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
For President Lee Jae-myung to secure stability after leaving office, reconciliation—not legal reform—is the only viable path.
Article 90 of Korea’s Constitution, which designates the immediate past president as chair of the National Advisory Council, has never been implemented since 1987. This reflects an illusion that legal mechanisms can protect former leaders.
With multiple criminal cases still pending, Lee’s uncertain legal status risks distorting governance and driving politics toward populism. Real security does not come from legal shields, but from dialogue and compromise. Only when the ruling camp acknowledges opposing forces and restores a culture of coexistence can President Lee ensure a peaceful transition—and allow Korea to move beyond its cycle of fear and political retaliation.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia has made history on the international stage after being elected as a Member of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under Electoral Group IV for the 2025–2029 term at the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference held recently in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Minister of Education and President of the Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO (MNCU), Fadhlina Sidek, described the election as a global recognition of Malaysia’s leadership, contributions, and capacity to advance education, science, and culture for inclusive prosperity.
Fadhlina emphasized that this success was the result of teamwork among the MNCU, the Ministry of Education, and Malaysia’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in Paris, along with the Foreign Ministry’s continuous commitment and the support of strategic partners in pursuing shared global interests, she said in a statement on Friday.
According to Fadhlina, Malaysia’s election reflects the international community’s trust in the country’s efforts to ensure that the voices of developing nations—especially in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region—continue to be heard and respected.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia has registered 575 investment projects with a total capital of approximately US$9.2 billion in the first ten months of 2025.
According to the Cambodia Investment Committee (CIC) under the Council for the Development of Cambodia, the number of projects increased by 229, or about 66%, while the total investment capital rose by US$3.7 billion, representing an increase of around 67%. In comparison, during the same period in 2024, Cambodia recorded only 346 investment projects with a total investment capital of about US$5.5 billion, the CIC reported. It also noted that within just ten months, the number of projects registered in 2025 exceeded by 161 the total number of investment projects registered throughout the entire year of 2024. In October 2025 alone, the CIC received 29 investment projects with a combined investment capital of approximately US$1.4 billion.
Pooneh Nedai, Shokaran Magazine, Iran
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned about a worsening water crisis in Tehran. He said that if there is no rainfall by December, water will have to be rationed, and if the drought continues, the capital may even need to be evacuated.
Pezeshkian also criticized the presidential office, saying it employs around 4,000 staff, but would function better with only 400. He blamed inflation and soaring prices on both parliament and the government, adding that limited financial resources have left many national projects unfinished.
He questioned whether there are enough funds to pay such a large number of employees and emphasized that Iran is facing natural crises, including low rainfall, which threaten the country’s water and gas supplies. The president called for urgent action from national leaders, urging them to address these challenges immediately.
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