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
President Lee Jae-myung’s recent call to review public access to North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun has reignited debate over media openness on the divided Korean Peninsula. Arguing that blocking information signals a lack of trust in citizens, Lee said broader access could help South Koreans better understand the realities of the North.
Critics, however, counter that Rodong Sinmun remains a central propaganda outlet, focused on regime glorification and the distortion of South Korean society. They warn that unrestricted access could amplify pro-North sentiment among a small but vocal fringe and further deepen internal polarization.
As a result, many analysts advocate a calibrated approach: maintaining controlled access through intelligence agencies, media organizations, and academic institutions capable of contextualizing and critically evaluating North Korean content. In their view, informed mediation—rather than blanket openness—offers the most responsible balance between democratic confidence and national security.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed grave concern over developments in Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a United States military operation. Describing the incident as unusual in both scope and nature, he said it constitutes a clear violation of international law and amounts to an unlawful use of force against a sovereign state.
Anwar said President Maduro and his wife must be released without undue delay, stressing that whatever the circumstances, the forcible removal of a sitting head of government through external action sets a dangerous precedent.
“It erodes fundamental restraints on the use of power between states and weakens the legal framework that underpins the international order,” he said in a post on X on Sunday. He emphasized that Venezuela’s political future must be determined solely by its own people. History has shown, he added, that abrupt leadership changes brought about through external force tend to do more harm than good—particularly in a country already facing prolonged economic hardship and deep social strain.
Reaffirming Malaysia’s foreign policy principles, Anwar said respect for international law and national sovereignty remains central to peaceful relations between states. “Constructive engagement, dialogue, and de-escalation remain the most credible paths toward outcomes that protect civilians and allow Venezuelans to pursue their legitimate aspirations without further harm,” he said.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
American tourists ranked first in 2025 for visits to Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, with more than 110,000 visitors—an increase of 4% compared to approximately 100,000 in 2024.
British tourists ranked second with nearly 90,000 visitors, followed by French tourists in third place with 87,000. Chinese tourists ranked fourth with 80,000 visitors. According to the Angkor Foundation, which is responsible for ticket sales for Angkor, approximately 44.7 million U.S. dollars was generated from ticket sales to more than 950,000 foreign visitors in 2025. This represents a decrease of 6.51% compared to the same period in 2024.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Although the number of dengue-carrying Aedes mosquitoes has declined slightly in Dhaka, the population of Culex mosquitoes is on the rise. Experts fear that this increase will peak in March, causing severe hardship for residents of the capital.
These observations were presented at a discussion meeting titled “Mosquito Nuisance and Citizen Suffering,” organized in the capital by the Dhaka Utility Reporters Association. Experts at the meeting stated that the surge in Culex mosquitoes, along with the possible resurgence of Aedes, demonstrates that Dhaka’s mosquito problem is no longer seasonal but a structural and scientific crisis. However, they also emphasized that it is impossible to make Dhaka mosquito-free without active citizen participation.
According to statistics, about 85 percent of adult mosquitoes collected in Dhaka during the last week of December 2025 were of the Culex species. Experts view this situation as a reflection of long-standing failures in urban management. They noted that Culex mosquitoes are carriers of filariasis, a disease that severely disrupts people’s daily lives.
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