N. KOREA RESTORES GUARD POSTS

N. KOREA RESTORES GUARD POSTS

[Anchor Lead]
North Korea has begun restoring the frontline guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone previously dismantled under the 9.19 military agreement. The redeployment of troops and heavy weapons to these posts marks a notable departure from earlier commitments, heightening concerns over regional stability.

[Pkg]
Several North Korean troops surround a white wooden structure. A few days later, the structure is painted in a spotted pattern. These images disclosed by the South Korean military have been taken by surveillance equipment on the eastern front since Nov. 24. North Korea has restored frontline guard posts in the DMZ that were removed after the signing of the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement and dispatched troops there. Behind the trenches built for guard duty, North Korean troops can be seen moving with heavy firearms such as recoilless rifles. Thermal observation devices also show North Korean troops standing guard during night hours. Following the agreement, Pyongyang completely dismantled its border guard posts. One of the posts was preserved, but all the troops and equipment were withdrawn from it. While there have been sporadic military activities in the area, the North did not build new observation posts, nor did it deploy firearms there, like it did this time. Seoul's military says similar things are happening at all 11 guard posts that the North had dismantled or scrapped. It added that the regime has restored existing facilities and is building encampments near the guard posts. The North has also opened more coastal artillery gates facing the South in addition to two gates per base. The military says the number of open gates is in the double digits and that there has been a surge in the number of locations and open gates of coastal artillery.

"NEED TO COUNTER N. KOREA"

[Anchor Lead]
In light of this move, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo has announced that South Korea also plans to restore its Guard Posts. This decision comes as a direct response to North Korea's continuous violation of the September 19 Military Agreement, deeming it appropriate for South Korea to undertake measures corresponding to North Korea's armament activities within the zone.

[Pkg]
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo is stressing the need for self-defense countermeasures in response to North Korea's military provocations. Kim says the South Korean military had recently restored border surveillance and reconnaissance because Pyongyang test-fired an ICBM and launched a spy satellite. He added it would be right for Seoul to take corresponding measures in response to the North Korean army's restoration of DMZ guard posts.

[Soundbite]
Kim Tae-hyo (Principal Deputy Nat’l Security Adviser): We can't just sit and watch when N. Korea fortifies its guard posts and threatens us right before our eyes.

The principal deputy national security adviser says Pyongyang has violated the inter-Korean military agreement repeatedly, so there is no need for Seoul to hold additional cabinet meetings or suspend the remaining provisions of the agreement when devising its response. Meanwhile, Kim expressed hope for the vote to determine the venue of the 2030 World Expo on Tuesday night. He said President Yoon spoke with several world leaders by phone up until Kim's appearance on KBS, and that the government will do its best to win the bid to host the event.

[Soundbite]
Kim Tae-hyo (Principal Deputy Nat’l Security Adviser): After working fiercely there comes a moment when the world quiets down and becomes peaceful. I think that moment is very close.

Regarding the South Korea-Japan-China trilateral summit, Kim said it could take place early next year or in the first half of 2024, as the foreign ministers of the three nations met in person two days ago. Kim added the president's recent trips to the U.K. and France were meaningful because the two major European countries regard highly the emergence of South Korea as a central nation of the Indo-Pacific region.

LAST PUSH FOR EXPO

[Anchor Lead]
In France, the race is on as the government ramps up its final push for the 2030 World Expo vote, targeting those crucial undecided votes. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's determined and robust campaign poses a significant challenge, intensifying the race for the Expo’s hosting rights.

[Pkg]
A government delegation has arrived in Paris for a final pitch for Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo plans to hold as many meetings as possible with delegates from member states of the governing body Bureau International des Expositions.

[Soundbite]
Park Sung-keun (Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff (Nov. 27, local time)): The PM will meet with some countries to try to win them over. We will consolidate our support base while persuading states supporting Saudi.

His strategy is to identify each country's needs for economic cooperation and highlight business opportunities they can have with Korea. But the delegation will not reveal the details of his schedule and activities, including which and how many of the 182 member countries he's meeting. This is out of concerns that Saudi Arabia, Korea's biggest rival in the race, could learn about Korea's strategy and use it against the nation. Bolstered by active support from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has maintained an advantage over Korea from the start. However, it appears to be on alert by Busan's recent rise. In order to keep its supporters, Saudi Arabia is promising African countries export assistance worth 10 billion U.S. dollars. Riyadh is known to have asked member states supporting it to send high-level figures so they can directly cast ballots. The Korean government says it is employing tailored tactics in response to this aggressive campaign by Saudi Arabia, expecting that the runoff vote will be decisive.

LOOKING BACK ON EXPO CAMPAIGN

[Anchor Lead]
Busan has been vigorously campaigning to host the 2030 World Expo for the past nine years, starting with a citywide signature drive and progressing through the Bureau International des Expositions' rigorous inspections, to the intense competition among candidate cities. Today, we look into the highlights of Busan's determined journey to win this prestigious event.

[Pkg]
Southern port city Busan first unveiled its bid to host the 2030 World Expo in July of 2014 and from the following year, kicked off its Expo campaign including a signature drive of one million people. The city formally submitted its application to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in June 2021. Then the campaign somewhat lost momentum for about a year due to presidential and provincial elections before marking a turning point in May 2022. The Expo bid was included among key state goals selected by the newly elected Yoon Suk Yeol administration. An Expo steering committee that launched two months later included 29 politicians and business tycoons.

[Soundbite]
PM Han Duck-soo (Co-chair, Expo bid committee (July 2022)): The World Expo is not an exclusive event for Busan alone but a national agenda that should unite all Koreans.

The BIE, the world body overseeing the Expo, held an onsite inspection of Busan in April this year. Busan showcased its natural environment, culture and future technology and impressed the inspection team with the passionate support of local citizens.

[Soundbite]
Dimitri Kerkentzes (Secretary General, BIE (April)):

As announced in June, the competition narrowed to a 3-way race between Busan, Rome and Riyadh. In a presentation session, President Yoon underscored the role of a Busan Expo as a platform of solidarity to tackle global challenges such as the climate crisis.

[Soundbite]
Yoon Suk Yeol (President (June)):

The aggregate distance covered by government and corporate officials in the past year or so to promote the Expo bid around the world totals a length of having circled the planet 495 times.

NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]
A standstill order imposed at cattle farms nationwide to prevent the spread of lumpy skin disease has been lifted. Authorities have decided to allow the movement of cattle in and out of farms if no problems are found with cows in clinical testing conducted after 3 weeks of vaccination. The Central Disasters Management Headquarters said the decision was made amid a sharp drop in LSD cases and reduced risk of transmission.
Police have lifted a travel ban imposed on G-Dragon of K-pop group BigBang a month ago over suspected drug use. The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency decided not to extend the ban on the singer, which expired Saturday. However, the police requested a travel ban extension for actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" who is also accused of illegal drug use.

BLACK FRIDAY IN KOREA

[Anchor Lead]
In the United States, the massive discount event known as Black Friday has commenced. South Korean businesses, facing sluggish sales, have aligned their own substantial discount events with this period. Amidst high inflation, consumers are showing a noticeable response to these discounted prices.

[Pkg]
This store is packed with shoppers even on a weekday afternoon. A domestic clothing retailer has been holding a discount event of up to 80% since last week, with about half of all stores participating.

[Soundbite]
Song Chang-hoon (Seoul resident): I came to buy what I put in my cart at the online mall. But I found and purchased better ones for discounted prices.

The event is being held simultaneously with the Black Friday period in the U.S. On the first day, the company saw its sales jump more than 40 percent on-year.

[Soundbite]
Joo Seong-ho (Musinsa): Customers looking for reasonable deals come to grab good products from us for reasonable prices.

Online discount events are also attracting consumers. When holding a discount event in mid-November, an online market saw its sales increase some 20 percent, compared to pre-event levels.

[Soundbite]
Park Dong-jin (Seoul resident): It is still expensive, since their original prices were high. But the word discount makes them feel cheaper.

Amid an economic slump and inflation, retailers are using discount events as a last resort to boost sales. However, some say it is a stopgap measure.

[Soundbite]
Prof. Sung Tae-yoon (Yonsei University): It can be a short-term measure that will unlikely produce lasting effects unless the current economic slump and inflation are resolved.

Retailers are hoping that Black Friday events will help restore consumer sentiment.

DANGEROUS PHOTO-OP SPOTS

[Anchor Lead]
Across scenic sites like Jeju-do Island, the pursuit of the ultimate 'lifetime photo' is leading to a worrying trend. Numerous accidents are occurring as visitors flock to these often dangerous spots to capture their perfect shot.

[Pkg]
A cliff near Oedolgae Rock, a popular tourist destination in Jeju-do Island. Paramedics carry a man on a stretcher from the precipitous cliff. Last weekend, a man in his 50s fell from the eight-meter-high cliff, sustaining serious injuries including head trauma. While taking photos on the rock, he lost his balance and fell off the edge. Over the weekend, a man in his 60s died after falling some 100 meters from the summit of Hwangmaesan Mountain in Hapcheon-gun County, Gyeongsangnam-do Province. This tragedy also happened, while he was taking pictures at the top. In May, a man fell to a seashore rock and sustained injuries while taking photos near a coastal road in Jeju.

[Soundbite]
Goh Byung-sook (Jeju resident): It is dangerous on a nice day. But, it looks even more dangerous on windy days.

Many of the popular, famous photo-op spots in tourist destinations can become dangerous, as visitors take bigger risks to snap good pictures. Due to frequent accidents, some locations end up banning public access. For example, access is blocked to this coastal area in Jeju, called Blue Hall.

[Soundbite]
Kang Soon-ho (Seogwipo Coast Guard): It is precipitous so it is difficult for rescue workers to reach and save those who fall here.

Despite the ban, many tourists access the location to take photos, causing trouble for rescue authorities. In August last year, a man was drowning after falling from Saengikijeong Cliff in Jeju. Because access is not easy, it was time-consuming for rescue workers to reach and save him. Ever since the accident, public access to the cliff has been banned. However, nine tourists were caught entering the prohibited area this summer alone.