Asia - South China Morning Post

South Korea’s most dramatic political trial in decades took an extraordinary turn on Monday when a former special forces commander testified that Yoon Suk-yeol had directed the capture of political opponents so the ex-president could “shoot and kill them all” himself.

The claim, delivered under oath at the Seoul Central District Court, stunned the chamber – marking a pivotal moment in a case testing the resilience of the country’s democratic institutions against the re-emergence of authoritarian...

The Malaysian family of the primary Four pupil who was found dead in his school toilet in Senawang, Negeri Sembilan state, is seeking updates from authorities on the case.

Lawyer Muhammad Yazid Mohamad Salim said it has been more than a month since the incident happened.

“The family has only received information from the pathologist who conducted the postmortem [examination]. There has been no official explanation from any other authorities,” he told a press conference on Monday.

Muhammad Yazid...

The United States and the Philippines have launched a new military task force designed to expand joint operational planning and coordination – a move analysts say underscores both countries’ determination to strengthen deterrence against Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

While the initiative formalises years of expanding defence ties, observers view it as a turning point in how Washington and Manila intend to manage maritime tensions – shifting from symbolic shows of...

Singapore’s Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on Tuesday launched an appeal against a conviction for lying under oath to a parliamentary committee, for which he was fined S$14,000 (US$10,735).

In February, the Workers’ Party (WP) chief, 49, was found guilty of two counts of giving false testimony to a committee scrutinising a lie told by Raeesah Khan, a former member of parliament for the party.

Singh, who pleaded not guilty, received the maximum fine of S$7,000 for each charge following a...

As Beijing continues advocating for deeper regional economic cooperation in East Asia amid ongoing tensions with Washington – including by working towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Japan and South Korea – analysts say that making substantial progress remains challenging, given the existing trade framework and conflicting interests.

In a meeting with South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation...

Tokyo has rescinded a plan to allow South Korean military jets to refuel at a base in Okinawa after learning the aircraft had recently flown near contested islets in the Sea of Japan, a revelation that triggered nationalist anger and concerns about the political risks of closer defence ties between the uneasy neighbours.

The now-scrapped refuelling operation would have seen South Korea’s Black Eagles aerobatic team stop over at Naha Air Base in Okinawa en route to an air show in Dubai in early...

Canadian influencer Vivian Hsieh has accused Malaysian rapper Namewee of “not being forthcoming” following the death of her friend, Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh.

According to Sin Chew Daily, Namewee – whose real name is Wee Meng Chee – and Iris had been working on filming a video together and were discussing matters in a hotel room.

Iris later went to the bathroom to take a shower alone, but allegedly did not come out after half an hour, prompting Namewee to check on her.

The 42-year-old then...

The United States will in the coming days ask a UN Security Council committee to impose sanctions on seven ships suspected of violating UN sanctions on North Korea, a State Department official said on Monday.

The seven vessels have illegally exported North Korean coal and iron ore to China, which traditionally earns Pyongyang between US$200 million and US$400 million a year, said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“These nominations are not just bureaucratic exercises. They’re...

The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has risen to 40, officials said on Tuesday, as the powerful storm unleashed heavy rains and floods across the central region, submerging homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.

Although Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early on Tuesday, it continued to lash the country with winds of 130km/h (81mph) and gusts of 180km/h (112mph) as it swept across the Visayas islands headed for northern Palawan and towards...

A decision on Monday by Singapore’s government to preserve as a national monument the site of the family home of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew is an expected outcome nearly a decade in the making, according to observers.

They also say it is still too early to tell if the latest resolution marked the end of a public feud between former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong and his younger brother Lee Hsien Yang, centred on whether 38 Oxley Road should be demolished.

Following patriarch Lee’s...