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
A decade-long era in South Korean football administration is set to end as Chung Mong-gyu announced on May 29 that he will step down as president of the Korea Football Association (KFA) following the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. Chung, who has led the KFA since 2013 and secured a fourth term last year, said his final mission is to support the national team in achieving meaningful results at the tournament.
His tenure has been marked by controversies surrounding the appointments of former coach Jürgen Klinsmann and current coach Hong Myung-bo, as well as disciplinary actions sought by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and a recent court defeat. Acknowledging public criticism, Chung said all controversies were ultimately his responsibility. His announcement marks the beginning of a leadership transition that could reshape the future direction of Korean football.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said Malaysia is seeking a solution with the United States over procurement issues related to Norway’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
Mohamed Khaled raised the matter during a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 in Singapore on Friday, May 30. “We informed the United States about the issue we are facing regarding the purchase of naval strike missiles from Norway and sought their views on the matter. As we know, an American company also produces the same missile, and we asked whether the United States would be willing to allow the sale of the missile to us,” he said. The United States gave assurance that it would look into and consider the matter, according to the New Straits Times.
Malaysia had issued a notice of demand to Norwegian defence firm Kongsberg over the cancellation of an export licence for the NSM system intended for its Littoral Combat Ships and Lekiu-class frigates, claiming losses exceeding RM1 billion. The government is seeking both direct and indirect costs following Norway’s unilateral decision to revoke the export licence. Malaysia had already paid €126 million (RM583 million, about 220.5 billion won), equivalent to 95 per cent of the contract value, before the cancellation.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s National Peacekeeping Center (NPC) has reported that 14 Cambodian soldiers have been killed and 19 wounded in the course of UN peacekeeping missions over the past 20 years.
According to the NPC, risk factors include improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, conflicts between non-state armed groups, infectious diseases in mission areas, climate change, and unpredictable security situations.
Since 2006, Cambodia has deployed 10,723 personnel — including 1,052 women — across 12 missions in 10 countries: Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Mali, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Currently, 471 Cambodian peacekeepers, including 84 women, are serving in those nations.
The NPC noted that Cambodian forces continue to serve alongside other troop-contributing countries in conflict-affected regions, bringing honour to their country. “No matter what circumstances, Cambodia values peace and does not support war,” the report stated.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. According to the Foreign Office, both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive progress in Pakistan-US bilateral relations and exchanged views on the evolving regional and global situation.
The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in various sectors, including trade and investment, and to strengthen bilateral ties on security and counter-terrorism. Both leaders also agreed to advance the Pakistan-US partnership. Rubio acknowledged Pakistan’s diplomatic and conciliatory efforts for peace and stability in the region and beyond.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
A Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting was held in the Kazakh capital Astana as part of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit, focusing on the next stage of Eurasian integration amid global economic uncertainty.
Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deeper economic integration, stressing the removal of internal trade barriers, harmonisation of regulations, and expansion of the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labour. Strengthening the resilience of member economies to external shocks was identified as a shared priority.
Transport and logistics featured prominently in the discussions. Participants highlighted the strategic importance of the East–West and North–South corridors, modernisation of border infrastructure, and digitalisation of customs procedures. Kazakhstan reiterated its ambition to consolidate its role as a key transit hub in Eurasia.
Economic cooperation was also on the agenda, particularly joint projects in manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and the digital economy, alongside efforts to build integrated production chains and reduce import dependence. Financial integration measures included broader use of national currencies in mutual trade and improved payment systems, as well as digital transformation and the expansion of electronic trade platforms.
The summit concluded with calls to strengthen external partnerships, including cooperation with observer states such as Uzbekistan, and to enhance the EAEU’s global economic role.
ⓒ THE AsiaN | All rights reserved
This content is copyrighted by THE AsiaN. If you wish to share it, please do so without modifying the original text and always include the source link. Unauthorized editing or sharing without proper attribution may result in legal consequences.
THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260530 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
