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
Opened in mid-May, the Garden of Gratitude in central Seoul has emerged as a major issue in the Seoul mayoral election. The memorial space honours the sacrifice and solidarity of the United Nations forces and the countries that participated in the Korean War, while also serving as a place for citizens to reflect on peace and gratitude.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, more than 1.34 million people visited Gwanghwamun Square during the 11 days following the opening — nearly double the number recorded during the same period last year. In particular, the “Lights of Gratitude” installation symbolising the 23 participating nations and the nighttime scenery became widely popular on social media, attracting many younger visitors.
However, Democratic Party candidate Jung Won-oh criticised the site as “an eyesore shaped like a ceremonial rifle” and suggested the possibility of relocation, while People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon described it as “a new hotspot of Gwanghwamun.” The Garden of Gratitude has evolved beyond a memorial site into a symbol of broader debates over Seoul’s urban policy and historical memory.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
The High Court in Tawau, Sabah, issued arrest warrants on Monday, May 26, against 41 Chinese nationals who failed to appear in court over charges of criminal conspiracy involving an online fraud syndicate.
Judicial Commissioner Steve Ritikos issued the warrants after only 39 of the 80 accused — charged under Section 120B of the Penal Code — were present for a hearing on a bail condition review application. The 41 absentees had also failed to attend proceedings on April 21 and are believed to have fled or returned to China. Their sureties also failed to appear to show cause, and the court ordered the forfeiture of their bail money to the government.
According to the New Straits Times, the court had tightened bail conditions for all 80 accused on April 21, ordering their passports to be seized and requiring regular police reporting. The move followed a prosecution application to review a magistrate’s court decision that had initially granted bail after the accused claimed trial. Of the 80 accused, 78 are Chinese nationals, including four women, while one is from Myanmar and another from Laos.
In a separate proceeding, the magistrate’s court also issued arrest warrants against all accused who failed to appear for mention and pre-trial case management. Magistrate Dayang Aidaku Amira Aminuddin has set October 12 to 16 for the full trial. Deputy public prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif said documents had already been served on lawyers representing 10 of the accused, charged under Section 120B(2) read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, while documents for those without legal representation would be served on June 29.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Armed Forces contacted Thailand’s Army Area 2 on Monday, May 26, to inquire about and confirm a case involving eight gunshots heard on the night of May 24, suspected to have been fired from the Thai side.
According to a press release from the Ministry of National Defence, the Liaison Team of Military Region 4 of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces made contact to request that the Thai side verify the facts, strictly enforce military discipline, and fully respect the Joint Statement of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) dated December 27, 2025.
The Ministry of National Defence categorically rejected allegations that Cambodian soldiers caused a disturbance by firing two rounds of gunfire in the Phnom Trob area, declaring the claims to be false and reaffirming that Cambodian armed forces have strictly adhered to military discipline. According to the ministry, a total of eight gunshots were recorded — five fired at 19:57 in the Phnom Trob area and three fired at 20:08 in the Phnom Sambok Khmum area of Preah Vihear Province on Sunday night.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
President Prabowo Subianto convened senior economic figures from the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono era at the Presidential Palace on Friday, May 22, including former Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah and former Deputy Minister of National Development Planning Lukita Dinarsyah Tuwo, to draw on their experience managing the economic crises of 2005 and 2008.
The meeting centred on preparing regulatory instruments to implement strategic commodity export governance through Danantara, signalling that tightening of foreign exchange and commodity regulations is imminent. Exporters are expected to anticipate compliance changes in their cash flow planning.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the headquarters of Alibaba Group in Hangzhou, China, where he was received and briefed by Chairman Joe Tsai on the platform’s operations and future cooperation plans with Pakistan.
In the presence of the Prime Minister, a long-term strategic cooperation agreement was signed between the Alibaba Group and Pakistan, covering areas including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital trade, financial technology, healthcare innovation, and SME development.
At the signing ceremony, Chairman Tsai praised Pakistan’s role in regional peace efforts and the Iran-US ceasefire mediation. He added that Alibaba, as one of the world’s leading technology organisations, is committed to expanding Pakistan-China cooperation under President Xi Jinping’s leadership. Tsai also mentioned that a digital wallet was launched in Pakistan last year for deserving individuals, through which a significant amount of money was distributed transparently to those in need.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan has approved a new special tax regime for foreign citizens as part of efforts to attract international investors, entrepreneurs, and highly skilled professionals.
Effective January 1, 2026, eligible foreigners will be exempt from personal income tax on earnings generated outside Uzbekistan. To qualify, applicants must pay a one-time government fee of $50,000 (approximately 73.8 million KRW) and either open an account with an authorised Uzbek bank or register a cryptocurrency wallet on a licensed domestic crypto exchange. Under the new rules, foreigners who spend more than 30 days in Uzbekistan within a consecutive 12-month period and own or rent housing in the country may obtain the special tax status.
Officials expect the initiative to boost foreign investment, strengthen Uzbekistan’s position as a regional business hub, and support the development of the digital economy. Analysts have compared the programme to investment-friendly tax residency schemes operating in several countries competing for international capital.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260526 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
