificial intelligence stands at the heart of innovation for sustainable development.

At the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting held last May,
Korea laid the foundation for cooperation on the use of AI
by discussing the introduction of AI technologies in customs administration
and AI technologies and standards.

Last September, Korea established the
“National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee,”
to prepare comprehensively for the coming AI era
and is also pushing forward with the task of building the “AI Highway.”

Korea is also set to implement the ‘Basic Act on Artificial Intelligence,’
which seeks to strike a balance between
industrial development and the “responsible use of AI.’”

In Gyeongju stands Cheomsungdae,
the oldest astronomical observatory in the East.

Just as Cheomsungdae Observatory once read the stars through data,
AI, grounded in data, will serve as an engine of intellect,
providing new insights and direction for humanity.

Korea will propose the “AI Initiative” at this year’s Leaders’ Meeting.
We hope that the vision of “AI for all” will take root as APEC’s new normal.

Finally, “Prosper” is a promise for future generations.

For decades, APEC has been at the forefront of
free trade and investment liberalization,
driving economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region.

Now, to realize our dream of sustainable development and shared prosperity,
we must strive to ensure
that opportunities and rewards of growth are shared by all.

Established under Korea’s leadership in 2005,
“APEC Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Innovation Centre”
has continued to provide customized consulting services
for SMEs across the region.

Since 2012,
through the “Capacity Building Needs Initiative for Developing Economies,”
Korea has shared its accumulated knowledge and experience
in areas such as intellectual property rights,
trade dispute settlement, and rules of origin.

Through the “Jeju Initiative,”
adopted at the APEC SME Ministerial Meeting held this September,
the “APEC Startup Alliance” was launched
to support the growth of SMEs and their entry into global markets.

Korea will remain committed to fulfilling its role
and taking the lead in sharing its experiences
in economic growth and development with all.

Korea will also make efforts to nurture the young talents
who will shape the future.

In August,
Korea established the “APEC Future Prosperity Fund” with an initial contribution of one million U.S. dollars.

The Fund will focus on five priorities:
Youth knowledge exchange,
digital capacity building,
research on population and environmental challenges ,
entrepreneurship support,
and technical training.

Just as the Hwarang system of ancient Silla fostered young leaders
and paved the way for a unified kingdom,
APEC’s youth development programs will serve as the cornerstone
for a new era of sustainable growth and prosperity.

Distinguished business leaders,
Korea has long cherished the “spirit of harmony” —
where diverse elements come together to create a beautiful symphony.

Even in the latest global phenomenon “K-Pop Demon Hunters,”
K-pop idols and their fans unite in powerful solidarity, joining in a spiritual rite
“Honmoon” that banishes darkness.

Especially in times of crisis and uncertainty,
it is the power of unity and cooperation
that leads us toward a brighter future.

This timeless truth has long been proven by
Korea’s vibrant and resilient “K-Democracy,”
which triumphed over division and adversity through the power of its people.

APEC 2025 KOREA is a vibrant and splendid stage
that connects twenty-one economies across four continents.
Let us make this
a stage for all – a stage where we connect, innovate, and prosper to leap into the future.

The history of Korea — a story of challenge and resilience, rising from the ashes of war to achieve industrialization, democracy and prosperity – stands today as a source of inspiration and courage, reminding us that together, we can overcome any crisis and build a brighter future.

Thank you. 

Source: Government of Singapore

2 February 2026 – The prevailing Northeast Monsoon conditions are expected to continue in the first fortnight of February 2026, with winds blowing mainly from the northwest or northeast.

2.           Wet weather is likely to return in the middle of the first week of February 2026, with thundery showers expected over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days. The showers may extend into the evening on a few of these days. The total rainfall for the first fortnight of February 2026 is forecast to be near average over most parts of the island.

3.           The daily maximum temperatures are likely to range between 32 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius on most days.

4.          For updates of the daily weather forecast, please visit the MSS website (www.weather.gov.sg), NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), or download the myENV app.

REVIEW OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (16 – 31 January 2026)

5.          Northeast Monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region in the second fortnight of January 2026. During this period, the low-level winds blew from the north or northeast.

6.          Singapore and the surrounding region experienced dry weather in the second fortnight of January 2026. Localised short-duration showers fell over parts of the island in the afternoon on a few days. On 16 January 2026, moderate to heavy showers affected the southern and western parts of Singapore in the late afternoon and evening. The daily total rainfall of 54.8mm recorded at Lim Chu Kang that day was the highest rainfall recorded for the second fortnight of January 2026.

7.          The daily maximum temperatures in the second fortnight of January 2026 were between 32 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius on most days. The highest daily maximum temperature of 33.5 degrees Celsius was recorded at Jurong Island on 24 January 2026 and at Paya Lebar on 31 January 2026.

8.          Singapore recorded well below average rainfall in the second fortnight of January 2026. Changi registered rainfall of about 99 per cent below average.

 

CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS

Long-term Statistics for February   (Climatological reference period: 1991-2020)
Average daily maximum temperature:	31.5	°C
Average daily minimum temperature:	24.6	°C
Average monthly temperature:	27.3	°C
Average rainfall:	105.1	mm
Average number of rain days:	9
Historical Extremes for February   (Rainfall since 1869 and temperature since 1929)
Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature:	33.5	°C (2010)
Lowest monthly mean daily minimum temperature:	21.6	°C (1930, 1934)
Highest monthly rainfall ever recorded:	566.7	mm (1910)
Lowest monthly rainfall ever recorded:	0.2	mm (2014)

—————||————–

 

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE SINGAPORE

2 Feb 2026

~~ End ~~

For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

Source: Government of the Republic of Korea

(unofficial translation) 

My beloved fellow Koreans,

A new year has dawned – the Year of the Red Horse.

I would like to begin by extending my deepest gratitude to you, the people, who placed your trust in the government and stood together to weather one crisis after another over the past year.

The Year of the Blue Snake, 2025, was about shedding old skin and being born anew. It was a time of recovery and normalization for us all as we overcame anxiety and uncertainty. Above all, our most urgent task was restoring a nation brought down by insurrection.

Thanks to the swift passage of a supplementary budget and the effective rollout of consumption vouchers to revive people’s livelihoods, consumer sentiment rebounded to the highest level in seven years and seven months. Our economic growth rate is also now on the upswing.

Our benchmark KOSPI index surpassed the 4,000 mark, and exports hit an annual record of US$700 billion. Hand-wringing frustration is giving way to hopeful expectations.

We now have crucial stepping stones in place to advance cutting-edge industries and small and midsize business ventures: a hard-won supply of 260,000 GPUs; our 150 trillion-won National Growth Fund and the first-ever budget proposal for the AI era, agreed upon by both the ruling and opposition parties.

The Republic of Korea’s return to the international community and its pragmatic, national interest-focused diplomacy have significantly expanded the horizon for growth and a new leap forward.

In particular, it is encouraging that tariff negotiations with the United States were concluded successfully, easing much of the uncertainty that had been weighing on our economy.

From the construction of nuclear-powered submarines to uranium enrichment and expanded authority to reprocess spent nuclear fuel, our ROK-U.S. alliance – now entering a new renaissance – will serve as a solid backstop for economic revival.

The most hopeful change of all is the fact that the collective intelligence of the sovereign people, proven through the “Revolution of Light,” is beginning to take root at the very heart of state governance.

Through such initiatives as the Public Referral System, the Citizens’ Suggestions Box, town hall meetings, and live broadcasts of Cabinet meetings and ministerial policy briefings, we have made direct communication with the people part of everyday governance. We will continue to innovate relentlessly to further enhance transparency in state affairs.

My proud Koreans,

Thanks to your unified spirit, we have been able to restore the collapsed economy, people’s livelihoods and democracy far more quickly than expected.

However, we have only just reached the starting line. Having begun later than others, we must now run even faster.

For this reason, as we ring in 2026, the goal of this people-centered government is clear. We will gallop powerfully like the Red Horse this year – the first year of a great leap forward for the Republic of Korea.

Across all sectors – politics, the economy, society, culture, foreign affairs and national security – we will achieve a major leap forward and sustained growth without fail.

We will ensure that the fruits of growth achieved through this giant leap are shared by all, rather than monopolized by a privileged few.

To this end, we will make all-out efforts to eliminate the rule-bending and unfair practices that persist throughout society and devote ourselves to building a society free of deceit and unjust privilege.

We will leap beyond being a country where only the state prospers while the people remain poor. Instead, we will become a nation where all citizens grow together in step with national growth, and where Small and Medium-sized Enterprises thrive together with large companies in mutually beneficial partnerships.

The one and only standard for this great leap forward is the lives of the people.

Building on the recovery forged through your perseverance and efforts, we will usher in a full-fledged era of fruition. The government will mobilize every ounce of its capacity so that people can truly feel, in their daily lives, that this year is better than the last.

We will ensure that the resplendent light of K-democracy, which repelled the darkness, warmly permeates the everyday lives of all citizens.

Moving toward becoming a nation where each and every citizen’s face shines brighter, and where people enjoy a quality of life worthy of Korea’s global standing, we will quicken our pace even further.

My fellow Koreans,

Our Republic of Korea has accomplished compressed growth by concentrating all its energy on the formula for success in the era of ultrarapid industrialization.

With limited natural resources, Korea achieved the remarkable milestone of becoming the world’s 10th-largest economy by focusing investment on specific regions, companies, and segments of society.

However, the limits of this growth strategy are now obvious. The very formula that once powered rapid growth has become a trap of success – one that now holds us back.

In this vicious cycle, where inequality and widening disparities stifle growth, competition weakens, and conflict intensifies, the concentration of resources and uneven distribution of opportunity have become obstacles rather than stepping stones.

We must completely transform our growth paradigm. We will accomplish this great transformation by taking a shortcut – by switching from the familiar old path to a new one. Through this change, the Republic of Korea will enter a new future defined by a great leap forward.

With this in mind, I would like to outline five paths for this transformation.

First, we will shift from growth centered around the Seoul metropolitan area to regionally led growth.

Transitioning from a “unipolar, Seoul-centered model” to a “five-pole, three- specialized-zone framework” is not a favor to the provinces – it is an essential strategy for national resurgence.

The farther a region lies from the Seoul metropolitan area, the stronger and more decisive the support it will receive.

Last year’s relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries was only the beginning. We will maximize the use of our national territory through a multipolar framework, establishing Seoul as the economic capital, the central region as the administrative capital and the southern region as the maritime capital.

We will design a framework in which developing cutting-edge industries drives regional advancement – from an energy-rich semiconductor belt in the south to AI demonstration cities and renewable energy clusters.

We will lay a solid foundation for province-led economic development through focused investment in education, which will help foster talent and technology; in metropolitan transportation and cultural infrastructure, which will enhance quality of life; and in tourism policies.

Second, we will shift dramatically from growth centered on a handful of large corporations to growth that benefits all, in which opportunities and the fruits of growth are shared equitably.

Although the nation united behind the successful conclusion of tariff negotiations with the United States, it is undeniable that the immediate benefits will be concentrated among certain large corporations. The same holds true for defense industry and nuclear power plant exports worth tens of trillions of won annually.

Now, the gains achieved through collective national effort must reach SMEs and startups and ultimately translate into tangible benefits for all citizens.

Launched last year, the National Growth Fund will serve as a catalyst for a transformation that enables every citizen to invest in the nation’s growth and share equitably in its rewards.

Korea’s economic growth in the 1970s was driven by entrepreneurship and a willingness to take risks, while an innovative venture spirit helped turn our country into an IT powerhouse in the 2000s.

From the AI era to the great energy transformation, today’s disruption of the existing order presents boundless opportunities for innovators who drive “creative destruction.”

As we transition from an employment-focused society to a startup-driven one, the government will spare no effort in enabling young entrepreneurs and business founders to take bold risks and pioneer new paths of innovation.

We will build a nation where failure becomes an asset for future success, enabling one to rise again at any time. We will usher in a booming era of startups and business ventures where any idea can spark a startup and a golden age of SMEs.

Third, we will transform growth that disregards human life and accepts risk as inevitable into sustainable growth that puts safety first.

With the highest rate of industrial fatalities among OECD countries, our status as the world’s 10th-largest economy cannot be a source of pride.
What meaning does growth hold if family members leave home in the morning and never return in the evening?

The costs and consequence of neglecting human life must be made far greater than it is today.

In a country filled with dangerous workplaces where no one wants to work, neither corporate sustainability nor long-term national development is possible.

We will ensure that safe working environments and a culture of respect for life take firm root by increasing the number of labor inspectors by 2,000 and introducing a new workplace safety guardian system.

Growth built on safety is a genuine form of sustainable growth that guarantees people’s happiness.

Fourth, we will make a great transformation from product-driven growth to attractive growth led by culture.

In an era where K-content exports surpass even those of secondary batteries and electric vehicles, investment in culture is no longer a social contribution – it is a core growth strategy. Culture itself is the economy and a future growth engine, and it has become a linchpin of national competitiveness.

K-pop fans become K-beauty enthusiasts and consumers. K-drama viewership drives K-food sales. A virtuous cycle has taken shape, with culture catalyzing industrial growth.

To ensure K-culture does not remain a passing fad, we will strengthen the entire cultural ecosystem, including the fine arts that underpin popular culture.

Building on the expanded 9.6 trillion-won culture budget, we will ensure K- content permeates the world more broadly and deeply.

Fifth and finally, we will replace unstable growth constrained by the threat of war with stable growth supported by peace.

Steadfast peace is synonymous with growth, and robust security is the driving force behind prosperity. By converting the cost of hostility in to the dividends of peace, we can transform the current “Korea risk” into a “Korea premium” in the future.

The government is steadfastly implementing measures to ease military tensions and restore trust between the two Koreas and is building consensus with the international community, including the United States and China, on peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

As a “pacemaker,” we will actively support the resumption of North Korea-U.S. talks and continue pursuing the restoration of inter-Korean relations this year.

By building upon the ROK-U.S. alliance, which has evolved into a “comprehensive strategic alliance,” and a strong, self-reliant national defense, we will make sure that peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula can be advanced meaningfully.

We will practice our pragmatic, national interest-focused diplomacy more widely around the world. We will further solidify the leadership of the Republic of Korea, a responsible global power, and set a global example of shared prosperity through cooperation.

Fellow Koreans,

The five principles of the great transformation I have outlined are neither idealistic nor aspirational.

This is an urgent appeal: without a fundamental transformation of our growth strategy, Korea will remain trapped in prolonged stagnation.

We no longer have a choice. We can no longer have the luxury of hesitation. Now is the time for action and commitment.

I will put my faith solely in the people so that we can move forward step by step and 2026 can be recorded as the “first year of remarkable progress made through a grand transformation.”
My beloved fellow citizens,

I frequently noted the need to “boost our national strength” during my diplomatic engagements last year.

The national strength I mentioned concerns not only economic and military power. As the turbulent history of the Republic of Korea demonstrates, our national strength always springs from the people.

The happier each and every one of our 52 million citizens becomes and the more their dreams, hopes and thirst for challenges expand, the stronger the Republic of Korea will become.

This year, the people-centered government will more faithfully answer the citizens’ pressing question: “If our nation prospers, will my livelihood also improve?” We aim to be a government on which people pin even higher expectations over the next four years and five months than over the past seven months.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” and it is with this kind of commitment that we will turn a series of small changes into a massive snowball of achievements.

We will not shy away from the process of reform, even if immediate results are not visible. We will put our heads together with patience and sincerity and pool our wisdom for the sake of our future.

I am well aware that this great, arduous task is only possible with a foundation of national unity and the unwavering trust of the people. As a “President for all,” I will attend to state affairs with an even greater sense of humility

I believe in the potential of the Korean people, who turned a winter of despair into a spring of hope. I urge you, the rightful owners of our nation, to join us on this mission of building Korea’s future.

Just as we stood together to advance democracy last year, let us now work together to establish a new global standard for growth and progress.

The Republic of Korea’s great leap forward will ultimately be achieved by the people!

Thank you.