Korea-Japan 50th

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President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the two country’s bilateral diplomatic ties hosted by respective embassies. The anniversary celebrations may provide a breakthrough for Korea-Japan relations and even make a summit possible before the year's end.

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President Park Geun-hye is to attend a reception marking the 50th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic ties hosted at the Japanese Embassy in Korea. The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae announced that President Park will give a congratulatory speech at the reception held in Seoul on Monday evening. Likewise, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend an anniversary reception slated to be held at the Korean Embassy in Tokyo. Cheong Wa Dae said that the two leaders' presence at the receptions are expected to steer the bilateral ties toward a more productive future. The erstwhile Korea-Japan relationship, which has been rather chilly lately, is likely to improve rapidly as the two leaders decided to attend each other's events celebrating the normalization of bilateral diplomatic ties. These gestures of reconciliation are even projected to bring about a Korea-Japan summit before the year's end.

2. Diplomatic Meeting

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Foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan held a meeting in Tokyo to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Japan seems to have agreed to clarify its wartime conscription of Korean people as forced laborers while seeking to win UNESCO Heritage listings for its Meiji Era industrial facilities.

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Amid icy Seoul-Tokyo relations, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se has visited Japan for the first time in four years. The meeting between the two top diplomats began immediately with discussions regarding pending issues, without introductory remarks. A tangible result was achieved with the two sides finding common ground over Japan's bid to win UNESCO Heritage listings for its industrial revolution-era relics. Japan virtually agreed to put up signs showing that seven of the relics were sites where Koreans were forced into labor under Japanese colonial rule.

[Soundbite] Yun Byung-se(Foreign Affairs Minister) : "Both countries have agreed to help each other win our bids for UNESCO Heritage listings."

Regarding the issue of Japan's wartime sex slavery, the ministers failed to narrow differences on sensitive matters, despite the progress made in the previous eight rounds of director-level talks. They agreed to keep trying to reach an accord.

[Soundbite] Fumio Kishida(Japanese Foreign Minister) : "We have agreed to continue to persistently discuss the comfort women issue."

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will pay a return visit to South Korea within the year. An agreement was also struck to hold a South Korean-Japanese summit.

3. Electricity Rate Relief

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The government has decided to lower the electricity rate for single-family houses for three months starting in July. Also, government subsidies for small and medium-sized businesses and low-income households will be increased. Here are some changes expected for electricity bills this summer.

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From refrigerators and air purifiers to air conditioners - using these appliances can cause your electricity bill to spike in the summer, since a progressive rate is applied to electricity consumption.

[Soundbite] Park Eun-hee(Homemaker) : "During vacation, the children keep the air conditioner on all day long. The bill is enormous, but we cannot turn it off."

The monthly average electric energy consumption for this four-person household is in the 200 kilowatt-hour range, but the figure jumps to above 300 kilowatts in July and August. In those months, their power bill nearly triples. But they won't have to pay as much this coming summer. That's because the basic rate for the 300 to 400 kilowatt-hour range will be lowered to $1.45, same as the previous segment. The usage charge per kilowatt hour also shrinks by nearly 10 cents. Almost 6.5 million households are expected to save an average of more than seven dollars a month from this change. For small and medium-sized businesses, or SMEs, electricity charges on Saturdays will be halved. This new system will be implemented for one year starting this August, and applied for only 12 hours on Saturdays. This molding company, which pays more than 2,700 dollars a month for electricity, now stands to save about 72 dollars. The government expects the latest improvements in the electric rate system to save people almost 569 million dollars in total.

4. Exploring the DMZ

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Sixty-five years have passed since the outbreak of the Korean War. But South and North Korea technically remain in a state of war. A KBS team has visited the Military Demarcation Line, which stands as a testament to the high tensions between the two Koreas.

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This military unit, located at the end of the eastern front, is in charge of guarding the GOP barbed-wire fence and the shoreline. Scenario-based situational training is necessary, as North Korean soldiers have often defected to South Korea through this area.

[Soundbite] "Put your hands over your head and come forward from the barbed-wire fence."

In addition to the soldiers' tight vigilance, a state-of-the-art security system plays an important role. This cutting-edge camera installed last year closely monitors the areas near the barbed-wire fence around the clock. A North Korean guard post looks almost close enough to grasp from this unit, located at the western tip of the Military Demarcation Line. Private Nam Tae-wan is the third man in his family to serve in this unit, following his father and grandfather. The duty of guarding the barbed-wire fence at the frontline feels special for Nam, as it was once carried out by his grandfather.

[Soundbite] Private Nam Tae-wan(Guard Post, 1st Division) : "I am carrying on a third-generation family tradition of serving at this GOP. I will guard the GOP vigilantly."

With continued North Korean provocations and threats ahead of the 65th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, South Korean soldiers on the frontline are determined to protect and defend their nation.

5. "ECMO" Treatment

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In the recent outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome patients of the viral disease are showing different reactions: some recover after suffering flu-like symptoms while others suffer far worse consequences, even death as the disease progresses. In serious cases, a treatment called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, simply known as ECMO can save lives.

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This is an isolation chamber set aside by the state to treat MERS patients. The medical personnel install extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, to the patient's lungs, which have been damaged from the disease. This patient wouldn't be able to survive without ECMO. Lungs damaged from MERS cannot supply an adequate amount of oxygen, leading to the patient's death. This is when ECMO comes in. ECMO is a device that removes blood from a person's body, oxygenates it, and then returns it to the patient. In Korea, ECMO was used on eight MERS patients in serious condition. Three patients died, but three remain in stable condition and two have recovered. Currently, there are about ten hospitals nationwide, including university hospitals, that can perform ECMO properly. Public health authorities have said that when a patient's condition destabilizes, an ECMO response team will be dispatched to the patient to determine its use and the cost will be assumed entirely by the state.

6. Medical Innovations

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A study has found that some troublesome non-native plants are effective for preventing cavities and periodontitis. They can also be used for developing cosmetics or medicine. Here is the story

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This is Mount Gyeyang in Incheon. The slope is overgrown with giant ragweed. The prolific weed grows so quickly that it drives all other plants out. Giant ragweed appears completely useless, but it has turned out to have an application. It has been confirmed to have skin whitening effects through the suppression of pigments such as melanin, as well as anti-oxidant effects. This prickly lettuce, with thorns behind the leaves that resemble fish bones, also disturbs the ecological system in South Korea. But the plant is effective for preventing cavities and periodontitis. It has been found to be highly effective in sterilizing the germs mutans and gingivalis, the primary causes of cavities and periodontitis, respectively. Six types of plants that are non-native to Korea and disturb the ecosystem have been found to have previously unknown effects. They can now be used for the development cosmetic and medicinal products. The study result is expected to accelerate efforts to root out species that disrupt Korea's ecosystem.

7. Smartphone Society

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The number of smartphone users in Korea has surpassed 41 million. Now that smartphones have become an essential part of people's daily lives, web contents catering to diverse user needs also continue to evolve.

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For eight out of ten people in Korea, smartphones are an indispensable item. As a result, the development of web contents has been vibrant in the country. Webtoons, which used to be quite simple, are more reminiscent of animation films these days. Users can enjoy webtoons of various genres thanks to diverse special effects, realistic sounds and vivid images.

[Soundbite] Ha Il-kwon(Webtoon Writer) : "Webtoons used to feature plain images, but nowadays they have special effects and moving images, so writers can express their ideas more effectively."

Some webtoons consist only of three scenes to cater to mobile phone users, who mostly use their gadgets for short periods of time. Dramas produced specifically for the web are also gaining popularity. Even production firms specializing in conventional TV shows produce web dramas these days, with each episode lasting only seven minutes. Some web dramas recorded 1.6 million views per episode. Contents for smartphones are continuing to evolve in order to meet the diverse needs of the users of mobile devices.

8. Entertainment News

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Idol group EXO has swept the music charts of terrestrial TV channels with their new song. This and more from the world of show business coming up next.

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"Love Me Right," the latest track from idol group EXO, has topped the charts of all terrestrial TV channel music shows that aired last week, including KBS TV's "Music Bank." EXO has been holding concerts in major Asian cities such as Shanghai, Taipei and Bangkok in addition to its activities in Korea. The final episode of the KBS TV drama "The Producers," which aired on June 20, recorded viewer ratings of 17.7 percent, the highest since the drama's premiere. "The Producers" gained enormous popularity, with praise going to stars Kim Soo-hyun and singer IU as well as its plot about TV producers. A special episode about the drama's behind-the-scenes stories will air on June 26. Singer Baek Ah-yeon's song "Shouldn't Have..." which has been steadily climbing the nation's major music charts finally topped them a month after its release. The song ranked in the top 30 on the day of its release on May 20, but has maintained the top spot since June 13.

9. Stress Relief

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A uniquely Korean ailment called "hwabyeong" is caused by a build-up of stress and anger usually experienced by middle-aged Korean women. Now there are several ways to release all this pent up stress that you may have experienced for yourself.

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Screams and shouts are accompanied by the sounds of shattering objects.

[Soundbite] "Why don't you listen to what I say?"

[Soundbite] Choi Jong-ki(Stress Relief Room Owner) : "This is a room where people can release their stress by breaking things."

A specially designed soundproof wall is installed in the room to seal in the noise. The de-stress room's main customers are housewives who found out about it through word of mouth.

[Soundbite] "Can I really break all these?"

[Soundbite] "Yes, you can. They're going to be recycled anyway."

Putting on safety gear is a must before a customer begins her de-stressing ritual. Then she swings a baseball bat to smash everything in her sight. She must have had a lot of stress built up inside her.

[Soundbite] Yang Jeong-hee(Homemaker) : "My son, who's about to begin military service soon, is playing on the computer day and night. I feel much better after pouring out my anger towards him."

Next stop is a gym. These women's frustration at their household chores, children, and husbands is blown away after a round of rough but fun kick-boxing. Even the gym trainer staggers back at the onslaught of this member's punches and kicks.

[Soundbite] Park Yeon-hee(Homemaker) : "My husband isn't keeping his promise to drink less and quit smoking. So I punched with all my strength and the stress is gone. I feel great."

If their husbands saw these powerful punches and kicks, they wouldn't dare go against their wives' wishes. The hair salon is usually a place where women come to chat and unwind. But just getting a new hairdo is not enough to ease stress. So this hair salon provides a fun way to loosen up. It's a noraebang or a singing room surrounded by egg cartons and tucked in at the back of the shop.

[Soundbite] "It looks like a real cave. It's amazing."

Patrons of this hair salon can use the noraebang for free. Just when the shop owner and her customers were in the middle of a song, a red light began flashing.

[Soundbite] Choi Du-ri(Hairdresser) : "I have to work no matter how much I like to sing. I come right out when I see the warning light flash to tend to a customer."

Stress is the cause of all sorts of ailments. So don't let it build up inside you. Let it all out by engaging in these effective and fun de-stressing activities.