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
On May 15, 2026, the South Korean won weakened beyond 1,500 won per U.S. dollar for the first time in about a month, as the U.S. dollar extended gains for a sixth consecutive trading session. The won closed at 1,500.8 per dollar in Seoul trading, down 9.8 won from the previous session.
The stronger dollar was driven by rising inflation concerns in the United States, fueled by the ongoing Middle East conflict and stronger-than-expected inflation data, which reduced market expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. The U.S. Dollar Index rose above the 99 level for the first time since April 13.
Meanwhile, foreign investors sold more than 5 trillion won worth of South Korean stocks, contributing to a sharp decline in the domestic stock market. The KOSPI fell 6.1% to close at 7,493.19 after briefly surpassing the 8,000 level earlier in the session. Analysts warned that the weakening won and continued foreign capital outflows are increasing concerns over instability in South Korea’s financial markets.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Thirty-two foreign women were fined 1,000 Malaysian ringgit each by the Magistrate’s Court in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on Friday after pleading guilty to violating passport-related immigration conditions earlier this month. Magistrate Atifah Hazimah Wahab imposed the maximum fine on all the accused, who were aged between 22 and 40.
According to the charge sheets, the women were found to have violated conditions attached to their passports without reasonable excuse at an entertainment outlet located along Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir in Kampung Wadihana at approximately 2:30 a.m. on May 3. They were charged under Regulation 39(6) of the Immigration Regulations 1963, which carries a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 1,000 ringgit, or both upon conviction. The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nik Noratini Nik Azman, while the accused were represented by lawyer Gary Ng Boon Hui.
Meanwhile, a local man believed to be the owner of the premises failed to appear in court. He was expected to face charges for allegedly allowing illegal immigrants to enter and stay at the property. He is expected to be charged under Section 55E of Malaysia’s Immigration Act 1959/63.
In the same court proceedings, two other foreign women pleaded not guilty to overstaying in Malaysia without reasonable excuse. The two accused were identified as South Korean national Ham Minji, 35, and Thai national Saranpath Fueksanthia, 27. They were charged under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and are punishable under Section 15(4) of the same law, which carries penalties of up to 10,000 ringgit in fines, imprisonment of up to five years, or both upon conviction. The court granted bail of 7,000 ringgit each with two local sureties and scheduled the next case mention for June 15.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
The Cambodian Liaison Group has facilitated the inaugural mission of the Head of Mission of the ASEAN Observer Team (HOM AOT) under the Philippine mandate as ASEAN Chair.
The mission, conducted on Thursday, aimed to observe, verify, and report on the border situation at the Temple of Preah Vihear in Choam Ksan District, Preah Vihear Province. The temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered of exceptional value to humanity, reportedly sustained severe damage during attacks by the Thai military in 2025. The delegation also assessed recent developments in the border region.
According to a press release issued by Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence, the presence of the ASEAN Observer Team is intended to support the observation, verification, and effective implementation of the ceasefire agreement. The ministry stated that the initiative is designed to strengthen transparency, accountability, and mutual trust between Cambodia and Thailand.
The efforts are also aimed at facilitating rapid recovery and restoring normalcy, peace, stability, and long-term security along the border area. Cambodia reaffirmed its full support for the ASEAN Observer Team and stressed the importance of strengthening the team’s role and mandate.
Leo Nirosha Darshan, Express Newspapers, Sri Lanka
A Sri Lankan court on Friday ordered the further remand of 74 Vietnamese nationals until May 21 following their arrest over alleged involvement in sophisticated online financial scams.
The suspects appeared before Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena, where Kollupitiya Police disclosed alleged links between the group and regional cybercrime networks. Investigators said the suspects had previously been deported from Cambodia for similar offenses before allegedly relocating their operations to Sri Lanka.
Police also told the court that the suspects had violated the conditions of their visas in addition to the fraud allegations. Authorities identified a local woman as a facilitator who allegedly handled salary payments for the group. According to her statement, she claimed she did not know the original source of the funds used for those payments.
The case has drawn attention to Sri Lanka’s growing challenge in tackling transnational cybercrime, as international scam networks increasingly shift operations after crackdowns in parts of Southeast Asia. The 74 suspects remain in custody pending further investigation.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
The Bangladesh government has expressed optimism that the country’s leather industry could develop into a billion-dollar export sector in the future.
Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said the government has identified existing weaknesses in the leather industry and has already taken initiatives to address them. He made the remarks while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 47th Divisional Science Fair 2026 in Sylhet on May 15. The minister called on all stakeholders to work together to develop the leather sector into a promising industry for the country’s economy.
He also stated that efforts are underway to revive closed industries across Bangladesh and noted that foreign investors are showing growing interest in investing in the country.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will be granted authority to scrutinize and investigate government employees whose assets appear to exceed their known sources of income, particularly if they have submitted asset declarations continuously for three consecutive years.
During a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, officials from the Establishment Division said an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based monitoring system will be introduced to identify unusual increases in the wealth and assets of public servants. The system will generate “red flag” alerts whenever suspicious or unexplained asset growth is detected.
Federal Secretary for the Establishment Division Nabil Awan told lawmakers that beginning in December 2026, the asset and financial declarations of all government officers from Grade 17 to Grade 22 will be made publicly accessible through a digital declaration platform being developed in consultation with the FBR.
Under the proposed mechanism, government officials will also be required to disclose details of family-owned assets and foreign travel. Senior FBR officials, including the chairman and members of the Inland Revenue department, will have the authority to launch investigations if the AI-assisted review process identifies unusual or suspicious asset accumulation.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan’s trade with member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) reached 10.8 billion US dollars in 2025, representing a 2.7-fold increase compared with 2017.
The combined nominal GDP of OTS member countries approached 2.3 trillion US dollars in 2025, while their total foreign trade exceeded 1.2 trillion US dollars. The organization now accounts for around 2% of global economic output, reflecting its expanding role in Eurasian trade and connectivity. Kazakhstan remained Uzbekistan’s largest trading partner within the bloc, accounting for 46% of total trade turnover, or roughly 5 billion US dollars.
Türkiye ranked second with 3 billion US dollars in trade volume, followed by Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan at approximately 1.2 billion US dollars each. Uzbekistan’s exports to OTS countries rose to 3.8 billion US dollars, increasing 1.8 times compared with 2017, while imports climbed to 7 billion US dollars, up 3.8 times over the same period. Industrial products, food goods, machinery, transportation equipment, and services made up the core of trade flows between Uzbekistan and OTS member states.
Analysts estimate that Uzbekistan could further increase exports to OTS markets by an additional 2.7 billion US dollars. The strongest growth potential is believed to lie in trade with Kazakhstan and Türkiye, where demand for industrial and agricultural products continues to expand. Officials also emphasized that OTS countries are becoming an increasingly important economic corridor connecting Europe and Asia through manufacturing, agriculture, and transit infrastructure development.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260516 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
