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
Park Joon-young, a South Korean lawyer known for overturning wrongful convictions in the Samrye Nara Supermarket and Yakchon intersection cases, has pushed another decades-old injustice toward accountability.
Park represented Choi In-cheol and Jang Dong-ik, who spent 21 years in prison after police torture led to false confessions in the 1990 Nakdong River murder case. The two were acquitted in a retrial in February 2021.
In March 2026, Park filed perjury complaints on their behalf against five former officers who testified during the 2019 retrial that they had not committed or witnessed waterboarding and other abuse. The Busan District Prosecutors’ Office indicted four. One officer was not indicted, and an appeal against that decision is pending.
At the first hearing at the Busan District Court on September 21, one of the four defendants admitted all charges. He told the court he had acted on orders from a superior, expressed deep remorse, and vowed to spend the rest of his life atoning. Prosecutors sought a two-year prison term. The sentencing date will be set later.
The remaining three denied intentional perjury, with two claiming their memories had become unclear over the nearly three decades since the case, and one insisting he had not taken part in any abuse. Their next hearing is set for October 12.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia has strongly condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including those targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, while reaffirming its solidarity with the Kingdom.
The Foreign Ministry said on September 21 that Malaysia supported Saudi Arabia’s efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its population, in line with the United Nations Charter and international law. “Malaysia also supports all efforts towards de-escalation and an immediate end to the hostilities,” the ministry said.
The statement follows an escalation in regional hostilities. Saudi authorities confirmed that a ballistic missile fired towards Riyadh on September 19 was intercepted and destroyed. The Saudi Press Agency reported that the Houthis also attempted to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Baish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, but the attacks were thwarted.
Earlier, on September 14, Houthi missile and drone attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif injured 13 civilians and damaged several houses and vehicles, according to the Saudi-led coalition as quoted by Bernama. The Foreign Ministry also reaffirmed the importance of Malaysia’s longstanding partnership with Saudi Arabia and its commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia is on track to break export records in 2026 by shipping over one million tonnes of milled rice to international markets, surpassing 2025’s milestone of 950,321 tonnes.
The growth has been significantly driven by expanding trade with the Philippines. Between January and August 2026, Cambodia exported 122,102 tonnes of rice to the Philippines, marking a roughly 34-fold increase compared to the entirety of 2025. With an additional 87,344 tonnes contracted through the end of the year, total shipments to the Philippines are expected to reach roughly 209,446 tonnes, contributing about 20 percent of the national export projection.
In the first eight months of 2026, Cambodia exported nearly 800,000 tonnes to 66 destinations, generating over $464 million. Supported by strong demand from Europe, China, ASEAN member states and other markets, Cambodian rice continues to gain ground internationally due to its quality and competitive pricing.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan are accelerating work on the 500 kV power transmission line under the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) energy corridor. In Kabul, Murad Artykov, head of international energy projects at Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Energy, and Abdul Haq Hamkar, CEO of Afghanistan’s Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), agreed on measures to speed up construction.
The two sides plan to quickly approve a roadmap setting final deadlines for commissioning the facilities. They also reviewed the progress of related infrastructure projects. Turkmenistan confirmed its readiness to complete technical work at the Nur-ul-Jihad substation in Herat and increase electricity supplies to Bala Murghab district in Badghis province. The parties noted progress in preparing the Afghan section and agreed to accelerate remaining procedures.
The project is a step toward practical implementation of the TAP corridor, which would strengthen electricity supplies to Afghanistan and create conditions for future power transit to Pakistan, while supporting Turkmenistan’s efforts to expand energy exports to South Asia.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260922 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
