ONE-DAY GENERAL MED STRIKE

ONE-DAY GENERAL MED STRIKE

[Anchor Lead]
Since yesterday, Seoul National University medical professors have begun an indefinite walkout. Today, the Korean Medical Association is leading a nationwide strike involving local clinics and a large rally. The government is pushing back, calling the strike an illegal refusal of medical services and promising a firm response.

[Pkg]
The Korean Medical Association is encouraging major hospital professors, wage doctors as well as private practitioners, to take part in Tuesday’s collective one-day strike. Of the 35-thousand community hospitals nationwide, around 4% have reported that they will take the day off. But actual participation in the walkout may be higher as some community doctors plan to take part in the afternoon rally organized by the KMA after treating patients in the morning. In a statement to the public on Monday, the KMA stressed the strike is not to seek their own interest but a desperate effort to prevent a medical system collapse. Meanwhile, an emergency committee of medical professors at Seoul National University continued their walkout for the second day. The committee said 532 professors, more than half the total, suspended treatment on Monday. It noted that while emergency, critical care, and inpatient services continued as usual on Monday, outpatient services were reduced to focus on severe and intractable diseases. The other so-called "Big 5" hospitals also appear to join the collective action in the coming days. Professors at Asan Medical Center are expected to suspend services on a weekly basis from July 4. Yonsei University's medical school will enter an indefinite strike from June 27. The government has vowed a stern and firm response, viewing the walkouts as an illegal suspension of medical service. It has reported the KMA, seen as encouraging the strike, to the Fair Trade Commission on allegations of violating the fair trade act. The government will also file a complaint against doctors’ unilateral cancellation of patient care.

PUTIN TO VISIT N. KOREA

[Anchor Lead]
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea today, as both countries announced. This visit, the first in 24 years, could restore their former ‘military alliance.’ There is significant interest in whether the 1996 clause for ‘automatic military intervention’ will be reinstated.

[Pkg]
North Korea and Russia announced simultaneously on Monday evening that Russian President Vladimir Putin is to visit Pyongyang for a two-day stay starting Tuesday.

[Soundbite]
(N. Korean Central TV): President Putin will make a state visit to North Korea on June 18-19 at the invitation of our leader.

What draws particular attention this time is whether the two will restore the two country's military alliance, which didn't happen during Putin's first visit to the North in the year 2000. Back in 1961, Pyongyang and Moscow signed a treaty that included a clause for automatic military intervention. But it was scrapped in 1996 in line with Moscow's pursuit of balanced diplomacy. In 2000, there was only a joint statement saying the two should get in contact with each other immediately in the event of a military crisis. However, sources say during Putin's upcoming visit to the North the two sides will likely sign a military agreement close to an "automatic military intervention in times of war." It means that Russia will be allowed to intervene immediately if a war breaks out in North Korea. But given Moscow's relations with Seoul, the agreement will likely stipulate Russia's immediate and close consultation and cooperation" instead of an automatic military intervention." Pyongyang and Moscow are also likely to further elevate their military cooperation to regular security consultations, high-level military exchanges and even the resumption of joint military drills.

[Soundbite]
Doo jin-ho (Korea Institute for Defense Analyses): The new treaty will likely follow in the footsteps of the 1961 N. Korea-Soviet treaty by stipulating that the two sides agree to...continue regular strategic consultations.

Seoul responded to the Russian leader's upcoming visit to Pyongyang by hosting the Korea-China Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue to bolster its diplomatic relations with Beijing.

NK BARRICADES BORDER...TENSIONS↑

[Anchor Lead]
Tensions are escalating along the DMZ with North Korean troops crossing the Military Demarcation Line even early as this afternoon. North Korea is reinforcing tactical roads and may be constructing walls in the area. In response, South Korea has returned its operational procedures for frontline areas to pre-September 19th Military Agreement protocols.

[Pkg]
At the time of the signing of the Korean War armistice agreement on July 27, 1953, 1,292 posts were installed along the border from Gyodongdo in the west to Myunghori in Goseong, Gangwondo Province to the east, spaced an average of 200 meters apart. Some 600 of them are managed by the UN Command and around 590 by North Korea. The virtual line that connects these posts is called the Military Demarcation Line. Using GPS-based surveillance equipment, the South Korean military can monitor, in real time, the exact coordinates of the MDL set by the UNC as well as whether North Korean troops trespass the line. However Pyongyang, without such equipment, is known to mobilize soldiers in recent days to inspect the MDL's exact location. The recent infiltration on June 9 when dozens of North Korean troops violated the MDL and then retreated after warning shots fired by the South appears to be related to this practice. It was belatedly found that a few North Korean soldiers repeatedly crossed over the MDL at the time. There are many opinions as to whether this was a simple mistake or an intentional probe. Amid such frequent appearances of North Korean soldiers in the demilitarized zone, it's confirmed that the South Korean military has returned to its previous operational procedures, known as the response manual for frontline areas, following the full suspension of the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. Until now, a five-step procedure was in place that entailed two warning broadcasts and two warning shots followed by military action such as capture or targeted fire. Recently, the procedure has been streamlined to four steps: after the second warning broadcast, a third warning broadcast and warning shots are issued simultaneously, followed by military action, speeding up the response time. Meanwhile, regarding a wall structure the North is constructing in the DMZ, Seoul's national security adviser Chang Ho-jin said it resembles an anti-tank barricade.

[Soundbite]
Lee Sung-jun (South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff): Anti-tank barriers already existed decades ago and South Korea also has similar structures.

Chang added that more time is needed to assess whether the structure is a barrier as the length of the wall is still short.

ONLINE SCALPING REMAINS RAMPANT

[Anchor Lead]
As interest in cultural activities like K-pop concerts grows, the problem of ticket scalping is also growing. Recently, an amendment to the Performance Act banned the sale of tickets obtained using macros, automated ticket-purchasing programs. However, online scalping remains rampant. We have the details.

[Pkg]
This lady wanted to buy a ticket for a concert. But as it was sold out, she decided to purchase a ticket online from a scalper.

[Soundbite]
(Ticket buyer (VOICE MODIFIED)): Illegal tickets are posted continuously on social media. I found someone who was selling them cheap.

She paid 90,000 won, or 65 U.S. dollars, extra, but the seller disappeared without ever handing over the ticket.

[Soundbite]
(Ticket buyer (VOICE MODIFIED)): The seller said I'd receive my ticket when the server was stabilized. But later I found the same ticket was still up for sale on social media.

At least 20 people have reportedly fallen victim to this same scalper, amounting to 8 million won, or around 5,800 dollars. To prevent concert ticket scalping, transactions using macro programs, or ticket bots, have been outlawed since March. But fraudulent transactions continue. Not only is it difficult to find out if macro programs are being used, there are also no regulations in place to punish those who sell tickets online illegally without using macro programs.

[Soundbite]
(Ticket buyer (VOICE MODIFIED)): It's more rampant these days because people are desperate to get tickets. That's how they commit fraud and people fall for it.

The Punishment of Minor Offenses Act only applies to in-person transactions.

[Soundbite]
Park Kang-won (Director, Record Label Industry Ass'n of Korea): The punishment is too lenient. The laws on scalping, which were enacted 50 years ago, should be amended as soon as possible.

The Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission is considering whether to introduce a random draw system for ticket reservations, but critics say it's not a fundamental solution because this will do little to stop scalpers.

'K-POP VISA' FOR FOREIGN VISITORS

[Anchor Lead]
If you're planning to visit Korea fascinated by the Korean culture, K-POP, or even Korean beauty, applying for a visa comes first. With growing world-wide interest in the cultural sector, the Korean government is coming up with new measures to boost tourism. Here's more.

[Pkg]
This is a souvenir shop run by an entertainment agency in Seoul. It is packed with foreign tourists even on a weekday morning.

[Soundbite]
(American tourist)

Last year, one out of three foreign tourists said that they came to Korea for Korean culture, including K-pop. With this trend, more younger foreign tourists are coming to Korea in smaller groups or on individual trips. The Korean government has come up with measures tailored for their needs, from visa programs to tours. The best example is a K-culture trainee visa program for foreigners looking to learn about K-pop choreography or receive training at Korean entertainment companies. In the second half of this year, tours linked with major K-pop events will also be introduced. The government also plans to expand cultural experience programs that appeal to young tourists, such as on-the-spot photo printing or personal color analysis. It will also introduce unlimited short-term public transport passes foreigners can use throughout their stay.

[Soundbite]
(British tourist)

But some say that more measures are needed to encourage foreign tourists to visit provincial regions, as the cultural spots are mostly located in Seoul.

[Soundbite]
Lee Hoon (Dean, Hanyang Univ. Graduate School of Int'l Tourism): The important thing is how to increase spending by tourists. It depends on how tours are promoted for regions. The government needs to...devise more proactive measures.

There also needs to be continued crackdowns on unfair business practices preying on foreign tourists, like overcharging.

RARE MUSK DEER FOUND NEAR DMZ

[Anchor Lead]
One of the rarest wild animals on the brink of extinction is the musk deer. Recently, the musk deer was found living stably in a restricted civilian control area in Yanggu, Gangwon-do Province. This discovery raises hopes for their restoration.

[Pkg]
A deserted front-line area that's restricted to civilians. A female musk deer with an injured front leg is feeding her baby. A musk deer has two clear white lines below its neck and is designated as a natural monument in Korea. Three years ago, the mother was spotted with her young. This time, a camera captured her raising another fawn.

[Soundbite]
Cho Jae-woon (Director, Yanggu Goral and Musk Deer Center): Musk deer fawns are being born and a stable population is being maintained. We are monitoring them continuously with remote sensor cameras.

Musk deer are a rare and endangered species. Only about 50 remain in Yanggu. The number of male musk deer has plummeted as they are poached for use in medicine and premium fragrance. Their habitats have been destroyed, forcing them to relocate to the wildlife haven of the Civilian Control Line, which is free from human interference. A center working to protect musk deer captured footage of musk deer mating and nursing over seven years of monitoring. The finding of musk deer living in a permanent habitat is regarded as a huge achievement. The Yanggu Goral and Musk Deer Center, observing that the musk deer's habitat has stabilized, plans to attempt restoration efforts for the species in this area. The center expects that, similar to the successful restoration of endangered mountain goats, systematic support will also enable an increase in the musk deer population.

JEON HYUN-MOO TO DEBUT AS SPORTSCASTER

[Anchor Lead]
TV personality Jeon Hyun-moo will be a sportscaster for KBS at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This will be his first time commentating on sports, focusing on Park Hye-jeong's weightlifting event. His coverage aims to boost public interest in less popular sports and support the athletes.

[Pkg]
TV personality Jeon Hyun-moo will work as a sportscaster for KBS during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The Paris Olympics will take place from July 26th to August 11th, featuring events in 32 sports categories. During the 33rd Olympic Games, Jeon will commentate on Park Hye-jeong's weightlifting event for KBS. This will be the first time the veteran broadcaster will try his hand at sportscasting. Jeon says he decided to take on the new job in order to help enhance public attention for less popular sports and to support the athletes. His sportscasting will also be shown via KBS 2's entertainment show 'The Boss Ears are Donkey Ears.‘