The eldest son of Samsung Group chairman Lee Jae-yong, heir to one of South Korea’s richest families, has enlisted to become a naval officer, one of the most demanding military roles in the country.
In doing so, Lee Jee-ho joins a growing cohort of scions of family-run conglomerates who are opting for longer, more demanding military service than the average conscripts in South Korea.
Some observers see the trend as a calculated effort by the chaebol heirs to counter opinions of their privilege…
Why plans by India and US to tap Myanmar’s rare earths are fraught with risks
India and the United States are exploring ways to tap Myanmar’s rare earth reserves, with New Delhi reportedly in talks with a powerful rebel group and Washington considering working with either opposing side of the country’s civil war, as they seek to diversify their sources for the crucial minerals.
But analysts say their plans face formidable challenges, including risks from the ongoing conflict, treacherous terrain, and potential resistance from China, the dominant global supplier of rare…
Recent Singaporean case offers internal investigations insight for employers
Singaporean employers should be aware of a recent High Court decision that offers guidance regarding their obligations in a workplace investigation dispute, particularly in the case of implied contractual duties.
Is Singapore seeing slowdown of Chinese wealth inflows and should it be worried?
The rate of Chinese wealth entering Singapore through family offices is reportedly slowing, but observers say the financial hub is not expected to lose out substantially as long as it can continue to attract the right kind of money.
Last week, American business news outlet CNBC reported that Singapore’s attractiveness as a wealth hub was weakening, with applications from Chinese clients to set up family offices or relocate wealth to the city state currently dropping by 50 per cent compared with…
Duterte’s son files ‘kidnapping’ charges – in a bid to save Philippine VP Sara?
The youngest son of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has filed criminal charges against four cabinet secretaries and several senior officials, accusing them of “kidnapping” his father and spiriting him to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court.
But legal scholars and political insiders contend the case is a thinly veiled attempt by the Duterte camp to derail the appointment of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla as the…
NSW safety regulator halts redundancy process because of psychosocial safety
The NSW safety regulator’s decision to force the pause of a redundancy consultation process, on the basis that it created a risk of psychological harm to workers, could have implications for employers in future redundancy processes
‘What does the future hold?’ Floods devastate India’s breadbasket of Punjab
The fields are full but the paddy rice is brown and wilted, and the air thick with the stench of rotting crops and livestock – the aftermath of record monsoon rains that have devastated India’s breadbasket.
In Punjab, often dubbed the country’s granary, the damage is unprecedented: floods have swallowed farmlands almost the size of London and New York City combined.
India’s agriculture minister said in a recent visit to the state that “the crops have been destroyed and ruined”, and Punjab’s…
No special privileges for Thailand’s Thaksin in jail, lawyer says
Thaksin Shinawatra is being held under the same conditions as other inmates and has not received any special privileges during his first week back in prison, his lawyer has said, amid speculation over whether Thailand’s former prime minister may request to serve his sentence outside jail.
Attorney Winyat Chartmontree on Monday said Thaksin’s family had not sought any special treatment and that his client had only requested rights afforded to other inmates.
“People can say what they like, but…
Warning for companies as Supreme Court rules on VAT groups
A ruling by the UK Supreme Court on VAT payments means organisations must carefully plan when drawing up intra-group contracts, an expert has said.
‘Red alert’: Philippines gripped by coup rumours before anti-corruption protests
Coup rumours swirled in the Philippine capital over the weekend, with the military placed on “red alert” and all leave for its personnel cancelled, ahead of planned protests against corruption in state-funded flood control projects.
Sources close to and within the military confirmed to This Week in Asia that certain private individuals, former generals and groups were trying to persuade active-duty officers to withdraw their support for Commander-in-Chief and President Ferdinand Marcos…