Xinhua Asia-Pacific News Summary at 1000 GMT, Dec. 27

SEOUL -- South Korea's independent counsel on Wednesday sought 12 years in prison for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong in an appeals court for bribery charges.

Special Prosecutor Park Young-soo asked a Seoul appellate court to sentence Lee, heir apparent of Samsung Group, the country's biggest family-controlled conglomerate, to 12 years in jail. (S. Korea-Samsung-Charge)

- - - -

YANGON -- Myanmar local authorities extended the curfew order in Maungtaw, a sensitive area of conflict in the northern part of Rakhine state, for another two months to ensure further security, stability and rule of law, Myanmar News Agency quoted the Maungtaw District General Administration Department as reporting Wednesday.

The order, which has taken effect from Monday, continues to ban assembly of more than five persons and going outside from dusk to dawn between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m local time. (Myanmar-Rakhine-Curfew)

- - - -

SEOUL -- South Korea on Wednesday confirmed the existence of secret agreement with Japan in the 2015 deal between the two countries over the sexual slavery victims of South Korea who were forced into sex enslavement for Japanese military brothels during World War II.

The task force team under Seoul's foreign ministry announced a review result on the deal with Japan, reached on Dec. 28, 2015 under the previous South Korean government to reach a "final and irreversible" agreement on comfort women victims. (S. Korea-Japan-Comfort Women)

- - - -

NEW DELHI -- Indian Parliament Wednesday witnessed massive uproar over a minister's controversial comments that his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will "soon change the country's Constitution."

Opposition parties, mainly the Congress, created ruckus in both Houses of Parliament -- Lok Sabha (Lower House) and Rajya Sabha (Upper House), demanding immediate sacking of junior Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Anantkumar Hegde for his controversial remarks. (India-Minister-Criticism) Enditem