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
Veteran actor O Yeong-su, internationally acclaimed for his role in the Netflix hit series Squid Game, has been cleared of all sexual assault charges by the Supreme Court. On June 25, the Supreme Court dismissed the prosecution’s appeal, finalising the lower court’s not-guilty verdict and bringing a definitive end to a legal battle that began three years and seven months ago.
O was accused of forced molestation for allegedly hugging and kissing a theatre group member twice in 2017. Although the first-instance court handed him a suspended prison sentence, the appeals court overturned the ruling, stating that the victim’s testimony lacked consistency over time and that O’s initial apology was an understandable reaction to avoid controversy amid the global success of Squid Game. The Supreme Court’s dismissal has now codified his innocence.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Women now make up the majority of Malaysia’s public service, accounting for 59% of the workforce — approximately 765,000 civil servants — outnumbering their male counterparts, said Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Puspanita Annual General Meeting on Friday, June 26, as reported by Bernama, Shamsul Azri said the figure reflected the growing role of women in the civil service and national development. He noted that the female labour force participation rate had risen from 45.7% in 1982 to 56.2% in 2023, putting Malaysia on track to achieve its 60% target by 2030 under the Madani Economy framework.
The ceremony was officiated by Puspanita patron Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, wife of the Prime Minister, who urged Puspanita to continue playing an active role in serving members and communities through welfare and development programmes. She also launched the first official Puspanita song since the organisation’s establishment in 1983.
Shamsul Azri said women were strategic partners in national development and key contributors to economic growth, well-being, and prosperity, adding that government efforts to strengthen the economy and public welfare required support from all levels of society, including Puspanita members. “This is where I see Puspanita playing a role as a strategic partner in shaping a society grounded in strong and resilient human values,” he said.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s rice exports to the Philippines are on track to reach 200,000 tonnes by the end of 2026 — up to 50 times higher than the 3,510 tonnes exported in 2025 — according to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The surge is driven by strong Philippine demand for commodity-grade, long-grain white rice, in which Cambodian prices are more competitive than other suppliers. Cambodia’s total rice exports in 2025 are estimated to have exceeded 1 million tonnes.
Khim Finan, Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, attributed the rapid increase to close collaboration between the agriculture ministers of both countries and active coordination to establish direct trade relationships between the two countries’ private sectors. Cambodia also hopes to expand exports of premium aromatic rice, which is in strong demand in Manila and other major urban areas.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Five suspects, including Chinese nationals, have been placed on a four-day physical remand in an illegal organ trafficking case, following their arrest by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday, June 26, during an operation in Islamabad’s F-7 area.
Human placenta was recovered during the raid. According to preliminary investigations, the suspects had procured placenta from hospitals in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and Lahore, and smuggled it by declaring it as sheep organs. Duty Judge Mian Azhar Nadeem at the District and Sessions Courts Islamabad granted the FIA’s remand request, ordering the suspects to be produced again upon completion of the remand period.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan has reduced the share of its non-observed economy from 35% to 23% over the past two years, President Mirziyoyev announced during a presentation on measures to reduce the shadow economy and strengthen prosecutorial oversight.
The results are attributed to the work of special commissions, the implementation of risk analysis systems in tax and customs authorities, and the elimination of legislative gaps that facilitate hidden transactions. Increased incentives for legal entrepreneurship also played a key role. As a result, the budget received 38 trillion soums ($3.16 billion) in additional revenue, official employment rose to 8.5 million people, and the average salary approached 6.5 million soums.
Despite this progress, the shadow economy remains significant, particularly in agriculture, trade, services, and construction. Authorities have set a goal of halving its share by 2030, increasing officially employed people to 14 million, and expanding the share of non-cash payments to 75%.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260627 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
