Sex Slavery Agreement

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Korea and Japan have reached an agreement on Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women after a year and 8 months of negotiations. The Japanese government has acknowledged responsibility while Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has offered an official apology. In return, Seoul confirmed that this is, in essence, the final solution to the comfort women issue.

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Seoul and Tokyo have declared a conclusion to the talks concerning Japan's wartime sexual slavery issue. The Japanese government acknowledged that the Japanese military was involved in wartime sexual slavery, which had left deep scars on the honor and dignity of many women. It was followed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's official apology.

[Soundbite] Fumio Kishida (Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister) : "As Prime Minister of the Japanese cabinet, Prime Minister Abe expresses his sincere apology and contrition to all who suffered hard-to-heal wounds."

This is the first time that Prime Minister Abe has made a statement of apology and contrition since he took office. As follow-up measures, Japan pledged to provide about 8.3 million dollars from government budget. Tokyo also promised to cooperate in assisting surviving victims when the Korean government establishes a foundation toward that purpose. The two countries also agreed to refrain from criticizing each other over Japan's wartime sexual slavery issue on the international stage.

2. Points of Contention

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There is optimism that the Seoul-Tokyo agreement will help improve bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan. A few points of contention remain before the issue can be considered resolved.

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As recently as last year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe denied the Japanese government's involvement in the conscription of Korean women as comfort women, citing a lack of evidence.

[Soundbite] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Oct. 2014) : "Groundless slander is spreading across the world that Japan systematically conscripted Korean women as sex slaves.


Observers say that drawing an apology from the Japanese government led by the conservative Abe Cabinet has provided an opportunity to improve bilateral relations between Seoul and Tokyo. However, it remains unclear whether Japan's wording of acknowledging its responsibility refers to legal responsibility, leaving room for interpretation. Additional contentious issues remain, as Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said that the Japanese government-funded budget is not to be interpreted as compensation. Another thorny issue is the relocation of the statue of a girl symbolizing Korean comfort women in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul. Taking into account the sensitive nature of the issue of the statue's relocation, the South Korean government plans to carefully discuss the matter with relevant organizations while gauging public opinion.

3. NK’s Struggling Dam

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On a trip to North Korea’s largest power plant, the Supung Dam on the Yalu River, KBS has discovered the facility only operates between two and three hours a day due to outdated equipment and severe droughts. The underperforming dam is making the lives of North Koreans even more difficult than usual.

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After about an hour's drive along the Yalu River from Dandong, China the news team comes to a towering cement wall next to a large sign featuring a pro-government slogan. It's Supung Dam, the largest power plant in North Korea, capable of producing 800,000 kilowatts of electricity. But even after many hours, the power plant is not showing any signs of operation. Some of the water sluices have been opened to let out water downstream from time to time.

[Soundbite] (Chinese Employee of Supung Dam) : "There was a water shortage from this spring. The plant was running all day long when water was plenty, but now it runs only 2-3 hours a day."

On top of the year-long drought, the plant is rendered powerless with outdated equipment. The so-called "Joseon Street" in Dandong, China caters mainly to North Korean traders. In this neighborhood featuring signs in Korean, the hottest-selling product is the solar-paneled power generator. The worsening power shortage is compelling North Koreans to find solutions on their own. The contrasting nightscapes of China's Dandong shining with blazing lights and North Korea's Sinuiju blanketed in darkness demonstrate North Korea's power scarcity.

4. Autonomous Fire Alert

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When a fire breaks out and nobody’s home to call in the fire department, it can do devastating damage. A Korean team has developed a system that autonomously detects changes in room temperature to report fires in an exciting development in the Internet of Things.

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Fierce flames snarl out of a window. The fire broke out when a restaurant owner left a gas stove unattended. In the future, it will be possible to report fires in real time even if they occur without any people present. A sensor is attached to an indoor wall of a guest house in Seoul. It collects information on the temperature, humidity and dust within a 30-meter radius. In particular, the sensor sends emergency messages to the home owner and the local emergency response center if the temperature rises above 70 degrees Celsius, indicating a fire. Firefighters will be able to respond swiftly, as the message will contain information such as the address, contact number and interior temperature.

[Soundbite] Kim Si-young (Guest House Owner) : "The alarms and text messages arrive even when I am asleep at night. That eases concerns that guests may have."

Emergency report services that make use of the Internet of Things are expected to be expanded even further in the future.

5. Multi-Cultural Support

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More than 200,000 children born of multicultural families are growing up in Korea. Although overt prejudice is on the decline, adjusting to school life in Korea remains a daunting challenge. One of their greatest difficulties is communicating in Korean.

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Seven-year-old Hong-rim came to Korea in October with his Chinese parents. He is scheduled to enter elementary school early next year and was having trouble learning the Korean language. Luckily, he took part in a kindergarten's individual language program and came to master basic Korean in just three months.

[Soundbite] Lee Yu-jeong (Kindergarten Teacher) : "He couldn't speak Korean at first, but as he became more confident with language, his social skills developed together as well."

[Soundbite] "It's soft and cushy."

This year the Ministry of Education has designated for the first time 30 multicultural kindergartens with special language programs. Ga-eun, whose mother is from the Philippines, studied Korean for 15 minutes every day through this program.

[Soundbite] Lee Ga-eun (7-yr-old Student) : "I learned a lot of words. Now I can write letters to my friends."

But such opportunities are provided to only 0.2% or around 300 out of 110,000 preschool-aged children from multicultural families. The Education Ministry plans to increase the number of multicultural kindergartens next year, but that's only possible when budget and personnel problems are solved.

6. Hands-On Science

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When it comes to difficult scientific principles, dry book-based learning in the classroom can discourage children. Fortunately, winter vacation offers numerous hands-on opportunities for young students interested in science.

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Children dangle from a tall wall. It looks dangerous at first glance, but they are actually lying down. It is a hands-on activity that uses optical illusions created by a mirror's angle of reflection.

[Soundbite] Yoo Jae-hun (High School Sophomore) : "By experiencing the things that I learned in school, I can understand and remember them easily."

A robot moves its arms and legs in a perfect imitation of a child's motions. There is also a robot that can be controlled using a smartphone.

[Soundbite] Nam Min-woo (Marketing Official, Robot Taekwon V Museum) : "It is a robot through which children can realize their ideas based on programming they can learn in any Internet environment."

Electricity spreads out in the air, making sounds of electric shocks. It is artificial lightning created using high-voltage electric power. Children generate electricity themselves and learn the principles of waves by shaking a spring. They also learn the effects invisible viruses can have on the human body through hands-on activities. Science education through first-hand experience is expanding from basic principles to future developments such as information and communication technologies.

7. Transforming Bookstores

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Bookstores are undergoing a major transformation these days in order to lure customers and survive the intensifying competition represented by their online counterparts. Here’s more.

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This large bookstore in downtown Seoul has two reading tables, each 11.5 meters long, placed side by side in the middle of the store. The tables can accommodate about a hundred people at a time. Visiting customers can read books here like they do in a library.

[Soundbite] Sohn Ah-young (Seoul Resident) : "I come here more often lately and I stay longer as well. It encourages me to think more about purchasing books."

One of the sections at the store features an art exhibition where customers can appreciate and buy works of art.

[Soundbite] Nam Sung-ho (Head of Kyobo Book Center Gwanghwamun) : "Our goal is not to sell books but rather to make customers want to spend time at our store."

It's late in the evening, but the lights at this small bookstore in Seoul are still on. A book author is personally teaching a drawing class. Meeting with writers in person and learning about culture through lectures are the biggest charm of small bookstores. Bookstores continue their transformation to lure customers by presenting them with opportunities to get up close and personal with books and their creators and enjoy culture.

8. Entertainment News

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Girl group A-Pink will be the only K-pop artist to represent Korea at an upcoming music awards ceremony in Taiwan. Here's more from the world of culture.

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Girl group A-Pink will attend the KKBOX Music Awards, which will be held at the Taipei Arena in Taiwan on January 24th. The KKBOX Music Awards are a prestigious ceremony held in Taiwan. A-Pink is the only Korean artist to have been invited. A-Pink's song "Mister Chu" has become a huge hit in Taiwan, where it topped a weekly music album sales chart even though the group did not perform locally. Music group Voice of Soul (V.O.S.) is to make a comeback as a trio with a new album entitled "Reunion, The Real" on January 13th. The latest album is the first to be released by original members Choi Hyun-joon, Park Ji-hun and Kim Kyung-rok in six years and eight months. Until recently only two members of V.O.S. performed together. Actor Song Il-gook, mostly known lately as the father of triplets, will make a comeback in the epic historical drama "Jang Young Sil." Song said his reputation as the father of triplets helped him to land the lead role in the production. "Jang Young Sil," which is to premiere on January 2nd, is about a prominent inventor and scientist of the Joseon era who overcame his low social status to rise to the position of government official.

9. Yum Yum TV Series #10

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Few can resist the temptation of a sweet dessert to wrap up a nice meal. For many, dessert is a must even after a full hearty dinner. In today's edition of our special Yum Yum TV series we introduce a wide variety of desserts and their origins.

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France is one of the first countries to come in mind when you think about dessert. One iconic French dessert is the macaron.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lim Mi-ra (Seoul Arts-Occupational Training College) : "The macaron arrived in France in the 16th century when the Italian Catherine de Medici brought it upon marrying Henry II of france."

The sweet confection is made by first making a meringue with almond powder, confectioner's sugar, and egg whites. Pipe the meringue on a tray to make round cookies and bake them in the oven. Then sandwich some filling between the two cookies to complete a macaron. Other well-known French desserts include mille-feuille and eclair.

[Soundbite] "Eclair means "a flash of lightning" in French. They say it was named such because it was eaten quickly like lightning."

Mille-feuille means "a thousand leaves" in French. It's characterized by puff pastries with more flaky layers than ordinary ones. Let's see which delectable dessert awaits us in England. English dessert is represented by this jiggly pudding.

[Soundbite] "The original pudding was made by British sailors who, during their long voyages, steamed a mixture of leftover bread crumbs, flour, fruits, and eggs wrapped in a piece of cloth."

The Italian dessert cannoli originated in the Sicily region. Tube-shaped pastry shells are filled with cream and topped with nuts, fruits or chocolate.

[Soundbite] Cameron Khan (From U.K.) : "Another classic Italian dessert is tiramisu, which means "pick me up," the perfect name for a cake that's sure to cheer people up. Lady's fingers dipped in coffee are layered with mascarpone cheese and cream and flavored with cocoa for a bittersweet kick. These sweet and colorful desserts are enough to delight the eyes and tongue by themselves. But knowing and appreciating their origins makes them all the more delicious."