APPLES FROM HIGH LYING AREAS

[Anchor Lead]

The high-lying areas in Gangwon-do province located more than 600 meters above sea level are known for their high-quality apples, which have been grown there for ten years now. They have endured the scorching summer heat and typhoons, and their shipment is now in full swing.

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​This apple orchard is located 600 meters above sea level. The farmers are busy plucking red apples. Despite the record heat last summer and a series of typhoons, their apple harvest is similar to that of previous years.

[Soundbite] BYUN MYUNG-KEUN(APPLE FARMER) : "After trying our produce, consumers keep placing orders again and again. Some even say they cannot eat any other apples after trying those grown in Imgye, Jeongseon-gun County."

As a result of global warming, apple cultivation areas keep moving northward. This region began to grow apples in 2006. Its apples are known for their firmness, which can be observed from the clear sound they produce when tapped with a finger. Thanks to the wide gap between morning and daytime temperatures, apples grown here have a superb taste and outstanding quality. They cost around 10 percent more than apples cultivated in other regions, but they are in high demand and are even exported to Vietnam. The apples are sorted by size and sweetness using non-destructive sorters, and can be stored for up to five months in a low-temperature storage facility spanning 1,100 square meters.

[Soundbite] BYUN KI-HWAN(JEONGSEON-GUN IMGYE AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE) : "I believe that this will serve as an opportunity to promote the rich taste of Jeongseon apples and publicize their quality."

The high-lying areas of Gangwon-do Province, traditionally known for their cultivation of radishes, napa cabbages and potatoes, are reaping impressive profits these days by growing high-quality apples.