Pope Departs Korea

[Anchor Lead]

The pope wrapped up his visit to South Korea with some kind words for the nation, saying in an in-flight news conference that Korea has experienced a lot of suffering but has never lost its dignity. He promised to pray for the country.

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Upon his departure from Korea, Pope Francis visited the accompanying press corps on his chartered plane returning to the Vatican. With a big smile, he agreed with Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi's statements that his visit to Korea was very successful.

[Soundbite] FEDERICO LOMBARDI(Spokesman, Vatican) : "The pope's visit to South Korea was very successful. The pope looked good and was satisfied with his stay in Korea.The pope said that Korea has experienced enormous sufferings but never lost its dignity."

[Soundbite] (Pope Francis) : "Koreans endured much suffering but did not lose their dignity in the process."

In particular, the pope expressed his compassion for the plight of Korean sex slaves during Japanese occupation. He also expressed sympathy for families divided by the separation of the Korean Peninsula. The pontiff added he cannot stand neutral to the suffering of the Sewol victims, and would continue to wear the yellow ribbon which symbolizes their grief.

[Soundbite] "Some people said that I should take off the yellow ribbon to stand neutral. I am unable to stand neutral in the face of human suffering."

The pope said that he will bring a flower he was given by a Korean girl to the Holy See and continue to pray for South Korea.

2. Pope's Visit

[Anchor Lead]

Pope Francis moved the hearts of many with his down-to-earth and humble demeanor despite his status as the leader of 1.2 billion Catholicsworldwide. During his five-day visit to Korea he demonstrated how humility, consideration for others and humor can heal deep wounds and give hope for a better tomorrow.

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The pontiff wipes the sweat off the face of a disabled child and gestures for a kneeling nun to stand up.He even lets a baby gnaw on his finger,

[Soundbite] "We welcome the Pope today."

and with his arms he makes a big heart above his head in reply to the welcoming cheer.It's become commonplace to see Pope Francis carry his own bag, ride in a compact car, willingly follow the unfamiliar Korean custom of taking one's shoes off indoors, and lean over to greet the cheering crowds on both sides.He even appears playful when he tries to draw out louder responses from the audience.His sincere words and actions inspire courage for people in pain.

[Soundbite] "The Pope asked me to keep praying for you."

During an open-air parade in Seoul, he stepped out of the popemobile to hold the hands of bereaved family members of victims in the Sewol ferry tragedy, and embrace their pain and suffering.

[Soundbite] KIM YEONG-OH(Bereaved Family Member) : "Please don't forget about the Sewol ferry."

Pope Francis showed through his actions the true meaning of caring for the poor and the weak.

3. Still No Answer

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea has not answered the South Korean government's proposal for a second round of inter-Korean meetings between high-ranking officials. Seoul has announced a set of plans to expand inter-Korean economic cooperation, but Pyongyang instead has intensified its threats against the ROK-U.S. combined military drill.

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An inter-Korean meeting of high-ranking officials, South Korea had proposed to hold today, has failed to take place.Seoul has once again urged Pyongyang to accept the proposal.

[Soundbite] KIM UI-DO(Spokesman, Ministry of Unification) : "North Korea claims that South Korea's May 24thmeasures to deter North Korean provocations should be abolished first, but I think they Should first come to the negotiating table and discuss matters between the two Koreas."

For the first time the South Korean government announced a set of detailed plans to expand inter-Korean economic cooperation projects.Key plans include the resumption of inter-Korean economic projects such as the repair and maintenance of the Kaesong-Pyongyang expressway and the Kaesong-Sineuiju railway.However, North Korea upped its threat against the joint ROK-U.S. Ulji Freedom Guard military exercises.

[Soundbite] Korean Central TV(Aug. 18) : "Our self-defense responses will become annual and regular, and take place at a higher level."

Nevertheless, it was encouraging to see North Korea's Kim Yang-gon, secretary of South Korea-related affairs, deliver flowers to commemorate the late President Kim Dae-jung.

[Soundbite] Prof. YANG MU-JIN(University of North Korean Studies) : "Secretary Kim Yang-gon's personal appearance seems to show that the North is, in a way, willing to participate in future inter-Korean talks, exchanges and cooperation."

Experts predict Pyongyang will likely give its response to Seoul's proposal for a high-ranking meeting once the combined military exercise is completed by the end of this month. Meanwhile, excitement is growing for the Asian Games which will begin in mid-September.

4. Record Rains

[Anchor Lead]

Record heavy rains have taken a toll on South Korea's southern region. A wall collapsed on a construction site and a landslide occurred.

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Wet earth and rainwater tumble and flow down a hill. Part of a hill behind a resort in Ulju County, Ulsan collapsed around at 11 p.m. on Monday, burying two cars under the landslide.

[Soundbite] (Resort Official) : "The embankment near the hill is quite old and worn. Part of the embankment collapsed due to the heavy rain."

Out of concern for additional landslides, 67 guests of the resort evacuated to nearby motels or returned to their homes. Fallen rocks and trees block a road. Soil collapsed from a hill near a two-lane road in Ulju County 40 minutes past midnight on Tuesday. One of the two lanes was closed due to the landslide. Earlier, around 3 a.m. on Monday, a wall collapsed at a construction site in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. Three members of a family were buried under the debris but were fortunately rescued later. The ground sank at another construction site in Busan, destroying parts of the structure and causing a gas leak. The accident made it necessary to cut off gas supply to approximately 16-thousand households. Additionally, an embankment behind an apartment building collapsed, destroying cars and forcing residents to evacuate. Record heavy rains have taken a heavy toll on the southern region of the nation.

5. Sink Hole Problem

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Five more cavities were discovered underground in Seokchon-dong in the southeastern part of Seoul. Public anxiety mounts at the high likelihood of sink holes appearing in the middle of busy streets.

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These are additional underground cavities discovered near a cavern that could have potentially created a sinkhole in the middle of the Seokchon Underpass in southeastern Seoul. The walls have already caved in and there is even a big pool of water filled with dirt and pieces of concrete. A cluster of five cavities was discovered. One, near the end of the underpass ramp, another near the collector well, and three more of unknown sizes. One cavity measures 5.5 meters in length and another at 13 meters. The investigation team assumes, like previously, the cavities were created during tunneling work for Seoul's subway line number 9.

[Soundbite] CHEON SEOK-HYEON(Seoul Metropolitan Government Official) : "The alluvial layer is composed of sand and gravel, which will be key to identifying the cause."

The ground likely sank because construction had taken place without properly reinforcing the weak layers through which the Han River had passed. A catastrophe could have occurred if the same construction took place again as scheduled. The city government of Seoul is taking emergency measures, but public anxiety has not been eased since only one cavity has been filled.

[Soundbite] JO SEUNG-YONG(Citizen) : "There are many parents who take their children to school here every day. They must be really nervous."

Residents and civic groups of the Songpa district will hold a press conference in front of City Hall to demand that the city government provide fundamental safety measures.

6. Real Weapons

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A KBS team has discovered that real guns and weapons have been imported and used in films. Police approved the law-evading imports of the weapons, which could have caused fatal accidents.

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Muzzle flashes are fired, as a realistic gunfight is played out. Twenty-two guns were brought into Korea from Hong Kong and used in the filming of two movies. The firearms, initially believed to be movie props, turned out to be real. They include the MP5 submachine gun used by police commandos, the AK58 rifle used by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, the SVD sniper rifle and the T86 pistol. All of the weapons are real firearms, deadly and designed for combat. They cannot be imported to be used as movie props. However, the Seoul Police Agency approved the import of the guns in 2011. The police deemed the firearms to be safe, as they are equipped with one-centimeter-long adapters for blank shells.

[Soundbite] Gun importer(Voice modified) : "Adapters are attached to the guns to prevent them formfiring real bullets. They're only used for film effects. The adapters must not be removed, because they are real guns."

However, the adapters can be easily removed, are are therefore ineffective. The guns were brought back to Hong Kong three months later, but there is no way to find out whether they were used for purposes other than filming.

[Soundbite] CHOE JIN-NYEONG(Lawyer) : "If guns are managed as movie props, they can be stolen or lost unintentionally. The risk of such guns being leaked and threatening social safety is very high."

Many action movies with scenes of gunfights have been produced in Korea since 2011, making it possible that other military-grade weapons may have been imported illegally.

7. Roaring Currents

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The movie "Roaring Currents" has broken the domestic box office record by drawing over 15 million viewers in the shortest period yet. The number of tourists in historical sites associated with Admiral Yi Sun-shin has skyrocketed with the movie's popularity.

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The Hyeonchungsa Shrine in Asan, South Chungcheong Province was built to commemorate Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Now it is home to the great admiral's sword, which he had made to boost his determination before war. However in the movie "Roaring Currents" the sword is shown to be used in battle. These days the shrine is popular with tourists who visit to catch a sense of the admiral's spirit.

[Soundbite] KIM SUN-JA(Visitor) : "I came here with my child to help him learn about history because the movie is so popular."

The surge in the number of tourists stems from the skyrocketing popularity of the film "Roaring Currents," which depicts the life of the admiral both as a hero and as a human being. More than 72,000 tourists visited the Hyeonchungsa Shrine over the past 20 days since the movie's premiere. That's a fourfold increase from the number recorded last year. As the movie's popularity continues to rise, the government of the Asan City has renamed city tours to match the shrine and the admiral's tomb in honor of Admiral Yi Sun-shin.

[Soundbite] YU SEON-JONG(Asan City Official) : "We renamed city tours to match our historical sites – the "Yi Sun-shin Theme Course", because they include visits to the admiral's shrine and grave."
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The movie "Roaring Currents" is drawing scores of visitors to historical relics associated with Yi Sun-shin.

8. Late Night Snacks

[Anchor Lead]

When the summer heat keeps people awake at night, they tend to snack on late night treats. In Korea fried chicken, spicy ramen and pizza keep Koreans company late at night, but corns or potatoes make much healthier options for their digestive systems as well as their waistlines.

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Harvest is in full swing at this corn field in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. This is the best time of the year to pick the sweetest-tasting corn.

[Soundbite] Prof. SEO KWANG-HEE(Baewha Women's College) : "Corn has a sweet flavor, but it is low in calorie, about 120kcal per 100 grams, and rich in fiber so it helpsyou feel full and prevents constipation. The nutrition in corn is mostly contained in the germinal disk. Corn is rich in the essential fatty acid of linoleic acid, which lowers cholesterol and prevents the hardening of arteries."

This homemaker is out to shop for corn for her family's late night summertime snack. But she says it's hard to tell which ones are good and ripe without stripping the husks. Here are a couple of tips for choosing the best corn. Look for husks with a deep green color and corn tassels that are dark brown. When the husk is removed, the corn kernels should be plump and tightly packed, and the milkier the kernels' color, the sweeter the taste. It is also better to leave a layer of husk when trimming the corn. The extra layer helps lock in moisture while cooking so that you can enjoy more tender corn. Here's a corn recipe that is not only tasty but also good for you.

[Soundbite] LEE SEUNG-MIN(Culinary researcher) : "People use corn mostly to make corn salad, but it is high in calorie for a nighttime snack because the recipe calls for mayonnaise. Now I will show you how to make low-calorie corn salad."

Drain water out of canned corn and add diced green peppers and onion. Then mix in yogurt instead of fatty mayonnaise. Put a spoonful of this corn salad on a cracker to make a tasty canape. Another summertime vegetable is potato. It's at its best when grown under the hot summer sun. The peak time for potatoes is between June and August. Potatoes are so rich in vitamin C that they're nicknamed the "apples of the ground." But the best thing about the potato as an ingredient for late night snack is its low caloric content.

[Soundbite] "Potatoes have 55kcal per 100g, much lower than 128kcal in sweet potatoes.Eating one and a half medium-sized potatoes a day would give you enough vitamin C to keep you energized and strengthen your immune system."

Here are some potato shopping tips. Choose the ones that have smooth skin without any blemishes. Also, the ones that are hard and heavy for their size taste much better. Now that you've chosen the perfect potatoes, put them to good use, in this recipe for a delicious snack. This pizza recipe calls for shredded potatoes instead of flour dough.

[Soundbite] "When making shredded potato pizza, don't rinse out the starch from the shredded potatoes, because the potato starch is essential in this dish."

At low heat, flatten out the stir-fried shredded potatoes and sprinkle ketchup, cheese and olives on top. Cover the fry pan until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the shredded potatoes turns golden brown. Doesn't this look delicious? It's just what you need for late-night snack. In-season corn and potatoes are tasty and nutritious and low in calories. So that late night snackers can feel a little less guilty about their indulgences.