ASIANOMICS

🇰🇷 South Korea court to hold July 9 hearing on ex-leader Yoon's detention warrant A Seoul court plans to hold a hearing on Wednesday to review a request by special prosecutors to detain former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, a court official said. The special counsel team investigating Yoon's martial law declaration in December has filed a request to the Seoul Central District Court to detain Yoon on allegations of abuse of power and obstruction of justice. The detention warrant request was made on the grounds of the risk of him being a flight risk and concerns that he might interfere with witnesses linked to his case, local media reported, citing a special prosecutors' request. #SouthKorea @asianomics

🇯🇵🇵🇭Japan to export used destroyers to Philippines to deter China Japan will export used navy destroyers to the Philippines to strengthen its deterrence against China's maritime expansion, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday, as the two US allies increase cooperation to counter Beijing. The export plan involves six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts in service by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force for more than three decades, the Japanese daily said. Defense ministers Gen Nakatani and Gilberto Teodoro agreed to the destroyer export when they met in Singapore last month, the Yomiuri said, adding the Philippine military is set to inspect the destroyers this summer as part of the final preparations. #Japan#ThePhilippines @asianomics

🇨🇳🇹🇼China opens third extension to sensitive Taiwan Strait flight path China said on Sunday it has opened a third extension of the M503 flight route, which is just west of an unofficial dividing line in the Taiwan Strait, with Taipei protesting this was a "unilateral" move aimed at changing the strait's status quo. China last year moved the M503 route closer to the median line, drawing a similarly angry response from Taipei, which says any changes to the flight route and its extensions must be communicated in advance and agreed by both sides. The opening of the W121 extension comes days before the annual Han Kuang military and civil defense drills that Taiwan holds to simulate a Chinese blockade and invasion of the democratic island. This is the third extension after W122 and W123, which are to the south of W121, opened last year. All three go west to east, from mainland China in the direction of Taiwan. #China#Taiwan @asianomics

🇰🇵🇰🇷North Korean man crossed land border A North Korean man who identified himself as a civilian crossed the inter-Korean military demarcation line into South Korea on Thursday night, the South's military said. The military has taken the person into custody and is investigating his actions and intentions, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday, adding it has not detected any unusual activity from the North Korean military. The man, who was detected early Thursday morning near a shallow stream close to the military demarcation line, remained in that location throughout the day, the JCS told reporters. South Korean troops offered guidance to the man and he was later taken into custody. #NorthKorea#SouthKorea @asianomics

🇨🇳🇪🇺China's foreign minister dismisses European worries over rare earths China's foreign minister downplayed European worries over rare earth exports restrictions on Thursday, saying it was standard practice to control dual-use goods exports but that Europe's needs could be met if applications were submitted. Wang Yi was speaking in Berlin during a joint news conference with his German counterpart, on the second leg of a European tour seeking to lay the groundwork for a summit between EU and Chinese leaders later this month. "Rare earths have not been, are not, and will not be a problem between China and Europe, or between China and Germany," Wang said. "If legal applications are submitted, Europe’s and Germany’s normal needs can be met." #China#EU @asianomics

🇰🇵 North Korea slams Quad for calling it to denuclearize, KCNA says North Korea slammed on Friday the Quadgrouping of the United States, India, Japan and Australia for insisting North Korea denuclearize, according to its state media KCNA. North Korea also said the US fabricated a "cyber threat" from North Korea, citing its Foreign Ministry spokesperson. The US Department of Justice announced last month an arrest and indictments targeting North Korea's so-called "IT worker" program, in which North Koreans obtain remote IT-related positions at US companies, and use that access to steal money. #NorthKorea @asianomics

🇰🇷🇺🇸 South Korea trade minister may seek extension to tariff freeze in US talks South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said on Friday that he might request an extension of the freeze on US tariffs that is set to expire within days when he heads to Washington for talks with US officials. Yeo, who became South Korea's new trade envoy last month, is due to fly to the US on Friday and plans to hold talks with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and other senior officials on Saturday, just ahead of the July 9 deadline when US tariffs could rise sharply. Yeo said the substance of negotiations mattered more than the deadline, noting he would ask the US to take time and accelerate talks to reach a "win-win" deal. #SouthKorea#USA @asianomics

🇲🇾🇧🇩 Malaysia dismantles Islamic State network involving workers from Bangladesh Malaysian authorities have dismantled a network that used social media to spread ideology and raise funds for the Islamic State militant group among Bangladeshi nationals working in the country, its top police official said. In a televised press conference, Inspector-General of Police Mohd Khalid Ismail said authorities had detained 36 Bangladesh nationals in several operations since April, all of whom had come to Malaysia to work in factories or in sectors like construction and services. The network also raised funds using international fund transfer services and e-wallets to send to the Islamic State group in Syria and Bangladesh, he added, declining to provide further details on the amount raised. #Malaysia#Bangladesh @asianomics

🇨🇳🇹🇼 PLA landing ship spotted off northern Taiwan ahead of major military drill A People’s Liberation Army (PLA) landing ship has appeared unusually close to northern Taiwan, raising tensions ahead of the island’s biggest military exercise of the year. The Type 072A tank landing ship was spotted on Friday as close as 60 nautical miles (111km or 69 miles) northeast of the Taiwanese city of Keelung, a key naval base and northern maritime gateway to Taipei, Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed on Tuesday. Chiu Chun-jung, chief of staff of Taiwan’s navy, said that the ship had entered a range that “could threaten critical infrastructure” on the island. #China#Taiwan @asianomics

🇰🇭🇹🇭 Cambodian PM warns Thailand: Don’t cross the line on disputed areas Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has issued a warning to Thailand, stating that any attempt to block Cambodian citizens from entering the disputed areas could lead to serious consequences. He emphasized that the Emerald Triangle, Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch and Ta Krabei temples are still under dispute and are awaiting a ruling from the International Court of Justice. Hun Manet confirmed that Cambodia is awaiting discussions with the Thai authorities, urging Thailand to unilaterally reopen the border crossing and restore the situation to the state it was on June 7, 2025. He added that if Thailand reopened its side of the border, Cambodia would follow suit within five hours to normalize operations. #Cambodia#Thailand @asianomics

🇰🇷🇯🇵 South Korean leader seeks early visit to Japan, stresses cooperation South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed a strong desire to visit Japan at an early date, showing eagerness to forge cooperation in security and economic issues despite lingering disputes over history with its neighbor. "I had actually planned to visit Japan soon, but I have heard they got very busy with an election, so we haven't been able to finalize the date yet," Lee said at a press conference in Seoul that coincided with the kickoff of Japan's upper house election campaign. Describing South Korea and Japan as "inseparable neighbors" who share common strategic interests, especially in responding to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Lee stressed the importance of separating historical grievances from cooperation. #SouthKorea#Japan @asianomics

🇺🇸🇻🇳 Trump says he will put 20% tariff on Vietnam's exports The United States will place a lower-than-promised 20% tariff on many Vietnamese exports, Donald Trump said on Wednesday, cooling tensions with its tenth-biggest trading partner days before the U.S. president could raise levies on most imports. Vietnamese goods would face a 20% tariff and trans-shipments from third countries through Vietnam will face a 40% levy, he said. Vietnam could import US products with a zero percent tariff, he added. It is unknown how the new trans-shipment provision, aimed at products largely made in China and then labeled "Made in Vietnam," would be implemented and enforced. #USA#Vietnam @asianomics