MED PROFESSORS MULL RESIGNING

MED PROFESSORS MULL RESIGNING

[Anchor Lead]
We start off with a concerning development in the healthcare sector. It's been a month since resident doctors began leaving their positions, opposing the government's decision to increase medial school admission quotas. This issue has now escalated with medical college professors announcing a collective action planned for the 25th. Professors at the Big Five hospitals are expected to announce their stance regarding their involvement in this collective action. In response, the government has criticized the move as an act of national intimidation and suggested the possibility of taking administrative measures.

[Pkg]
Medical college professors nationwide say they will resign on March 25 to protest the government's plan to increase medical school enrollment quota.

[Soundbite]
Bang Jae-seung (Emergency committee chair, Med Professors Assn. (March 16)): We ask the government again to explain why it wants to increase the quota by 2,000.

The government called the move highly regrettable. It called the professors' decision a major threat to the public and made it clear that they are also subject to the back-to-work order. This means they could be subject to administrative disposition.
The government has vowed to take a different response this time around to stop doctors from taking collective action again. Some in the medical circles are also calling on doctors to back down. They are urging the trainee doctors to return to work, and criticizing medical professors for encouraging their collective action, which is not the best way to deal with this problem.

[Soundbite]
Joo Young-soo (Head of National Medical Center): It's tantamount to saying they will continue group action to attain their goal by taking patients' health and lives hostage.

The government has decided to step up administrative procedures for expanding the med school enrollment quota. Education minister Lee Ju-ho has appeared on the KBS TV show "Sunday Diagnosis Live" where he said authorities will allocate the quota by college as soon as possible so that it can be reflected in the 2025 college entrance exams.

[Soundbite]
Lee Ju-ho (Minister of Education): We'll do it as quickly as possible. (Within this month?) The timeline has not been disclosed yet.

So far, more than 7500 medical students, or about 40 percent, have applied for leaves of absence. Meanwhile, it has been a month since trainee doctors began their collective action. Medical professors at Seoul National University and Yonsei University are set to meet up on Monday to reach a final decision on their response including resignations.

REVAMPING HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

[Anchor Lead]
This particular issue has exposed flaws in Korea's medical infrastructure, particularly affecting the Big Five hospitals, which are experiencing an influx of patients, while smaller regional hospitals struggle with staffing and operational difficulties. In light of these issues, the government is drawing up plans to overhaul the medical system by clearly defining the roles of healthcare institutions, aiming to improve the healthcare landscape significantly.

[Pkg]
This is a government-designated hospital specializing in heart diseases. Small and mid-sized or secondary hospitals fully capable of treating certain areas such as the heart, brain and spine are named as specialty hospitals.

[Soundbite]
Jo Yong-geon (Bucheon Resident): University hospitals are too crowded. I have to wait at least 3 or 4 hours. The wait is much shorter here and I get treated quickly at the ER.

The government aims to raise the level of such specialty hospitals to that of first-tier ones. The plan is to strengthen the capacity of secondary hospitals so that tertiary institutions or top-level general hospitals can focus on treating serious or highly complex cases. Three to four secondary hospitals will be selected in each area to be cultivated to those specializing in essential medical services. More staff will be assigned to send mild patients back to local clinics from tertiary hospitals, and financial support for this will be expanded.

[Soundbite]
Shin Hyun-woung (Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs): In the past, more patients meant more profit. But hospitals will receive due compensation even when they cooperate with other hospitals.

A proposal under consideration is to require patients to have a referral letter from secondary hospitals to visit first-tier general hospitals. The walkout by trainee doctors has eased the concentration of patients in large hospitals, providing an opportunity to improve the healthcare system.

[Soundbite]
Park Min-soo (2nd vice minister of Health and Welfare (Mar. 13)): Medical services appropriate for patients' conditions are being provided now. This shows that our medical system had been operating abnormally.

There are calls for restoring public trust in local hospitals and balancing medical demand, which are seen as vital for ensuring appropriate use of healthcare facilities at each level.

CORPORATE ACCOUNT USED IN FRAUD

[Anchor Lead]
Amid a rising tide of voice phishing scams, the Financial Supervisory Service last year urged banks to implement an anomaly detection system across all accounts. Yet, it has come to light that the majority of banks have excluded 'corporate accounts' from this protective measure. Why? We take a look.

[Pkg]
This woman in her 70s runs a video-related business. Six years ago she received a text message from a bank. It said if she repaid her existing loan, the bank would give her a new loan at a lower interest rate.

[Soundbite]
Victim of voice phishing (VOICE MODIFIED): They said I was chosen as a VIP and my loan interest would go down by about 1 percent.

She made sure to confirm the matter by phone and wired 400 million won, or over 300-thousand dollars. But it turned out to be a voice phishing scam using a malicious app.

[Soundbite]
Lee Eun-woo / Victim's lawyer
The money was stolen through a fraudulent corporate bank account and my client never received it back.

A police investigation revealed that the scammers laundered their criminal profits through a corporate bank account. The owner of the business used in the voice phishing scam was a taxi driver who did not even know the firm had been founded under his name. He said he just handed over his personal seal and resident register when a stranger offered to lend him money.

[Soundbite]
Staff at office lease firm (VOICE MODIFIED): I never saw that person after signing a contract. It's a bogus company.

A corporate bank account under a borrowed name was used in money laundering, but the bank failed to detect that at the time. The Financial Supervisory Service issued guidelines last October telling banks to utilize a fraud detection system in all bank accounts. However, of four commercial banks in the nation only Woori Bank complies with the guidelines. The other banks say it's not easy to ferret out abnormal transactions that use corporate bank accounts.

[Soundbite]
Lee Eun-woo (Victim's lawyer): It's an important device for preventing the spread of crime. Why would they exclude corporations? It wouldn't cost them more.

The FSS says its guidelines are just a recommendation and it has no authority to make banks follow them.

SUMMIT FOR DEMOCRACY KICKS OFF

[Anchor Lead]
The Summit for Democracy, launched to bolster the capabilities of the democratic bloc worldwide, commenced today, the 18th. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, along with approximately 30 ministerial-level officials, have arrived in Seoul for this event.

[Pkg]
The U.S.-led initiative was launched in 2021 to enhance cooperation among democratic countries and values of democracy worldwide. Korea is the first country to host the summit outside of the U.S. Under the theme of "Democracy for Future Generations," the third edition focuses on digital threats to democracy. President Yoon Suk Yeol, in his opening speech, emphasized that fake news and misinformation, fueled by AI and digital technology, not only threaten individual freedoms and human rights but also undermine democratic systems. He called for cooperation to resolve such problems wisely.

[Soundbite]
Yoon Suk Yeol (President): We must share experiences and wisdom to enhance democracy and ensure the safety of individuals and society through AI and digital technology.

On Monday, the first day of the summit, a ministerial-level meeting was held to discuss democracy in the era of digital technology and AI. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was among ministerial-level officials from some 30 countries to exchange opinions at the meeting. On Tuesday, about 60 programs and events on civil society and youth will take place. On Wednesday, the summit will close with President Yoon chairing a virtual meeting.

NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]
The Joint Chiefs of Staff says North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Monday morning. The JCS announced that it detected what oppears to be short-range ballistic missiles, which were fired between 7:44 a.m. and 8:22 a.m. from Pyongyang.
The South Korean military strengthened surveillance and monitoring in preparation against possible launches of more ballistic missiles. While analyzing the details of the North Korean missiles, South Korea exchanged related information with the U.S. and Japan. Monday's missile launch came in a month after the North fired a new surface-to-ship cruise missile on February 14. The Financial Supervisory Service issued a warning against overcompetition among insurance companies to attract customers wtih somewhat misleading or exaggerated claims. The financial watchdog warned consumers of some puffery in insurers' marketing and advertising. The FSS also said that some insurance companies are continuing unreasonable practices in developing and selling insuranc e policies.

OPEN AI TO HELP LOCAL STARTUPS

[Anchor Lead]
AI, now deeply integrated into our daily lives, is witnessing an acceleration in its application, particularly with the advent of generative AI represented by ChatGPT. OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT, has decided to collaborate with South Korean startups to facilitate growth.

[Pkg]
A variety of wines are shown when a person asks a computer for wine recommendations for a housewarming gift. This is conversational AI developed by a local startup company to help people shop. The firm is expected to become more competitive as a collaboration with OpenAI was decided on March 14th.

[Soundbite]
Park Ji-hyuk (CEO, Waddle): We talked about OpenAI investment review and whether our history could be counted as OpenAI's customer case study.

Ten local startups would be teaming up with OpenAI. The startups utilize AI technology in various areas such as shopping, health, and logistics. The selected companies will receive a wide range of assistance from OpenAI including business consultations.

[Soundbite] [영어녹취]
"한국 스타트업에 대해서 더 많이 탐구하고 투자하고 있습니다. 기쁜 마음으로 한국 스타트업을 미국에 초대하고 싶습니다."

It's worth noting that a communication channel is now open with OpenAI known for its tight security.

[Soundbite]
Park Ji-hyuk (CEO, Waddle): There was no way to contact or send emails to OpenAI, but now there is at least an unofficial communication channel.

The Korean government plans to provide up to 200 million won, roughly 150,000 U.S. dollars, so that the collaboration could bring actual gains like commercialization or investment.

[Soundbite]
Lim Jeong-wook (Ministry of SMEs and Startups): It's important to not fall behind the trend and to enter the U.S. market. The important thing is cooperating companies' eager participation and growth.

This is the eleventh case of such business collaboration, following Google and Microsoft. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that collaboration with global enterprises will be steadily expanded.

OTTERS SPOTTED IN CITY CENTER

[Anchor Lead]
Otter, a natural monument and an endangered species, is a rare sight in urban areas. Recently, this creature has been spotted venturing into the heart of Seoul, including places like Cheonggyecheon, sparking a divided opinion on the reasons behind the expansion of its habitat.

[Pkg]
Three otters were caught on camera at Cheonggyecheon late one night. They sniffed around before running off into the dark. It's unusual for the endangered species to show up at a stream in downtown Seoul. Previously, they were sometimes spotted along the Hangang River. But, in recent months, their traces were found around Dongdaemun-gu District, about six kilometers away from the river. They were often seen under bridges where they could easily hide from people.

[Soundbite]
Choi Jong-yun (Environmental Activist): Otters don't defecate on cement, only on rocks.

Otter traces were also found recently at the midstream area of the Hongjecheon Stream, more than five kilometers from the Hangang River. The nocturnal animal's late night outing to the busy city center brought about different speculations from experts.

[Soundbite]
Han Sang-hoon/ Co-chair, Korea Otter Network
There are no competitors to otters in Seoul yet. They found vast land here
and they are wandering around to find a spot they like.

[Soundbite]
Lee Jeong-hee (Secretary general, Green Future): They aren't coming to the city because the environment is better. Maybe they have nowhere else to go.

Since the otters' movement has expanded, experts say that measures to protect them are urgently needed.

[Soundbite]
Kim Yeon-gwan (Social Co-op Hangang): Many artificial facilities along the city rivers like bike trails make it harder for wild birds and mammals to live.

Environmental groups argue that a comprehensive ecological survey is needed on otters that inhabit Seoul.