AJA Newsbites is a curated roundup of major news and developments from across Asia, brought to you by members of Asia Journalist Association (AJA)
Lee Sang-ki, THE AsiaN, Korea
Ven. Seongpa, the Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order, delivered his Dharma message ahead of the winter retreat. The Supreme Patriarch serves as the spiritual head of the order, offering doctrinal guidance and safeguarding its lineage. In his message, he emphasized that when one’s hwadu becomes a blazing force capable of burning away demons and even a thousand Buddhas, the true upward path of the Buddha finally reveals itself. He added that when coarse afflictions fade and subtle ones disperse, one’s original face naturally appears.
A Dharma message is a formal teaching intended to set the direction and mindset for practitioners during retreat. The Jogye Order’s winter retreat, a three-month period of intensive meditation with restricted movement, begins on December 4.
Lee Joo-hyeong, THE AsiaN, Korea
A massive data breach affecting more than 30 million users has occurred at Coupang, South Korea’s leading e-commerce company. On November 30, Coupang announced that customer names, emails, phone numbers, addresses, and some order information had been exposed, though payment details and credit card numbers were not leaked.
Concerns have been raised that customer data may have been compromised as early as six months ago, with a former Chinese employee identified as the prime suspect. The employee, who had been responsible for Coupang’s authentication operations, reportedly left South Korea after resigning, complicating the ongoing investigation. While recent data leaks this year at major telecom companies such as SK Telecom and KT were primarily caused by external hacking, the Coupang incident is suspected to have been carried out by an insider, highlighting significant gaps in internal security management.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $763 million investment program, including a $20 million grant from the Asian Development Fund (ADF), to support Cambodia in expanding access to clean water and sanitation, strengthening water security, and enhancing the resilience and livability of many cities.
According to an ADB news release issued Monday, the Resilient and Water-Secure Cities Investment Program is a phased financing initiative aimed at improving water services in 14 cities and 12 districts across the Mekong, Tonle Sap, and coastal regions.
“This investment program will help Cambodia build climate-resilient and livable urban services that not only enhance quality of life but also boost productivity and competitiveness,” said Yasmin Siddiqi, ADB Country Director for Cambodia. “By improving water supply, sanitation, and other urban services, we aim to directly benefit over 2 million people, ensuring that even the most vulnerable communities are not left behind.”
The investment program aligns with the Cambodian government’s goals of promoting urban resilience, reducing poverty, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It will support priority short- and long-term investments to expand and sustain resilient urban infrastructure and services, promote water security, and strengthen institutional capacity and service delivery.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
In 2025, the exchange rate of the Indonesian rupiah against the US dollar has once again become a major concern. The rupiah, which had previously remained stable at around IDR 15,500 per USD, has now weakened past IDR 17,000 per USD. Several key domestic and global factors are driving this depreciation. One of them is the monetary policy of the U.S. Federal Reserve, whose tightening measures have prompted investors to pull capital out of emerging markets, including Indonesia, and shift into more attractive U.S. dollar–denominated assets.
Another contributing factor is the widening current account deficit, driven by increased imports of raw materials and capital goods. Indonesia’s high dependence on imports has pushed up demand for U.S. dollars, while its foreign exchange reserves have not been strong enough to counter the pressure. Additional headwinds stem from global geopolitical uncertainties—including conflicts in the Middle East, volatility in international oil prices, and China’s economic slowdown—which have further dampened investor sentiment toward emerging markets.
According to data from Bank Indonesia, Indonesia’s total external debt reached USD 420 billion as of the first quarter of 2025, with roughly 35 percent held by the private sector. This external debt burden is also cited as one of the factors contributing to the continued weakening of the rupiah.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
In Kyrgyzstan’s December 2025 parliamentary elections—the first held under a reformed, fully majoritarian system—more than half of the incumbent deputies retained their seats. Preliminary results from the Central Election Commission show that 49 members of the previous parliament were re-elected, signaling continuity among political elites despite the institutional changes.
The new system consists of 30 multi-member constituencies, each electing three deputies, including at least one woman under a mandatory quota. In several urban districts, established figures dominated the race: in one Bishkek constituency, a sitting deputy secured more than 43% of the vote, while another incumbent—former parliament speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu—won re-election with strong support. Notably, several members of prominent political families also returned to office.
Overall, experienced lawmakers, including former committee chairs and long-serving legislators, maintained their positions. This trend suggests that even with revised electoral rules, voters largely favored familiar and seasoned politicians over newcomers—a reflection of enduring public trust in established figures amid an ongoing political transition.
Pooneh Nedai, Shokaran Magazine, Iran
Japan has called for the resumption of negotiations between Iran and the United States to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue. In a telephone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stressed the importance of restarting dialogue as soon as possible and urged Iran to resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Araghchi outlined Iran’s position, stating that the United States must rebuild trust and return to diplomacy. Both ministers emphasized the need to maintain close bilateral communication to support regional peace and stability. Araghchi reiterated that Iran remains ready for fair negotiations based on mutual respect.
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