Population : 50 Mln

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The Korean population has finally exceeded the 50 million mark. But experts say the milestone was reached more than ten years behind schedule due to the country’s low fertility rate.



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[Soundbite] (Dae Han News (1968)): Citizenship registration has been launched nationwide as of Nov. 21



The Korean government adopted the citizen registration system in 1968. The first male registered as a citizen was then President Park Chung-hee and the first female was his wife and First Lady Yook Young-soo. The first census reported a population of around 30 million, and the figure has exceeded 50 million 42 years later. The 50 millionth registered citizen was Kim Seong-mi, a baby girl born last month in the western Seoul suburb of Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.



[Soundbite] Cheon Ji-yeong (Mother): She’s our lucky charm. I can’t believe my child is the 50 millionth Korean.



It took 15 years for the registered population to increase from 30 million to 40 million but 27 years to go from 40 million to 50 million. The population grew 1.82 percent in the 1970s, but the growth rate has gradually dropped. Minus growth is expected after the turning point of 2015.



[Soundbite] Maeng Hyung-kyu (Public Administration & Security Minister): New born babies are a valuable fortune to the country that continues to age due to low fertility rates.



The government delivered a so-called Key of Luck to the baby girl’s family to celebrate the milestone. Government measures will tackle Korea’s rapidly aging society and low fertility rate, with the population expected to begin falling from 2016.



2. Breast Cancer Surge



[Anchor Lead]



Korea’s rate of breast cancer occurrences is one of the highest in the world as the number of patients with the disease in their 50s has nearly doubled over the past five years. The surge is attributable to Korean women’s adoption of a high-caloric and Westernized diet.



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A computed tomography scan image shows a six-centimeter tumor in a breast. This woman noticed unusual changes around the skin of her breast several months ago. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, which has now developed into the third stage.



[Soundbite] (Breast Cancer Patient (52)): The area turned red and was covered with rashes. I also got a fever.



Last year, 88-thousand women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The number of breast cancer patients has grown an average of 11 percent each year since 2005. In particular, the number of 50-something breast cancer patients has nearly doubled over the past five years. The growth is one of the world’s fastest rates. The occurrence of breast cancer is rare among older people, most of whom live on a traditional diet. In Korea, middle-aged women in their 40s and 50s account for 67 percent of the entire breast cancer patients. In Western countries, the disease is prevalent among women aged 40 or older.



[Soundbite] Prof. Song Byeong-ju (Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital): For middle-aged women, estrogen is secreted from fat cells, not the ovary. Due to their Westernized dietary habits, women take more fat than before. The increased intake of fat results in a rise in breast cancer occurrences.



The causes of breast cancer include a late menopause or women’s hesitance to have children and to breast-feed their kids. If breast cancer is detected early, the survival rate reaches 90 percent. Women older than 30 are advised to examine their breasts once a month and see doctors regularly.



3. Incheon Bridge



[Anchor Lead]



Korea’s longest bridge has reached its first anniversary of operations. The Incheon Bridge has become a tourist attraction for the country’s second-largest port city, but it has seen lower-than-expected traffic. The deficit resulting from insufficient toll revenues has forced the government to inject funds into the bridge’s operations.



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The Incheon Bridge is the longest in Korea and seventh longest in the world. The bridge has attracted 760-thousand tourists since opening on October 19th last year. A memorial on the bridge opened in March.



[Soundbite] Kim Jun-yeong (Dir., Incheon Bridge Co.): The Incheon Bridge has become a landmark tourist attraction.



But just 7.2 million cars have used the bridge this year, falling short of the initial prediction of ten million. As a result, the bridge’s private operator has collected less tolls than expected. Government subsidies have had to make up for the operator’s deficit. The bridge operator has received nearly 5.5 million U.S. dollars this year in government assistance. The government has initiated the construction of nine social overhead capital projects financed by private companies. All nine have received government subsidies due to the lower-than-expected number of users. The government has paid a combined 987 million dollars to private operators of the nine facilities over the past four years. So a glaring error is evident in predicting the growth of traffic.



[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Tae-seung (Inha University): The government predicted that the Korean economy and population would grow fast. It was too optimistic.



Private companies can run the facilities for up to 30 years. Taxpayers’ money will continue to go toward unproductive projects if the number of users fail to meet government predictions.



4. Endangered Snails



[Anchor Lead]



Have any of you seen any snails lately? The number of snails is decreasing rapidly due to a rise in pollution. The damage to the environment is causing not only the endangered species to disappear, but also some of the most common snails that were once easily seen around us.



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This rare snail species has been caught on camera alive for the first time. So far, only shells of dead ones had been found in Korea. This endangered snail species boasts its flexibility hanging onto the tip of a stem. This land snail slowly crawls across a tree in the thick forest of Mt. Naejang. All of these snails including these tiny ones are known to live around human habitations. More than 50 rare species of snails live exclusively in Korea.



[Soundbite] They’re very cute. I get to wonder how such little things have come to be.



However, due to rapid environmental damages lately, snails are losing their homes and are on the verge of going extinct. Though the situation is serious enough to affect the food chain, only two species of the 134 found in Korea have been designated as "endangered."



[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Jun-sang (Kangwon National University): This could lead to the extinction of snails not only in Korea but worldwide.



Snails which are known to be one of the slowest animals on earth are being neglected in Korea and are disappearing fast.



5. Renewable Energy



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The government has announced a large-scale investment plan for the renewable energy industry. It will invest 35-point-nine billion U.S. dollars over the next five years in nurturing this sector as a new growth engine



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Houses will have this kind of window in the future. Solar energy will be used in running a fan. Small wind power generators will be installed in downtown areas instead of windmills.



[Soundbite] An Gyeong-geun (Aerogenerator Manufacturer): Small wind power generators can be installed in any places such as schools and plants.



The growth of the renewable energy industry is explosive. The U.S., the EU and Japan are global leaders in the industry. China is also making huge investments in developing renewable, alternative energy sources. The Korean government announced a large-scale investment plan for the renewable energy industry on Wednesday. It is planning to foster the industry as a new economic growth engine by investing a total of 36 billion U.S. dollars by 2015.



[Soundbite] Kang Nam-hun (Ministry of Knowledge Economy): Korea should secure renewable energy development technologies in order to get a head start in the global market.



The government will also introduce in 2012 a renewable portfolio standard system that requires power generators to increase the energy production from renewable energy sources such as the wind and the sun. The introduction of the system will help create a new market worth 44 billion dollars. It aims to bolster the solar energy and wind power sectors as key locomotives for the economy, as in the semiconductor and shipbuilding industries.



6. Animal actors



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More animals are appearing on TV shows and in musicals in Korea. One unusual audition has screened dogs for a role in a hit Broadway musical.



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The dog Sanggeuni has emerged as a star since appearing on the KBS TV variety show "Two Days and One Night." Another canine Ddaengchiri has grabbed the spotlight for playing a dog that ignores humans in a musical. This is an audition for dog actors. The dogs wearing number plates show off their acting skills, with their owners looking anxious. Dogs good at playing dead stage an awkward performance at the audition. Others simply run away.



[Soundbite] Where are you going?



Some even dash toward the judges. In a musical, the animals cannot get frightened when the lights are suddenly turned off or loud music starts playing. Candidates deemed too elegant are also considered unsuitable to play a homeless dog.



[Soundbite] Kim Deok-nam (Producer, "Annie"): We tried to find one that can really pay attention and focus.



Eleven dogs auditioned for a role in the hit Broadway musical "Annie," which will open late this year. Winning the part was five-year-old guide dog Gurumi. A dog actor commands up to 1,800 dollars per appearance, with the most talented among them seeing popularity as high as their human counterparts.



7. Animal Rescue



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Wild animals that were taken care of after being injured by car accidents or traps have been released back into the wilderness. Rescue centers are releasing them now in order for them to prepare for the long winter on their own after a month or two of adaptation.



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This endangered species called Common Buzzard had been rescued and treated for injuries in the tail feathers. It’s now practicing flying. The natural monument Eurasian Eagle-owl that suffered an eye injury after crashing into a car has finished preparing to return to its home in the forest.



[Soundbite] Kim Jong-taek (Chief, Wildlife Rescue Center): As it has to hunt food on its own the paws are very important. I’m doing final checkups.



The wild animals that had been taken care of and cured at the rescue center are being released back into the wilderness.



[Soundbite] Goodbye!



The birds haven’t flown for months but flap their wings and soar up into the air headed for the forest. These eight raccoons had been found in a sewer and bottle-fed. They seem a bit confused at the new world but soon they make their way into the forest. The endangered wild cat that had been found caught in a snare hurries back to its home in the wilderness. This is the perfect time for the animals’ return to the wild because they need two or three months for adaptation before winter comes.



[Soundbite] Yun Jong-seong (Wild Animal Protection Society): We’re happy to see the injured animals become healthy again and go back to the wild strong and healthy.



The wild animals that had been hurt due to reckless poaching have been treated by humans to return to their homes in the wild and start a new life.



8. Turning of Leaves



[Anchor Lead]



Autumn is everywhere in Korea these days, But there are some particular places famous for their exquisite beauty. For example, the cosmos path and the dulle trail of Mount Bukhan are where one can see the maple leaves turn scarlet red at this time of year. Let’s go take a closer look at some great places to go this fall.



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This is the wild flower path in Seoul’s Olympic Park. Bright yellow and orange flowers sway amid the autumn breeze. These yellow flowers are called Sulfur Cosmos. The bright yellow blossoms swaying in the wind form an exquisite autumn scene.



[Soundbite] I wish I could lie down among the flowers. They’re so pretty!



Lovers stroll along the hand in hand while others take pictures together amongst the flowers. Everyone’s enjoying a beautiful fall day they will all remember. The cosmos at Olympic Park will be at their peak until this weekend.



[Soundbite] Today, the sky is so beautiful and the cloudslooks gorgeous. It’s a day full of surprises.



You don’t have to go far to enjoy a peaceful autumn walk. Seoul’s dulle trail around Mount Bukhan, which opened on August 13th, is composed of 13 paths, which add up to a total of 44 kilometers from Seoul’s Ui-dong to Hyoja-dong in the suburb city Goyang. The paths offer various pleasures. There are quiet and peaceful trails through the forest. There are dirt paths you can walk on barefooted and ones where you can see a view of the beautiful maple trees or the clear blue sky.



[Soundbite] The path’s not that steep and good for anyone to take a walk.



The biggest pleasure you can get from seeing the mountains during the autumn season is the exquisite view of the colorful autumn leaves. The Uiryeong path is especially famous for its beautiful maples.



[Soundbite] A month ago the leaves were still green but now they’re red and beautiful. The maple season has just begun.



A slow stroll along the trail amid the autumn breeze will take you to the Sky Walk, where you can see Seoul in its entirety.



[Soundbite] The view is so refreshing and fantastic!



The turning of the maples leaves on Mount Bukhan are expected to peak starting later this month, A Mt. Bukhan Dulle Trail walking contest is to be held on October 23rd. Another walking contest has already been held in Chuncheon last Saturday along the countryside path named Sille Story Trail.



[Soundbite] I came as I thought it was the best place to walk with the kids.



Contestants don’t forget to do their warm-ups before the race,



[Soundbite] Ready. Set. Go!



Some frolick amidst the golden autumn fields and go back in time to their childhood days.



[Soundbite] I want to walk thinking of those days when I dreamed of becoming a writer.



Other various events are also being held to offer additional chances to enjoy the pleasant autumn walks. The Songpa Sori Path Walking Event is held monthly on the last Friday nights. How about taking some time off from your hectic life and going for a quiet and peaceful breezy autumn stroll??