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
Rep. Park Chung-kwon’s past year captures a striking trajectory of social mobility in South Korea.
According to the National Assembly’s asset disclosure released on March 26, the People Power Party lawmaker reported assets of 3.38 billion won this year, up nearly sixtyfold from 55.5 million won the previous year—the highest increase rate among all lawmakers. The sharp rise was not driven by investment gains but by marriage, as his spouse’s assets were incorporated into the declaration.
The reported assets include apartments in Seoul’s Seocho and Seongbuk districts, officetels, and commercial properties worth about 4.6 billion won, along with deposits, stocks, cryptocurrency, and vehicles. The significance of the case extends beyond numbers.
Born in Hamhung, North Korea, Park defected in 2009, earned a PhD at Seoul National University, worked as a researcher, and entered parliament in 2024 through proportional representation. His story—defection, settlement, marriage, political entry, and asset formation—illustrates how personal effort and social integration intersect. The surge in assets reflects not individual speculation, but the transformative impact of relationships and belonging within Korean society.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Hang Chuon Naron, has expressed his deep gratitude for the recent announcement of €8 million (about US$9.2 million) for the “Choose Europe for Science” scholarship program of the European Union (EU).
Presiding over the ceremony on Friday to announce the financial support, held at the European Union Delegation office in Phnom Penh, Naron praised and thanked the EU, which is one of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s strong development partners and has always provided unwavering support to the education sector in the Kingdom since 2003.
Through this strong partnership, the Ministry has achieved many remarkable achievements, from increasing enrollment rates at all levels to improving the quality of education that is recognized both nationally and regionally, Naron said.
The announcement of €8 million is a significant and far-reaching investment in Cambodia’s human capital, he said, adding that the “Choose Europe for Science” scholarship program will make a significant contribution to training Cambodian human resources to be highly qualified, both in terms of knowledge and technology, to become a strong pillar in the development of the national society.
Nasir Aijaz, Sindh Courier, Pakistan
Pakistan has allowed food exports to neighboring Iran for the next three months amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, an official said on Saturday.
Trade Minister Jam Kamal Khan said in a statement that Islamabad has also allowed trade with Azerbaijan and other Central Asian states through land routes via Iran, lifting several previous conditions until June this year. The temporarily lifted conditions include bank guarantees, letters of credit, and financial instruments.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260329 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
