Asian journalists share firsthand accounts of war, loss, division

Asian journalists and other voices from across Asia shared firsthand accounts of war, division and migration at a book talk in Seoul on Tuesday. The event at the Korea Press Center centered on Korean journalist Lee Sang-ki’s book Why Asia Again? Journalist Lee Sang-ki Asks, Asia Answers. Lee said the book reflects his view that Asia is often underreported and that the post-COVID-19 world needs a fresh look at the region.

Lee Sang-ki said he began his journalism career in 1988, founded the Asia Journalists Association in 2004 and launched The AsiaN in 2011.

His book covers roughly 50 Asian countries.

Lee said the COVID-19 pandemic made him feel the existing world order was giving way to a new era.

He described reports from a journalist in Lebanon, an Iranian journalist and a 75-year-old Pakistani journalist to illustrate war, loss and division across Asia.

Kim Rimma, an Uzbekistan native who runs Hanadam, said teenagers who arrive in Korea partway through schooling need mentoring and noted that Central Asian patients come to Korea for medical care.

Published Sep 30, 2026 3:04 pm KST

Lee Sang-ki's book talk spotlights perspectives missing from mainstream coverage

CEO and publisher of THE AsiaN Lee Sang-ki speaks at a talk for his book "Why Asia Again? Lee Sang-ki Asks, Asia Answers" at the Korea Press Center in Jung District, Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Park Ung

Journalists and other voices from across Asia are drawing attention to stories often overlooked by mainstream coverage, sharing firsthand accounts of war, division and migration at a book talk in Seoul.

The event, held Tuesday at the Korea Press Center in Seoul’s Jung District, centered on Korean journalist Lee Sang-ki’s new book, "Why Asia Again? Journalist Lee Sang-ki Asks, Asia Answers."

The author began his journalism career in 1988, founded the Asia Journalists Association (AJA) in 2004 and launched the news outlet The AsiaN in 2011 to convey perspectives from across the continent through an Asian lens.

In his book, which covers roughly 50 Asian countries, Lee said the COVID-19 pandemic made him feel the existing world order was giving way to a new era, prompting him to take a fresh look at Asia.

"Much of the news from Asia is not properly reported and many people are not interested," Lee said, adding that even when it is reported, coverage is often one-sided.

The author introduced AJA journalists who are still reporting from the ground across Asia.

"One journalist in Lebanon is a mother in her late 50s. She says Lebanese people value education and fight for rights and freedom, yet endure daily shelling and home destruction while innocent people die," Lee said, adding that the problem is that such facts often go unreported.

Speakers take part in a book talk for "Why Asia Again? Lee Sang-ki Asks, Asia Answers" at the Korea Press Center in Jung District, Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Park Ung

Lee also recounted another journalist who was next to falling bombs when the Iran war broke out in late February. The Iranian journalist, whose mother died last week, said they wish she had lived to see more peace.

Lee said a 75-year-old Pakistani journalist described the India-Pakistan border as more than a line drawn on a map. Lee added that the journalist noted the two countries were established within a day of each other and share language and cultural traditions, yet wondered when they could reconcile and cross the border freely again.

Other participants from across Asia also shared experiences in their home countries and Korea, offering a broader view of the region.

Kim Rimma, an Uzbekistan native who runs Hanadam, a traditional Korean paper craft studio, stressed the importance of a mentoring program for teenagers who arrive in Korea partway through their schooling.

"Some high-achieving students in Uzbekistan are suddenly brought to Korea by their parents and struggle to study at Korean schools because they do not know the language. But they in fact have great talent," Kim said.

Kim, who also works in medical tourism, added that the sector is emerging as a new field linking Central Asia and Korea.

"Many patients from Central Asia come to Korea for treatment. People often think of Korea only for plastic surgery and dermatology, but foreign patients also come for health checkups and treatment of serious illnesses because the quality of Korean medical care is rising rapidly," Kim said.

Kim noted that those patients praise Korean medical care as high in quality, trustworthy, warm and caring.

"Patients say that when they are lying in a hospital bed, the nurses tuck the blanket around them with a warm word," Kim said, adding that they had never seen such care in other countries and that is why they keep coming back.

周二，来自亚洲各地的记者和其他人士齐聚首尔，在一场新书发布会上分享了他们亲身经历的战争、分裂和移民问题。此次活动在韩国新闻中心举行，主要围绕韩国记者李相基的新书《为何又是亚洲？记者李相基提问，亚洲回答》展开。李相基表示，这本书反映了他认为亚洲经常被忽视的观点，并指出后疫情时代需要以全新的视角审视亚洲。

李相基表示，他的新闻生涯始于1988年，2004年创立了亚洲记者协会，2011年创办了《亚洲新闻》。

他的书涵盖了大约50个亚洲国家。

李表示，新冠肺炎疫情让他感到现有的世界秩序正在让位于一个新时代。

他引用了黎巴嫩一名记者、一名伊朗记者和一名 75 岁的巴基斯坦记者的报道，来说明亚洲各地的战争、损失和分裂。

来自乌兹别克斯坦的金琳玛 (Kim Rimma) 经营着 Hanadam，她说，中途来到韩国就读的青少年需要指导，并指出中亚患者会来韩国就医。

发布于2026年9月30日下午3:04（韩国标准时间）

李相基的新书发布会聚焦主流媒体报道中缺失的视角

《亚洲人报》首席执行官兼出版人李相基周二在首尔中区韩国新闻中心举办新书《为何再次回到亚洲？李相基提问，亚洲回答》讲座。韩国时报朴雄摄

来自亚洲各地的记者和其他人士正在关注主流媒体经常忽视的故事，他们在首尔举行的一次读书会上分享了关于战争、分裂和移民的第一手资料。

此次活动于周二在首尔中区韩国新闻中心举行，以韩国记者李相基的新书《为什么又是亚洲？记者李相基提问，亚洲回答》为中心展开。

作者于 1988 年开始了他的新闻生涯，2004 年创立了亚洲记者协会 (AJA)，并于 2011 年创办了新闻媒体 The AsiaN，旨在通过亚洲视角传达来自整个亚洲大陆的观点。

李在书中涵盖了大约 50 个亚洲国家，他表示，新冠肺炎疫情让他感到现有的世界秩序正在让位于一个新时代，这促使他重新审视亚洲。

李说：“亚洲的很多新闻都没有得到正确的报道，很多人也不感兴趣。”他还补充说，即使有报道，报道也往往是片面的。

作者介绍了仍在亚洲各地进行实地报道的AJA记者。

李说：“黎巴嫩有一位记者，她是一位年近六旬的母亲。她说，黎巴嫩人民重视教育，为权利和自由而奋斗，却每天遭受炮击和家园被毁，无辜民众因此丧命。”他还补充说，问题在于，这些事实往往没有被报道出来。

周二，在首尔中区韩国新闻中心，演讲者们参加了《为何再次是亚洲？李相基提问，亚洲回答》一书的讲座。韩国时报朴雄摄

李还讲述了另一位记者在2月底伊朗战争爆发时身处炸弹落下现场的故事。这位伊朗记者的母亲上周去世，她说他们多么希望她能活到看到更多和平的景象。

李说，一位75岁的巴基斯坦记者认为，印巴边界不仅仅是地图上的一条线。李补充说，这位记者指出，印巴两国建国时间仅相隔一天，拥有共同的语言和文化传统，但他不禁思考，两国何时才能和解，再次自由穿越边界。

来自亚洲各地的其他参与者也分享了他们在各自国家和韩国的经验，从而提供了对该地区更广阔的视角。

来自乌兹别克斯坦的金琳玛经营着一家名为 Hanadam 的传统韩国纸艺工作室，她强调了为那些中途来到韩国求学的青少年提供指导计划的重要性。

金说：“一些乌兹别克斯坦的优秀学生突然被父母带到韩国，由于不懂韩语，他们在韩国学校学习很吃力。但实际上，他们非常有天赋。”

同样从事医疗旅游的金先生补充说，该行业正在成为连接中亚和韩国的新领域。

金医生说：“很多来自中亚的患者来韩国就医。人们通常认为韩国只适合整形外科和皮肤科，但由于韩国医疗水平的快速提升，外国患者也会来这里进行健康检查和治疗重症。”

金医生指出，这些患者称赞韩国的医疗服务质量高、值得信赖、热情周到。

金说：“病人说，当他们躺在病床上时，护士会一边说着温暖的话语，一边帮他们掖好毯子。”她还补充说，他们在其他国家从未见过这样的照顾，这也是他们不断回来的原因。