PPP STRUGGLES TO SWAY VOTERS

PPP STRUGGLES TO SWAY VOTERS

[Anchor Lead]
With the general election just ten days away, both parties ramped up their campaigning on the weekend. People Power Party's Chairman Han Dong-hoon announced a 'free childcare' initiative and warned that the opposition's gaining 200 seats could lead to a constitutional amendment to strip 'freedom' from 'liberal democracy.' He urged support for the People Power Party to avert this.

[Pkg]
On the first Sunday of the official election campaign period, PPP interim chief Han Dong-hoon stumped the capital area as his party is grappling with various issues.

[Soundbite]
Kim Hack-yong (People Power Party (candidate in Anseong)): What the citizens need most is a railway.

[Soundbite]
Han Dong-hoon (Chair, PPP Emergency Committee): Would that be possible without Kim Hack-yong? Can Anseong grow without him?

Han pledged to increase childcare subsidies by providing free care to children 5 and older. Support will also be expanded in phases for children ages 3 to 4. Han sounded humble and desperate in his speech. He promised that his party will strive to meet the expectations of the public.

[Soundbite]
Han Dong-hoon (Chair, PPP Emergency Committee): They say our tears are crocodile tears. But isn't it DP chair who really deserves to be called that?

The PPP interim chief also called for securing the minimum number of parliamentary seats needed to block constitutional amendment.

[Soundbite]
Han Dong-hoon (Chair, PPP Emergency Committee): They want to take the word 'free' out of free democratic basic order stipulated by the Constitution. They want to make Korea a different country. Do you think it's an exaggeration? The Moon administration actually tried to make that happen.

People Future Party Election Committee chief Ihn Yo-han also described the situation as "tense." One PPP lawmaker even called for the president's public apology and cabinet reshuffle, because if the current situation continues, the PPP could suffer a major defeat in the upcoming general elections.

DP CHAIR STUMPS IN CONSTITUENCY

[Anchor Lead]
Since the election campaign began, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has focused on supporting candidates in key battlegrounds. Yesterday, he visited his constituency in Gyeyang, Incheon. He cautioned voters against being swayed by what he termed the government and ruling party's "crocodile tears" and "plea strategy," emphasizing the importance of not falling for these tactics.

[Pkg]
On Saturday, Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung focused his campaigning on the so-called "Hangang River belt in Seoul. On Sunday, he stumped in his constituency, Gyeyang-gu District in Incheon. He went to a local church to attend an Easter service, where he was seen sitting next to his ruling party rival Won Hee-ryong. He asked voters not to be swayed by what he called the ruling party's plea strategy.

[Soundbite]
Lee Jae-myung (Chair, Democratic Party): If we let this pass, they'll think "just kneel and cry when urgent is enough.“ We must not fall for their plea, tears or bowing tactics.

It appears to be a strategy to win over votes, as the ruling party is pleading for another chance, saying it is reflecting on its faults. The DP, however, did not take action on allegations of speculative property investments and illegitimate loans involving party candidates. However, the party is closely watching the situation and its repercussions, due to the high sensitivity of real estate issues and the potential for swaying young and centrist voters.

[Soundbite]
Lee Jae-myung (Chair, Democratic Party (Mar.31)): DP candidates are not free of problems. But exaggerating issues to unjustly criticize and oppress using power is problematic.

Other smaller parties were also busy appealing to voters. Leaders of the Justice Party and the New Future Party canvassed the capital area. The New Reform Party stumped in Chungcheong-do Province while the Rebuilding Korea Party campaigned in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do Province.

YOON REAFFIRMS MEDICAL REFORM

[Anchor Lead]
President Yoon Suk Yeol has reiterated the need to increase the enrollment quota for medical schools. However he showed a shift in his stance over the scale of the increase, saying that it is negotiable if the medical community makes a proposal that is deemed more feasible and reasonable than the government’s plan. In a public address on the government’s plan to increase medical school enrollment and reform the medical sector, he said monday that the government policy can change in a positive way if better opinions and rational bases are presented. The president called on doctors’ groups to propose scientific, unified opinions explaining why they oppose the enrollment hike, instead of taking collective action.

GIRL DIES AFTER HOSPITAL REFUSAL

[Anchor Lead]
Amidst the ongoing healthcare vacuum, a tragic incident unfolded in Boeun-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, where a 33-month-old child, found in a state of cardiac arrest after falling into a ditch, passed away after being denied transfer to a superior hospital on nine occasions. Health authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the refusal by the hospitals involved to accept the transfer.

[Pkg]
There is a meter-deep puddle next to a greenhouse. Around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, a 33-month-old girl fell in it. She was found in cardiac arrest.

[Soundbite]
(Village Resident (VOICE MODIFIED)): She said hello to me yesterday. But I heard she passed.

An emergency crew came to transport her to a nearby hospital. Her pulse came back after about an hour of drug treatment and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The hospital thought she needed more treatment and asked a larger general hospital to take her. Nine hospitals in the Chungcheong region and even the Seoul metropolitan area were contacted but they all refused. Their excuses were that they didn't have any bed in the pediatric intensive care ward or that the patient's condition was too unstable.

[Soundbite]
Kim Hyeong-seong (○○ Hospital in Boeun): We asked the hospitals even in the capital region, but their pediatric intensive care wards were full.

The girl again went into cardiac arrest an hour after her pulse had returned. It was around 7:30 p.m. when a hospital in Daejeon called to say they could admit her. But she was pronounced dead about ten minutes later. It isn't clear whether her cause of death was a lack of additional treatment. Health authorities are investigating the hospitals that had refused to admit her. An employee of a high-level general hospital said the decision was made given the likelihood of her condition getting worse during the transfer and her death had nothing to do with shorthanded medical staff. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it will look into the girl's vital signs at the time and whether her condition was good enough to be transferred.

RURAL VILLAGES DISAPPEARING

[Anchor Lead]
The decline in the youth population has brought the issue of 'rural extinction' to the forefront as a pressing national challenge. The lack of suitable job opportunities for young people in rural areas is exacerbating this phenomenon. We visited Cheongsong-gun County in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, as a key example of areas facing the risk of rural extinction.

[Pkg]
A house stands empty in the middle of a village. The window panes are bare and the ceiling has collapsed. Five out of 20 houses in the village are vacant. It was once a bustling town. But the area's steady decline evokes a feeling of loss and resignation among the residents.

[Soundbite]
Kim Wuk-chu (Former Village Chief, Bugok-ri, Cheongsong-gun County): At its peak, we had 140 houses. Now, life isn't as joyful.

Only elderly people remain in the village. Their children have all gone off to bigger cities. They can't farm anymore because of a lack of manpower.

[Soundbite]
Heo Yu-sun (Cheongsong-gun Resident): No one's in their 50s. It's all 60s and 70s, heading to the senior center. Farming's become impossible.

Young people remain in or return to the rural village only when they carry on their family businesses like farming. There are no decent jobs for the young people except for farming.

[Soundbite]
Koo Gang-hoi (Cheongsong-gun Resident): There are very few things that young people can do except for farming.

Even those who return to the village find it hard to adjust. There aren't enough medical and educational institutions nearby...and it's hard to expect a stable income from farming.

[Soundbite]
Kim Jae-yeong (Cheongsong-gun Resident): Money from farming comes in a lump sum after a year of hard work. Not many young people can wait that long.

Young people head to big cities in search of jobs...and the villages grow more desolate. A vicious cycle of decline and neglect is repeated in the dwindling villages.

[Soundbite]
Nobody comes back to their hometown. Everything will end when we die.

SUPPORT FOR FARMING AREAS

[Anchor Lead]
In response, the government has unveiled a strategy for a "New Rural" initiative. Moving beyond the traditional view of the countryside as merely land for farming, the goal is to transform these areas into spaces where anyone can live comfortably and discover new opportunities.

[Pkg]
Supporting startups based on farming without requiring direct participation in it that's the first idea on ways to promote a new type of farming.

[Soundbite]
Song Mi-ryung (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs): Rural areas should not be limited to farming only. They should be open to the public so that anyone can live, work or rest there.

Under this plan, any businesses or young entrepreneurs that create jobs, be it hospitality businesses set in a bucolic environment or childcare services in rural areas, will receive government support. This realistic plan was laid out as farms make only around 10 million won, or about 7500 dollars, in annual income. Regulations with regard to location will be eased by establishing opportunity development special zones of rural type in areas where farms are on the verge of extinction. The government will also expand support for smart farming using information technology and big data.

[Soundbite]
Song Mi-ryung (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs): Smart farming will be essential in the future for attracting young people to engage in farming amid severe ageing in rural areas.

Of some 130,000 empty houses nationwide, 66,000 are located in rural areas. To utilize them, a special regulation will be devised to remake them into lodging facilities, and an online platform will be set up to make it easy to buy and sell them.

[Soundbite]
Song Mi-ryung (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs): Many people want to work in cities but spend their weekends in rural areas. If we attract them to rural areas proactively, we could solve the issue of farming shortage and extinction.

Regarding the prices of apples, pears and spinach, the agriculture minister said the retail prices of major agricultural produce are being stabilized to some extent and the government will continue to fund discounts for them until their prices fall to the levels seen in previous years.

"AGRO PRICES WILL SOON STABILIZE"

[Anchor Lead]
The government predicts that prices of farm products will go down to normal levels within this month. Appearing on a KBS program on Sunday, Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said that the injection of 150 billion won or over 110 million U.S. dolalrs in state funds for stabilizing agricultural product prices is starting to take effect. She added fruit prices will stabilize to usual levels once Korean melons and other local fruits hit the market this month. She added her ministry is in close discussions with other government agencies on how to secure funds. Regarding possible imports of Japanese apples, the minister said that it is hard to predict the timing.

KBS ORCHESTRA'S 800TH CONCERT

[Anchor Lead]
During national ceremonies and various events, the national anthem is played, and most of them are played by the KBS Symphony Orchestra. As a leading symphony orchestra representing Korea, the KBS Symphony Orchestra has now built a golden tower with its 800th regular concert. Here's more.

[Pkg]
The KBS Symphony Orchestra has remained at the top of the nation's classical music scene. The orchestra has held concerts at home and abroad...and performed together with world-class musicians to share the beauty of classical music. KBS Symphony Orchestra made its debut in December 1956 by performing a symphony for the first time in Korea. It also traveled to the United States, Japan and other countries for dozens of concerts. It has been present at historic moments as a representative of Korea, such as the concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations and Korea's liberation. Starting with Lim Won-sik, the first chief conductor, world-renowned maestros, such as Chung Myung-whun, Dmitri Kitayenko, and Yoel Levi, have led the orchestra.

[Soundbite]
Chung Myung-whun (Ex-Chief Conductor, KBS Symphony Orchestra (2022)): I feel good whenever I come here. I always hope to be a help to the orchestra.

The orchestra reached another monumental milestone with its 800th regular concert. It has held 800 monthly concerts over the past 68 years.

[Soundbite]
Choi Byung-ho (Assistant Concertmaster, KBS Symphony Orchestra): Reaching the 900th or 1,000th concert doesn't seem far off. I think we can easily achieve it if we continue to work hard, people keep supporting us.

The KBS Symphony Orchestra embarks on a new challenge in May, collaborating with world-class orchestras, such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.