Possible ISIS Recruit

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More details on the 18-year-old Korean who went missing in Turkey on January 10th. Authorities believe the teenager, who is known by his surname, Kim, smuggled himself into Syria. Kim had inquired about joining the militant group Islamic State over the internet before traveling to Turkey.

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The 18-year-old Korean traveler, known only by his surname Kim, left his hotel room alone carrying his backpack at 8 AM on January 10th, the day he reportedly went missing. Kim met with a local at a mosque across the street and got on a van with a Syrian license plate. The van was an illegal taxi run by a Syrian. The van drove 25 minutes and dropped off Kim and his companion near the Besiriye refugee camp, east of Kilis. The drop-off spot is about 5 kilometers away from the Syrian border. These are the facts that the Turkish police had informed the Korean foreign affairs authorities after investigating the security camera footage and the van driver. But the law enforcement has failed to find out where the teenager had gone after getting off the van. Meanwhile, Korean police had found circumstantial evidence that the missing teenager had asked about joining the IS through a messenger. It's now becoming very likely that Kim had entered Syria in secret, as he was last seen near the border and there are no records of him passing through a border checkpoint.

2. Leaflet Balloon Launch

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Despite government efforts to prevent North Korean defector organizations from launching leaflets to North Korea, a group of North Korean escapees has done it again. This time they were joined by human rights activists from the U.S. who are even considering using drones for leaflet distribution.

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Balloons loaded with leaflets and featuring large banners disparaging Kim Jong-un soar into the night sky. The event was organized secretly by a group of North Korean escapees in South Korea. It was also attended by some 20 members of a U.S. human rights organization. The North Korean defectors said that this leaflet distribution was just a warning, and that it would distribute leaflets on masse starting in March if Pyongyang persistently refuses to hold a dialogue.

[Soundbite] Park Sang-hak (Pres., Fighters for Free N. Korea) : "It's a warning that we will send even more leaflets if the North refuses to cooperate with dialogues or family reunions by the lunar New Year holiday."

The U.S. human rights activists who attended the event said they were considering deploying drones for leaflet distribution.

[Soundbite] Thor Halvorssen (Dir. of Human Rights Forum, USA) : "You want to go to North Korea? What are you doing?"

At an ensuing news conference, the North Korean escapees clashed with members of progressive-minded groups that staged a picket demonstration. The Unification Ministry urged the North Korean defectors to use good judgment before sending leaflets to the North, as the government has no power to crack down on secret distribution.

3. Military Exemption

[Anchor Lead]

Starting this year, draftees who have received more than six months of psychiatric treatment will be exempted from military service. The Ministry of National Defense has toughened the criteria for active service recruits and has expanded the exempted groups. The new military recruitment and assessment guidelines will be enforced starting today.

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Mr. Kim, a 29-year-old singer, underwent roughly 40 sessions of psychiatric treatment from March 2012 to May last year. He complained of a mental illness, claiming to see ghosts and being afraid to go outside. He obtained a written diagnosis from a national hospital last July and was ordered to community service duty. But a tip from his acquaintance revealed that he had faked his illness, which prompted the prosecution to indict him without detention. Starting this year, however, more people are expected to be exempt from full military service due to mental illnesses. Until last year, only those who received more than a year of psychiatric treatment were categorized with a grade 5 service exemption. But this year, the treatment time requirement was shortened to six months. The criteria were changed after last year's shooting spree at a frontline guard post. The shooter had reportedly undergone psychiatric treatment before entering the military. However, there needs to be preventive measures against those who may take advantage of the new rules.

[Soundbite] Kwon Yeong-cheol (Health & Welfare Bureau, MND) : "If we make decisions based on careful assessment of the symptoms, we can prevent the abuse of new regulations."

Starting today, the Ministry of National Defense will also enforce new physical examination rules, such as assigning those with severe myopia of more than minus 12 diopters to grade 4 reservist duties.

4. Instructor Scam Artist

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Police have apprehended a famous instructor who stole large sums of money from women by promising to marry them. The perpetrator used the stolen money to pay for his honeymoon trip after marrying another woman.

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A 28-year-old English teacher identified only by his family name Lim lectures at a famous private academy that he also owns. Back in August, Lim met a 26-year-old woman via a matchmaking smartphone app. Lim introduced himself as a famous instructor with a degree from a top-tier American university, and proposed to her by saying that they were destined to be together. Lim persuaded the woman to get a loan to cover their wedding costs, because while he wanted them to organize the wedding without their parents' help, he was not eligible for loans as a U.S. green card holder. The woman received a total of more than 180,000 U.S. dollars through several loans, and gave the money to Lim.

[Soundbite] Victim (Voice Modified) : "He made me get a loan. He kept brainwashing me, in a nutshell. I had no choice but to trust him."

But at the time Lim was already in a relationship with another woman, and a month later in September 2014, even tied the knot with her. Lim even paid for his honeymoon trip with the victim's credit card and told her that he was going on a business trip. After learning the truth, the victim had to receive psychiatric counselling to treat her depression. She also ended up with immense debt and delinquent credit. It was revealed later that Lim had deceived several other women before, and was even jailed for his crimes three times. Police have expanded the investigation after having confirmed that Lim had stolen around 45,000 dollars from yet another woman.

5. College Burden

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In spite of government intervention, college tuition is still high, averaging nearly 6,100 dollars a year and putting heavy financial pressure on students and their parents. But colleges are not letting up. Now they're trying to squeeze out even more money from students by increasing dormitory fees.

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This student pays about 386 U.S. dollars a month to rent a room near campus. Wouldn't a college dormitory room be less expensive? This single room in a newly built dormitory costs 661 dollars a month. Even without a security deposit, it's still more expensive than a room off-campus. Even a two-person room is priced at 317 dollars a month.

[Soundbite] Dormitory Resident (Jan. 5) : "The dormitory, which should lighten the burden for students and parents, is actually doing the contrary. This is not the original function of a college dormitory."

Last year, both public and private universities raised their dormitory fees by an average of 28 to 46 dollars per semester from the previous year. Unlike tuitions, dormitory fees are not regulated by the government, so the universities did not have to provide any grounds for the fee hike. Authorities need to oversee colleges and universities more thoroughly to find out whether they've forgotten their original purpose for the sake of gaining profit from their students.

6. Russian Market Strategy

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Until recently Russia was the largest importer of South Korean cars, but this year the Russian market is predicted to experience a severe recession. Nonetheless, Korean carmakers are poised to carry out aggressive consumer marketing strategies in Russia.

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This pavilion in downtown Moscow showcases a South Korean car-maker. It's a cultural complex where consumers can learn about cars and appreciate artworks inspired by automobiles. The pavilion was set up as part of a strategy to increase the potential demand for cars by having consumers experience automobile culture. It's the first brand pavilion to be opened by a Korean automaker abroad. The automaker is poised to conquer the Russian market through aggressive marketing, in the face of the severe economic recession stemming from the plunging value of the Russian currency and economic sanctions imposed on Russia by western nations.

[Soundbite] Koo Young-ki (Dir. of Hyundai Motor's Russian Branch) : "We wish to enhance our brand recognition and preference by providing consumers with new methods of communication, value, experience and premium segments."

South Korean automakers hold the largest market share in the Russian auto market in terms of sales. Last year overall sales of cars in Russia decreased more than 10 percent year-on-year, but the market share of Korean cars posted growth. Despite the economic downturn, Korean automakers will likely continue their aggressive marketing strategy in the Russian market this year as well.

7. Decoding Bee Genes

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Korean scientists have successfully mapped out the entire genetic code of indigenous Korean bees for the first time. This feat is expected to help spur production of honey and royal jelly and help in treating and preventing contagious diseases.

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Back in 2010, 95 percent of indigenous Korean honeybees were wiped out due to an infectious disease that struck honey producing apiaries in Korea. The Sacbrood virus was found to be responsible for the mass bee deaths, but its cause was not discovered at the time. Now, Korean researchers have successfully decoded all 10,600 genes of the indigenous honeybee. It was found that 160 genes are connected with immunity to contagious diseases. A closer look at the traits of these particular genes may shed light on why Korean honeybees are more susceptible to diseases compared to their Western counterparts.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kwon Hyung-wook (Seoul Nat'l Univ.) : "Knowing what genomes exhibit resistance and why indigenous bees have gone extinct will help research on the resistance mechanism."

The research team also discovered that Korean bees are more advanced in searching for honey than Western bees with some 120 different genes related to the senses of smell and taste.

[Soundbite] Jeong Je-won (Doctorate fellow at SNU (Author of thesis)) : "We confirmed that indigenous Korean bees were superb in their senses of smell and taste, particularly, sweetness."

The team has also discovered genes related to the production of honey and royal jelly, which is expected to be good news for beekeepers in Korea.

8. Entertainment News

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Turning 90 years old this year is Song Hae, the host of one of the longest running TV shows in Korea, the "National Song Contest" on KBS. He's embarking on a nationwide tour mark this important milestone in his life. This and more in our entertainment news round up.

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Song Hae, host of KBS' long-running TV show the "National Song Contest," and one of the oldest MCs in Korean broadcasting, will go on a nationwide tour to mark his 90th birthday. His management agency said that the tour will begin in Seoul on February 19th, to be followed by concerts in Busan and Changwon. The agency said the tour will feature a repertoire of sentimental songs that conjure up old memories of people who had to leave their hometowns and go through lives of hardship. The latest film by famed Korean director Im Kwon-taek, "Revivre," has been officially invited to the Critics' Week event of the Berlin International Film Festival which opens next month. The film, based on a story of the same title by novelist Kim Hoon, is about a man split between his dying wife and a young woman. The Berlin film festival's selection committee assessed that in his 102nd film, Im refused to adhere to the status quo and chose instead to attempt various experiments. Singer Kim Jang-hoon has apologized after he was caught smoking in a plane. He said he has absolutely no excuse for his conduct. Kim was caught smoking in the toilet of a Korean Air flight last month. He was slapped with fines of over 900 dollars on Monday on charges of violating the Aviation Security Act.

9. Korean Pet Culture

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The number of pet owners in Korea has reached ten million, and our four-legged friends are having a larger presence in daily life. But a growing number of people in Korea are looking beyond cats and dogs when it comes to pets. Here's more.

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This exhibition dedicated to pets is the largest of its kind in Korea. It showcases not only a diverse array of pets but also pet accessories, such as strollers and even blow-driers. In Korea, the number of pet owners has reached ten million. What's more, cats and dogs are no longer the only pets you can find in people's homes these days. Unusual pets like lizards are also gaining popularity. This parrot looks very quiet and reserved, but in fact it's a good dancer.

[Soundbite] Kim Jung-yeon (Gyeonggi Prov. Resident) : "It was fun to see these animals for the first time in my life. I pleaded with my mom to get a pet but she refused."

We visited a family that has some very unusual pets.

[Soundbite] "Hey, Choco!"

This raccoon was introduced to the family by a friend who is an animal trainer. It's very curious and can climb anywhere. Once it gets hold of something, it won't let it go.

[Soundbite] Kim Sang-cheol (Incheon Resident) : "I think it's helpful to learn how to raise a pet and what kind of habits they have."

Here's how to choose the right kind of pet for yourself.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Woong-jong (Cheonan Yonam College) : "People who live alone or spend a lot of time outside should get a cat rather than a dog because dogs need lots of attention from their owners."

If you're worried about fur, get a Maltese or a poodle, if you're looking for a puppy. When it comes to felines, get a short-haired breed such as a Sphynx cat or a Russian blue. Age is also an important factor to consider when choosing a pet.

[Soundbite] Prof. Chung Sung-gon (Seoul Hoseo Technical College) : "For children younger than 7 I recommend rabbits, hamsters and turtles. People of an advanced age are recommended to have dogs, which understand humans well."

Another point to bear in mind when you get a pet is that even though your pet is precious to you, it may cause inconvenience to others. Take great care of your pet and to always be courteous to others.