Bites

• The South Korean won plummeted to its lowest level in 17 years, closing at 1,541.8 won against the US dollar on June 24, 2026. • This exchange rate marks the weakest performance for the currency since the global financial crisis of 2009. • The decline reflects significant volatility in the KRW-USD exchange rate, signaling potential economic instability or shifting market pressures.

• The KOSPI index plummeted nearly 10% on June 23, 2026, causing severe financial losses for investors in South Korea. • Shares of semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix fell approximately 12%, triggering a sharper decline of 24% to 25% in single-stock leveraged products. • The crash is significant as some investors reportedly lost one-third of their principal investment in a single trading day.

• South Korea's government has initiated a review of potential anti-discrimination legislation. • This move is part of the first-year policy agenda under the administration of President Lee Jae-myung. • The initiative matters as it signals a shift toward formalizing legal protections against discrimination within the country.

• Lee Beom-sik, 61, reached the summit of Hallasan Mountain's Baengnokdam Crater on May 28, 2026. • Despite having no arms and a prosthetic right leg, he completed the 18.3-kilometre Seongpanak trail. • The feat is a testament to his determination, earning him the nickname "Left-Foot Doctor".

• Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for the resolution of Middle East tensions through peaceful, wise, and responsible diplomatic efforts. • In his statement, Ibrahim condemned the ongoing attacks and aggression occurring across the region. • Separately, two unnamed companies hosted events to introduce their products to industry officials and consumers in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

• Muhamad Nazri highlighted the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore (LTMS) initiative as the first interconnection enabling commercial power transfer and enhancing regional supply security. • Five additional projects are currently in planning or feasibility stages to expand energy cooperation across Southeast Asia. • Key upcoming links include the Vietnam-Malaysia-Singapore (VMS) interconnection and the Sarawak-Peninsular Malaysia-Singapore link.

While Charles and Camilla were on a three-line whip, MPs watched the excruciating discomfort of civil servants We don’t often get to see senior civil servants out and about in the wild. They are kept away from the public gaze, sat behind a desk trying to persuade their ministers not to do something too catastrophic to their government department. Quite why they have been been made a knight or a dame just for doing their jobs is one of life’s mysteries. The rest of us have to make do with the occasional email from the boss. But in the last week, two top civil servants have been reluctantly made to give evidence on Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador before the foreign affairs select committee and very instructive it has been, too. Not least to see how much they dislike any extra attention from the public. Their obvious discomfort at being held to account was excruciating to watch. Continue reading...