SEOUL -- South Korea's parliament on Tuesday passed a bill to set up a dedicated special tribunal handling insurrection cases, caused by former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol's botched martial law imposition last December.
The bill was passed through the National Assembly, led by the ruling Democratic Party. (South Korea-Insurrection Tribunal-Bill, 1ST LD WRITETHRU)
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HONG KONG -- A policy allowing private cars registered in south China's Guangdong Province to enter urban Hong Kong went into effect on Tuesday, a milestone that advances cross-border connectivity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Under the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme (Entry into Urban Area), eligible car owners with confirmed travel reservations can drive into Hong Kong's city center via the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. (Hong Kong-GBA-Connectivity, FEATURE)
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BANGKOK -- Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura stated on Tuesday that Thailand appreciates China's role in facilitating the de-escalation of tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border.
Addressing a press briefing on the Thailand-Cambodia border situation the same day, Nikorndej said Thailand appreciated China's engagement and its role in de-escalating the confrontation between Thailand and Cambodia, and commended China for upholding an objective and impartial position. (Thailand-Cambodia-De-escalation)
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TOKYO -- As right-wing forces gain momentum in Japanese politics and military deployments accelerate, Japan faces a real danger of a resurgence of militarism rooted in its modern expansionist logic under the pretext of a "survival-threatening situation," warned Yasukatsu Matsushima, a professor at Ryukoku University in Japan.
In a recent interview with Xinhua, Matsushima, who has long studied Ryukyu-related issues, noted that the Japanese government's continued refusal to recognize the Ryukyu people as an indigenous people is closely tied to its current security policies and military deployments. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples clearly stipulates that military activities are prohibited on the land or territory of indigenous peoples. However, in reality, about 70 percent of U.S. military bases in Japan are concentrated in Okinawa, with ongoing base expansion projects. (Japan-Militarism-Scholar-INTERVIEW)
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HONG KONG -- In 2025, the Asia-Pacific region faced a series of security challenges, ranging from recurring border conflicts, aggressive political rhetoric to domestic unrest in several countries.
Despite these challenges, regional countries continue to express a shared commitment to peace and development, highlighting that dialogue and cooperation remain the path to lasting stability in the Asia-Pacific. (Asia-Pacific, Security Challenges, Peace, Development, YEARENDER) Enditem
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