Envoy Meeting

[Anchor Lead]

Top nuclear envoys from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have met in Washington. They have a warning for North Korea: Pyongyang will pay a price if it conducts another nuclear test.

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The chief nuclear negotiators of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held a meeting in Washington for the first time in five months since last November. The latest meeting focused on North Korea's threat to conduct a new form of nuclear test. The top nuclear envoys analyzed in depth about possible types of the new North Korean nuclear test. They also discussed on measures to respond to North Korea's nuclear tests in the future. Also, the envoys expressed deep concerns over possible nuclear and missile tests by North Korea. The three chief nuclear negotiators vowed joint efforts to discourage the North from making further provocations. They stressed that Pyongyang will face UN security council sanctions and other tough penalties if it ignores the international community's warning and pushes for nuclear and missile tests.

[Soundbite] HWANG JOON-KOOK (Chief Delegate for Six-Party Nuclear Talks): "The North Korean nuclear issue poses a serious threat to world peace and security. We made it clear that the North will pay a price if it carries out another nuclear test."

At the same time, the top nuclear envoys agreed to seek various ways to resume the six-way dialogue on denuclearization by North Korea. South Korean and Japanese chief nuclear negotiators held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the three-way talks. But they discussed only the North Korean nuclear issue. South Korea and the U.S. each will also hold a meeting with China on the North Korean nuclear issue.

2. Possible Serial Numbers

[Anchor Lead]

Inscriptions found on the unmanned aerial vehicles in Paju, Baengnyeong Island and in Samcheok appear to be serial numbers of some kind, prompting speculation that North Korea is mass producing and deploying drones.

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An unmanned reconnaissance plane was found in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. The number "35" was handwritten on the aircraft. Every drone found in South Korea bears a number on it. Th number "24" was inscribed on the drone that was found in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on March 24th. The number "6" is on the unmanned aircraft that crashed in South Korea's Baengnyeong Island on March 31st. Military experts say that they may be a sequence of production numbers or serial numbers for management.

[Soundbite] SIN IN-GYUN (Korea Defense Network): "They don't need to inscribe serial numbers or install numbered panels on drones that were produced in a small quantity or used in certain units. It would be easier for them to write the numbers out by hand."

North Korea might have produced drones using casts whenever needed. But experts speculate that the drones might be pilot products, noting that they were painted in different ways.

[Soundbite] KIM MIN-SEOK (Spokesman, Ministry of National Defense): "It seems that North Korea has recently manufactured small-sized unmanned aircraft. But the drones that crashed in South Korea show that they are not perfected yet."

The Agency for Defense Development is closely examining the drones to find exactly how advanced they are.

3. Shooting in Philippines

[Anchor Lead]

An ethnic Korean person has been shot and killed in the Philippines, in the first deadly shooting involving a Korean in the island nation this year.

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An ethnic Korean only identified by his family name Shin has been shot to death in the Filipino city of Angeles, which is known as a tourist hub. The shooting took place on April 6 at around 7:40 p.m. local time. Shin was shot in his head by two men on a motorcycle when he was leaving a Korean restaurant after having dinner with his family. He died on the spot.

[Soundbite] PARK YONG-JIN (South Korean Consul to Philippines): "(How many shots were fired?) It was two shots. He was shot in his head and died on the spot."

Local police presume that someone killed Shin on purpose because the perpetrators didn't rob him or his family. Sources say Shin was an executive of the Korean association in Angeles and owned a bar in Koreatown. Several other Koreans were shot to death in the same city earlier this year. In the last year alone 13 Koreans were killed in the Philippines, where public security remains unstable. This year four Koreans already fell victim to deadly shootings.

4. Revision Bill

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A bill has been submitted to the National Assembly targeting the nation’s largest conglomerate, Samsung Group. The revision would force Samsung Life Insurance to sell off most of its shares of Samsung Electronics.

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Samsung Electronics and Samsung Life Insurance are at the core of the Samsung Group's governance structure. Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee and Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong hold control of Samsung Life Insurance. The insurance company owns 7.2 percent of Samsung Electronics' shares and is its largest shareholder. The market value of Samsung Life Insurance's stake in Samsung Electronics exceeds 13 billion U.S. dollars and makes up 7.5 percent of its total assets. Under the Insurance Business Act, insurance companies are banned from having more than 3 percent of their total assets in the form of shares or bonds of non-financial companies. However, Samsung Life Insurance has a 7.5 percent stake in Samsung Electronics. That's possible because the Insurance Business Act allows insurance companies to evaluate their assets based on acquisition costs, not the market value. Samsung Life Insurance acquired Samsung Electronics' shares for around 47 dollars per share, which is only one-27th their market price. Fourteen opposition party lawmakers who are accusing Samsung of trying to protect its governance structure yesterday submitted a bill demanding the revision of the Insurance Business Act.

[Soundbite] Rep. LEE JONG-KUL (Member, National Policy Committee): "The bill is simply calling for equality with other financial companies, such as banks and security firms, which evaluate their assets based on market prices."

If the bill is passed, Samsung Life Insurance will have to sell more than nine billion dollars-worth of Samsung Electronics' shares. Samsung declined to officially comment on the matter. But it did say that Samsung Life Insurance is holding Samsung Electronics' shares in order to ensure the stability of its customers' profits and that the revision of the Insurance Business Act is tantamount to the infringement of Samsung's managerial rights.

5. Weather Woes

[Anchor Lead]

Farmers have borne the brunt of the abnormal spring weather this year. Warm temperatures caused trees to blossom way too early, then a sudden cold snap severely damaged the pear harvest.

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An orchard is blanketed in white pear blossoms. But the ovaries, where fruits start to grow, have turned into brown color inside. They contrast sharply compare to healthy ovaries, which are normally bright green. Pear flowers bloomed early than usual this year because of the abnormally warm spring weather, but they froze as morning temperatures again plunged to subzero levels on April 4. The ovaries inside the pear blossoms are frozen, and pollination is almost impossible now. Even if they do get pollinated, the fruits will be deformed, which will damage their market value.

[Soundbite] LEE YUN-GU (Pear Farmer): "My harvest wasn't just damaged, it's been destroyed completely. I can't make a living now. What should I do?"

More than a hundred hectares of pear orchards in South Chungcheong Province alone have been damaged by the capricious spring weather. That's 100 times the size of the Jamsil Stadium.

[Soundbite] JO JONG-BOK (Pear Farmer): "I checked the blossoms at 7 or 8 a.m. and found them all dead. The entire orchard has been damaged."

[Soundbite] LEE JAE-SIK (Regional Agricultural Technology Center): "I think farmers should get prepared by planting domestic varieties or those that can endure the cold weather."

The unpredictable spring weather has taken its toll on agricultural products nationwide.

6. CPR Training

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CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is critical in saving the life of someone who suffers a heart attack. With this in mind, more ordinary people are getting their CPR training.

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This woman could have lost her husband in June. Her husband's heart failed suddenly. But a neighbor came to their rescue and saved her husband's life.

[Soundbite] GANG GYEONG-HWA (Wife of Heart Attack Patient): "He ran to rescue my husband without his shoes on. He saved my husband's life. We owe him."

A person's survival rate from a heart attack is three times higher if CPR is conducted within four minutes after the episode. CPR saves some two-thousand people a year. More and more citizens are volunteering their efforts to become heart savers after they receive CPR training. One-hundred-50 people were chosen as heart savers last year, up from 127 in 2012.

[Soundbite] JEON HYEON-GU (Heart Saver): "If you learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation, it will be a great help to your family and other people."

Medical experts say that CPR can save more lives in emergencies. They add that it's better for people to learn how to conduct CPR.

7. Colorful Appliances

[Anchor Lead]

Household appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners commonly come in Plain Jane shades of white. Today, manufacturers are rolling out a rainbow of colors to match consumer’s preferences.

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These are imported refrigerators. They come in vivid, eye-catching colors. The sales of these refrigerators more than doubled in just one year, since their official release in February 2013. Manufacturers believe that color and design, rather than technology, were instrumental in boosting sales.

[Soundbite] LEE HAN-BEOM (Smeg Korea): "People are growing interested in interiors that reflect individual preferences. Consumers in their 30s and 40s are our main customers."

Local household appliance makers are also scaling back their productions of white appliances and introducing more colors into their products. Just two years ago 74% of some 90 Samsung Electronics refrigerator models came in white, but now the figure is down to only 20%. LG Electronics installed LED lights on their air conditioners to allow consumers change colors to fit their moods.

[Soundbite] LEE JI-SUK (Researcher, LG Electronics): "The color turns blue to show users that the cooling function is on and to maximize the feeling of coolness and its psychological effects."

Competitiveness of today's household appliances is determined not only by function and technology, but also by color.

8. Entertainment News

[Anchor Lead]

On today’s entertainment news, sexy is out and innocent is in: that’s the latest trend in K-pop girl groups. This and more coming up.

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K-pop group A Pink's new release "Mr. Chu" is characterized by the girls' pink outfits and adorable choreography. The song is climbing to the top in all major music charts in Korea. Previously, girl groups like Girls' Generation had swept the charts not only using their talents in singing and dancing but also with their sex appeal. Now more girl groups are trying to appear cute and innocent to gain popularity. Historical film "The King's Wrath" will be released in 25 movie theaters in North America, starting on May 23rd. The film, starring heartthrob Hyun Bin, is about the assassination attempt made on King Jeongjo in the first year of his reign. It's set to open in Korea on April 30th. The TV ratings researcher Nielsen Research reported that the ratings for KBS historical drama "Jeong Do-jeon" reached 18.2% last Sunday, exceeding its own peak ratings. Last Sunday's episode featured a dramatic battle between the two legendary generals, which was an important turning point in the plot. This battle scene helped the show overtake the ratings of popular comedy program "Gag Concert" which airs during the same time slot. TV critics say that male viewers are driving up the show's popularity, as the feud between the main character Jeong Do-jeon and his political nemesis is regarded as an analogy of today's political mayhem.

9. Pet Business

[Anchor Lead]

In many households, pets are as precious as any family member. Pet-related business is booming and even premium products and services are taking off. Let’s have a look.

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This woman says that her dog Lulu is the apple of her eye. They've been together for five years, and Lulu has become more than just a pet. This is why she has chosen a special service for Lulu. After a quick phone call, a truck arrives to groom the pup. The truck is like a moving beauty shop equipped with a shower, dryer and other grooming devices. Lulu is now ready for her makeover.

[Soundbite] MUN EUN-SUK (Pet Stylist): "I'm trimming its toenails. Puppies can get injuries if their toenails are long."

The pet stylist is busily applying something unfamiliar.

[Soundbite] "Many pet owners are looking for something special for their puppies. They want this pack for their puppies. "

It's a special mud pack for removing dead skin and softening the puppy's fur. With a shampoo and drying, the beauty treatment is complete. Lulu is looking great.

[Soundbite] "It's great. Thank you."

[Soundbite] "You look good, Lulu."

[Soundbite] KIM YUN-JA (Pet Owner): "I used to make trips to a pet beauty shop. It took too much time. It was inconvenient. The visiting grooming service is good both for me and my pet."

Here is another special pet product. With elaborate decoration and a comfy mattress, it is a miniature bed just for pets. The pet's bed comes with a water-proofing function and a changeable cover. Some go beyond special grooming and furniture when it comes to caring for their pets. There's even a wearable device for pets on the market.

[Soundbite] KIM JI-HYE (Pet Owner): "(The dog collar looks unique) This is not a dog collar, It’s a device to check the health conditions of my puppy."

The puppy wears a special dog collar, which is connected to a smartphone application. The device measures the animal's consumption of calories. The alarm goes off if the animal is at risk of becoming overweight. It also analyzes the puppy's sleeping patterns. The device gives the owner up-to-date information on their pet at a glance. And it's gaining popularity among pet lovers.

[Soundbite] "I can see how long my pet has exercised. I can check its conditions. So I can keep my pet in good health."

The number of pet lovers has topped ten-million in Korea, and as Koreans' love for their pets grows, so too does the pet product market.