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 is experiencing an unprecedented stock market boom as the KOSPI surpasses 8,000 points. New brokerage accounts have more than doubled since January, with account openings for infants and young children rising more than threefold. Parents are investing child benefits in ETFs and blue-chip stocks, while teenagers are entering the market using their allowance savings.
Office workers reportedly rush to restrooms at market opening time to trade stocks, and many retirees are moving savings and pension funds into equities. Investor deposits have surged from 57 trillion won to 131 trillion won within a year.
However, the rally is also fuelling FOMO-driven behaviour, margin trading, and stock-related mental health issues. Experts warn that market enthusiasm should not replace prudent risk management and diversified investment strategies.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet arrived at Kazan International Airport in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, on Wednesday, June 17, leading a government delegation to attend the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit marking the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations, held in Kazan from June 17–19, 2026.
Hun Manet is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss several issues between the two nations, including regional and global matters. During the summit, the Prime Minister will participate in various side events and hold bilateral meetings with several ASEAN nations to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations and cooperation in mutually beneficial areas.
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) comprises 11 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Industrial production in Kazakhstan reached 27.9 trillion tenge (over $57 billion) in January–May 2026, marking a 2.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
The structure of the sector remained balanced, with mining accounting for 46.1% and manufacturing for 46.5% of total output. Despite this parity, manufacturing emerged as the main driver of growth, expanding by 9%, while mining output fell by 5.2%.
Strong performance in manufacturing was recorded in several segments, including finished metal products (+46.6%), pharmaceuticals (+26.6%), rubber and plastics (+24.9%), mechanical engineering (+22.2%), and food production (+14.3%). Energy and water supply also posted steady growth of 9–12%.
By contrast, the mining sector declined due to reduced production of oil (-10.2%) and natural gas (-8.7%), which weighed on overall industrial performance. The data highlights a gradual shift toward more diversified industrial growth in Kazakhstan’s economy.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260618 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
