Human Times

APAC Edition

8th December 2025

THE HOT STORY

Daikin unlocks doors for non-union workers

Japan-headquartered air-conditioner manufacturer Daikin Industries (Thailand) Co has allowed non-union workers to return to work following a lockout that began on December 6 over disputes regarding annual bonuses and gold benefits. Union members remain barred from the factory based in Amata City Chon Buri industrial estate as negotiations continue. The company initially offered a bonus of six months' salary plus a special payment, but the union demanded a higher bonus and insisted on honouring a gold benefit for long-serving employees.

Bangkok Post

The Nation

TECHNOLOGY

AI threatens jobs for young professionals in Korea

AI is increasingly threatening job opportunities for younger professionals in Korea's legal, financial, and accounting sectors. A partner at a leading Korean accounting firm notes that AI can complete tasks much faster than junior accountants. This efficiency is leading to significant workforce reductions, with firms such as Samil PwC prioritising candidates with software development skills. The legal field is also seeing a decline in new hires, with a 30% drop in new lawyers at top firms. A Bank of Korea report revealed that 98.6% of youth job losses were in AI-exposed sectors, highlighting the urgent need for companies to rethink job structures.

Korea Joongang Daily

CYBERSECURITY

Askul back online for orders following cyberattack

Japanese office and household goods supplier Askul has resumed online orders, following a system failure caused by a cyberattack. Internet order receipts had been suspended for about one and a half months, meaning it was receiving orders only via fax. The number of items now available for purchase has been expanded to more than 14.5m.

Japan Times

HEALTH & SAFETY

Property developers crack down on smoking

Developers in Hong Kong are implementing strict smoking bans at construction sites following a deadly fire that killed 159 people. The Real Estate Developers Association (REDA) is gathering feedback from members, including prominent firms like Sino Land and Swire Properties. Henderson Land Development has already mandated a no-smoking policy, saying that workers caught smoking will be dismissed. A viral video showed a briefing where workers were warned they would be blacklisted for smoking. The Construction Industry Council supports the measures.

South China Morning Post

STRATEGY

Intel boosts Malaysia investment

Intel has announced an additional investment of 860m ringgit (approximately $208m) in Malaysia for enhanced assembly and testing operations, as confirmed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. This follows a meeting between Anwar and Intel chief executive Lip-Bu Tan and comes on the heels of Intel's previous commitment to build a $7bn advanced chip packaging plant in the country. The investment underscores Intel's growing presence in Malaysia's semiconductor sector.

Reuters

REGULATION

Indonesia cracks down on mining permits

Indonesia plans to revoke mining permits if companies violate regulations following devastating floods in West Sumatra. Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said: "If in our evaluations they have proven to have violated or are not adherent, then we will do our job without any hesitation according to the rules in place." The floods, linked to climate change and deforestation, have resulted in approximately 800 deaths and 564 missing. Environmental groups argue that mining and illegal logging have worsened the disaster, with significant forest loss reported in the region.

U.S. News

LEADERSHIP

Binance names co-founder Yi He as co-CEO

Binance has named co-founder Yi He as its co-chief executive, in a shake-up at the top of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange. Yi He, a longtime Binance executive and partner of founder Changpeng Zhao - who stepped down in 2023 for money-laundering violations - has been with the company for more than eight years and currently serves as its chief customer service officer. Announcing the appointment, the group said that “her leadership has been instrumental to the growth and identity of Binance.”

Financial Times

Reuters

Wall Street Journal

LEGAL

Unification Church leader on trial

The trial of Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church, has commenced in South Korea. She faces allegations of bribing former First Lady Kim Keon Hee with luxury items, including Chanel handbags and a diamond necklace. Prosecutors claim Han sought political favours in exchange for gifts. Han, who attended the hearing in a wheelchair, has denied the accusations, labelling them as "false information." Her legal team argues that a church official acted independently. The church has faced scrutiny for its practices and finances; critics brand it a dangerous cult.

U.S. News

INTERNATIONAL

Brazilian judge orders JBS poultry unit to be added to slavery list

A Brazilian federal labour judge has ordered the addition of JBS's poultry unit to a "dirty list" of employers linked to slavery-like conditions, following a federal raid that uncovered ten workers in exploitative circumstances at a contractor's facility. Investigations revealed that employees were subjected to excessively long shifts of up to 16 hours, insufficient living conditions, and unlawful wage deductions. Despite the government's Labour Minister initially blocking this listing, the judge deemed the intervention unlawful and highlighted the importance of the list in tackling modern slavery in Brazil.

Reuters

Amazon pays €180m to settle Italian tax and labour investigation

Amazon has paid €180m ($210m) to Italian authorities and ended the use of a delivery staff monitoring system, closing a probe into alleged tax fraud and labour violations by its logistics unit. The investigation centred on the use of subcontractors to sidestep VAT and social security obligations. Amazon joins over 30 companies that have collectively paid more than €1bn to resolve similar cases.

Bloomberg Tax

Reuters

OTHER

Trump signs new Taiwan legislation Into law

President Donald Trump has signed the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which mandates the US State Department to review its guidelines on interactions with Taiwan every five years. Taiwan expressed gratitude for the legislation. Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo said the law affirms the value of US engagement with Taiwan. In contrast, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian condemned the law, asserting that it undermines China's core interests and warning against official US-Taiwan interactions.

U.S. News

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