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
Sohn Kyung-shik was unanimously reappointed for a fifth term as chairman of the Korea Employers Federation at its general meeting in Seoul on February 24, extending his leadership to a decade since first taking office in 2018.
Founded in 1970, the Korea Employers Federation represents major conglomerates including Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG, advocating employers’ interests in labor policy, legislation and economic reform. The federation plays a central role in stabilizing labor-management relations, coordinating business responses to regulatory changes and strengthening industrial competitiveness.
Sohn stressed the need to overcome prolonged low growth by promoting deregulation, tax reform, more flexible working-hour systems and performance-based wage structures, while enhancing unified cooperation across the business community amid anticipated shifts in labor law enforcement.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that Americans lost more than US$2.9 billion in 2025 to scams largely linked to syndicates operating in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, underscoring the global impact of fraud networks embedded in the region.
Scott Schelble, deputy assistant director of the FBI overseeing international operations, said the scale of scam compounds in Southeast Asia fundamentally changes how authorities understand the threat. Schelble recently returned from official visits to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, where he met senior law enforcement officials and observed firsthand the scale of transnational fraud operations.
“These are not small or isolated crimes. They are sophisticated, well-resourced criminal enterprises that exploit foreigners, technology and vulnerable individuals to generate enormous profits,” Schelble said during a virtual press briefing, as reported by NST.
He said that viewing scam compounds, even from a distance, was sobering. “There are entire facilities dedicated to fraud on an industrial scale. It fundamentally changes your understanding of the threat,” he said. “Behind these operations are real victims who have lost their life savings, and in many cases trafficked individuals who are forced to participate in this criminal activity. That human cost is why this work matters so much.”
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Phnom Penh will host the 20th Francophonie Summit in November this year, marking a historic event to be attended by heads of state and representatives of member states of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), along with numerous partner institutions.
According to a statement from the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the summit aims to promote dialogue, exchange ideas, and identify practical solutions to global challenges related to peace and sustainable development, which are top priorities for OIF members.
The 20th Francophonie Summit, originally scheduled to be held in Siem Reap province, has been relocated to Phnom Penh to ensure the best possible conditions for organizing and participating in the summit and its related events. The 19th Francophonie Summit took place on October 4–5, 2024, in Villers-Cotterêts, France, where representatives of more than 100 states and governments from around the world were in attendance.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Japan has assured Bangladesh’s new government that it will implement the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the defense agreement signed during the country’s interim administration.
However, an adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the government would review whether the nation’s interests are adequately protected under the defense agreement signed during the administration of Muhammad Yunus.
The statements from both sides came after a meeting between Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Japanese Ambassador Saida Shinichi at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday. Following the meeting, the Japanese ambassador said, “We discussed our bilateral relations, where we have developed a strategic partnership.”
The interim government signed the Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan on February 6 to strengthen economic and trade ties.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260225 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
