July 27 - August 2
China
Shaolin Temple’s "CEO abbot,” who led it into lucrative commercial ventures including an online store, book publishing, medicine, martial arts performances, and real estate, is under criminal investigation. Shi Yongxin, who became abbot in 1999 and was a delegate to the National People’s Congress until 2018, is accused of embezzlement, improper relationships with women, and fathering at least one illegitimate child. Religious authorities said they revoked his ordination certificate.
An investigative report into the mass lead poisoning of hundreds of students and staff members at a kindergarten in Gansu Province revealed a host of safety and oversight violations, bribery and corruption, medical misconduct, and attempts to cover up the scandal. The school staff used lead-based pigments as food coloring.
Two courts in Hubei Province separately imposed prison terms on Wang Xiaoping, former director of the disciplinary committee of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), and Liu Jun, former chairman of the Chinese Super League company, operator of the country's top-tier professional football league. The two men were convicted of accepting bribes.
Social media users expressed outrage over disclosures that sexually exploitative images of Chinese women were secretly filmed and shared in encrypted Telegram chat groups with hundreds of thousands of users, including one called “MaskPark tree hole forum.” Images seem to have been taken without the subjects’ consent using hidden cameras in both public and private spaces. The Southern Daily newspaper, which first reported the groups’ existence a week ago, said the MaskPark forum was taken down but some smaller forums remain. Legal advocates called for stronger laws against digital sexual violence including voyeurism and non-consensual image sharing.
The Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and the Ministry of Public Security jointly released new guidelines and seven typical cases involving cybercrime, particularly telecommunications fraud. The cases highlight the industrialization and technological sophistication of actions that assist cybercrime. Authorities emphasized stricter punishments, targeted prevention, and more lenient treatment for minors and low-level offenders.
The National People’s Congress Standing Committee announced plans to meet in late August. It is expected to continue reviewing the draft Financial Stability Law and may revisit or initiate reviews of several other key bills, including on atomic energy, public health emergencies, national parks, maritime law, and food safety. The finalized agenda and dates will be released in mid-August.
Hong Kong & Macau
Eight publicly funded universities signed a new accountability agreement requiring them to follow the “advice and guidance” of the central government and align with the remarks of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The schools signed the University Accountability Agreement with the University Grants Committee for the 2025-28 period, setting out overall strategic directions, funding allocation principles, and performance indicators.
A Coroner’s Court jury again ruled that taxi driver Chan Fai-wong’s 2012 death after allegedly being held by police in a chokehold during arrest was an “unlawful killing.” This reinstates a 2018 verdict that was overturned in 2022 after a legal challenge by officer Lam Wai-wing, who was involved in the arrest but was never prosecuted. Chan’s family called on authorities to reopen a criminal investigation.
Recently enacted prison rules significantly expand the powers of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) under the guise of national security, allowing for censorship and restricted access to legal and professional support, a legal expert writes. The new measures were adopted in July after a fast-track process, and allow CSD staff to restrict visitors, letters, and books sent to pre-trial detainees as well as convicted persons. The measures also grant officers broad discretion and civil immunity for use of force against prisoners.
A former pro-democracy legislator in Macau became the first person to be arrested under that city’s national security law. According to local media, Au Kam San, a primary school teacher, was accused of providing false and seditious information to a foreign anti-China group that was not identified. Macau is a former Portuguese colony that returned to China’s control in 1999 and, like Hong Kong maintains its own legal system and degree of local autonomy. It has had much less political activism than Hong Kong. In 2014, Au helped organize a rally by about 200,000 people to oppose granting perks to retired government officials.
Japan
The Tokyo High Court upheld a ¥300 million fine against advertising giant Dentsu Group for rigging bids related to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, affirming a lower court’s ruling. The court also maintained a suspended prison sentence for former Dentsu executive Koji Henmi, who was found to have conspired with a former Tokyo Games official to pre-select contract winners. Dentsu and Henmi immediately filed appeals. Legal proceedings continue against other companies and individuals.
The Tokyo District Court ordered Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) to pay about ¥100 million ($675,000) in compensation to Katsutaka Idogawa, the former mayor of Futaba, for the 2011 accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Futaba is one of two municipalities that host the nuclear plant. The compensation is for damage to property and consolation for the subsequent evacuation. The court rejected Idogawa’s request for health damages, as well as his request for compensation from the state.
Financial regulators are considering tighter oversight of government bond futures trading to prevent spoofing, which involves placing fake orders in order to give market participants a false impression about supply and demand. The Japan Securities Dealers Association and Japan Exchange Group acknowledged that existing rules are too vague and said they may revise the guidelines and enhance training for brokerages.
Koreas
Business groups in South Korea, including the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korea Employers Federation, and American and European Chambers of Commerce, expressed strong opposition to several pieces of legislation being pushed through the National Assembly by the ruling Democratic Party. One would give subcontracted workers greater bargaining power and restrict companies from claiming damages caused by strikes. Another would amend the Commercial Act to strengthen corporate governance. Business leaders said the laws would undermine the competitiveness of Korean companies just as they face the challenge of implementing a new tariff agreement with Washington.
The US government announced a preliminary trade agreement with South Korea that would establish a 15 percent tariff on Korean goods imported into the US. It also commits South Korea to purchase US$100 billion worth of US liquefied natural gas and invest US $350 billion in the US. South Korean officials said the money would be used to help their companies enter the US shipbuilding industry, as well as invest in the US semiconductor, technology and energy sectors. Discrepancies quickly emerged in how the two governments described the agreement, including whether Korea would further open its agriculture sector to US products.
Former South Korean Interior Minister Lee Sang-min was arrested for allegedly conspiring with former President Yoon Suk Yeol to impose martial law in December 2024. Lee faces charges of insurrection, abuse of power, and perjury for allegedly directing efforts to suppress the media and for failing to stop Yoon’s illegal decree.
Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol resisted a special counsel team's attempt to question him by lying on the floor of his prison cell wearing only his underwear. The team sought to take Yoon to their office for questioning over allegations that he and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, meddled in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. Yoon is already being tried on an insurrection charge and faces numerous other charges from his 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
The Seoul Western District Court convicted 49 persons for participating in a riot at the courthouse in January. The rioters were protesting the court’s decision at the time to extend the detention of former President Yoon Suk Yeol in connection with his December 2024 martial law declaration. Sentenced ranged from a 2 million-won (US $1,423) fine to a prison term of up to five years.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor opened an investigation into a wage nonpayment case involving 91 Filipino workers at a farm in Yanggu, Gangwon Province. The ministry is looking into allegations of wage theft and that a broker agency charged the workers excessive fees. The workers came to South Korea through a seasonal worker program.
Taiwan
Officials said they expect to continue negotiations with the US government after President Trump unilaterally announced a 20 percent tariff for Taiwan - the same level imposed on Vietnam but higher than the 15 percent negotiated by Japan, South Korea, and the EU. Local news reports said the Ministry of Agriculture had agreed to increase purchases of US grains and meat to US$10 billion over the next four years, an increase from the $8 billion imported over the past four years.
Continued paralysis at the Constitutional Court has left unresolved 354 appeals from members of the public and 31 from judges, government agencies or lawmakers. The court has been unable to function since the Legislative Yuan passed a law in December 2024 requiring a quorum of ten justices to hear cases. The court has had only eight justices since the terms of seven others expired in October 2024. The opposition-dominated legislature has rejected two rounds of nominations from President Lai Ching-te to fill the vacancies.