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
South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced on Feb. 10 that a joint public-private investigation had confirmed a major data breach at Coupang, exposing 33,673,817 user account records, including names and email addresses.
According to the investigation, the attacker—identified as a former Coupang software developer of Chinese nationality—accessed the company’s systems between April 14 and Nov. 8, 2024, using automated web-crawling tools. Investigators found that he viewed pages containing phone numbers, delivery addresses, and shared-entry passwords a total of 148.05 million times, indicating that the actual scale of data leakage could be larger.
Authorities stated that “viewing equals leakage,” although no payment-related information was compromised. Coupang may face penalties for delayed reporting and for allegedly violating orders to preserve evidence. The final number of leaked records will be determined by the Personal Information Protection Commission.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia strongly condemns the decision by the Israeli Zionist regime to expand its control over the Occupied West Bank and facilitate land acquisitions by settlers.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Israel’s actions amount to further expansion of illegal settlements and de facto annexation, in blatant violation of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, relevant United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and the principles of the UN Charter. “The decision will entrench the illegal occupation, with serious implications for the rights of the Palestinian people and the prospects for a two-state solution.
“Malaysia calls on the international community to reject these actions and take effective measures to prevent further encroachment on Palestinian land. Malaysia reaffirms its steadfast solidarity with the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle for freedom and justice, and in their efforts to realize an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement said.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
A South Korean company is planning to lead a group of Korean delegates to Cambodia to demonstrate that the country is safe and offers a favorable environment for investors. The visit will also allow Korean journalists to report on the realities in Cambodia to the Korean public after their trip.
During a meeting on Monday with Khuon Phonrattanak, Cambodian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, at the Cambodian Embassy in Seoul, Park Joo Bong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Daejoo KC, said that a delegation of around 20 Korean investors and journalists is scheduled to visit Cambodia in mid-February.
According to the Cambodian Embassy, Park Joo Bong stated that Korea continues to attach great importance to Cambodia–Korea relations and highly appreciates the Cambodian government’s cooperation in suppressing cybercrime.
In response, the Cambodian Ambassador said that the embassy is ready to cooperate in arranging meetings between the delegation and relevant Cambodian ministries and institutions. He added that Park’s plan aligns with the embassy’s action plan to encourage Korean media outlets to report on the realities in Cambodia, as well as the government’s efforts to crack down on online crime in order to build confidence and ensure safety for investors and tourists.
The Ambassador also highlighted the current state of relations between Cambodia and Korea, focusing on trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, and emphasized the Cambodian government’s efforts to restore bilateral relations to normal following the cybercrime issues that occurred last year.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Bangladesh signed a trade agreement with the United States at 10 p.m. Bangladesh time on February 9. Under the new Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, the tariff rate has been reduced from 20 percent to 19 percent.
In a statement, the press wing of the Chief Adviser said that the agreement was signed on behalf of Bangladesh by Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin and National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman. U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer signed the agreement on behalf of the United States. According to the agreement, no countervailing duties will be imposed on exports of garments made from cotton and synthetic fibers imported from the United States. The signing of the agreement is expected to enhance the international competitiveness of Bangladeshi products and create new opportunities for exports.
It is worth noting that the current bilateral trade volume between Bangladesh and the United States stands at 8 billion U.S. dollars, of which Bangladesh’s exports account for 6 billion dollars. Bangladesh has already begun importing various agricultural products, corn, oil, LNG, as well as aircraft and parts, in an effort to reduce the trade deficit.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has dismissed his longtime ally, Kamchybek Tashiev, from his position as Chairman of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB). Major General Jumgalbek Shabdanbekov has been appointed acting head of the agency.
The move signals the end of the so-called “Japarov–Tashiev tandem,” the most powerful political partnership in the country since 2020. While President Japarov said the dismissal was intended to “strengthen unity” and prevent divisions within society, the decision comes amid growing debate over presidential term limits. Although Japarov was elected for a six-year term, the 2021 Constitution reduced presidential terms to five years, prompting calls from public figures for early elections.
Tashiev, a central figure in Kyrgyzstan’s security apparatus and anti-corruption efforts, is widely regarded by experts as a leading contender for the presidency. His strong influence in the southern regions and close ties to Parliamentary Speaker Nurlanbek Shakiev have further fueled speculation that he may seek the country’s highest office as the political transition period approaches.
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