Record Snowfall

[Anchor Lead]

The biggest snowstorm in more than a century has hit Seoul. The record dump paralyzed traffic in downtown areas and caused massive inconvenience for commuters.

 

[Pkg]

Nearly 26 centimeters of snow hit the capital of Seoul, a record high since the country began weather forecasts in 1907. The heavy snow wreaked havoc on traffic across the city all day long. Cars slid on icy roads, which later turned into giant parking lots. A heavy snow alert was issued at 5 a.m. Monday, three hours after snow began to fall. Snowfall topped 20 centimeters in just six hours. Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces were also hit by heavy snow Snow-clearing operations were conducted across Seoul overnight with 12-hundred vehicles and 20-thousand soldiers and police officers mobilized. Roads got frozen as a cold snap followed the heavy snow.

 

[Soundbite] Jang In-gyu (Seoul City Hall) : “We'll spray more de-ice after removing snow. We're doing our best to stop the roads from freezing.”

 

Snow-clearing operations continued overnight, but many parts of the city remained blanketed. Traffic was also hellish Tuesday morning because of the cold weather. Subways and buses were also flooded with people going to work using public transportation.

 

2. Snow Games

[Anchor Lead]

Neighborhood streets covered with snow have become playgrounds for children. Some people even rode went skiing on the city streets. Let's go take a look around.

 

[Pkg]

The street is covered with snow up to the ankle. A man glides down the hill on his snow board. It's not exactly like a ski slope but it's thrilling and fun sliding down the snowy street.

 

[Soundbite]

“It happens so rarely, so why not have some fun?”

 

 

A man dressed in a ski jacket appears on a snow covered street. He draws attention to pedestrians gliding down the hill.

 

[Soundbite]

“We had a snowball fight last time.”

 

The snow stacks up as time goes by. Kids on winter break are having fun outside.

 

[Soundbite]

“Let's make it bigger.”

 

They have snowball fights and make a snowman. The children forget about the cold rolling in the snow.

 

[Soundbite]

“We're going to make a head and give it eye brows, a hat, gloves and hands.”

 

It has been a slow day for pedestrians and cars on the street due to the heavy snow and chill. Videos of people riding skis and snow boards on city streets continued to come up online. Some say it's dangerous, while some say it looks fun. The police warn that ski riding on streets is against the law.

 

3. Rising Status

 

[Anchor Lead]

The Korean government aims to improve the country's international status this year by taking a bigger role in the global community. Seoul will host the Group of 20 summit in November, dispatch peacekeeping troops to Africa, and send more developmental aid overseas.

 

[Pkg]

Korea asked other countries 1-hundred years ago to help block Japan from annexing the Korean Peninsula. But the appeal was rejected. Korea this year has emerged as a major global player helping to shape the world order. Korea joined the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development last year. The country is the first to go from beneficiary of global assistance to benefactor. Seoul will also send more developmental aid to other countries this year. Korean troops will also be deployed to U.N. peacekeeping missions in African regions torn by ethnic conflict. Seoul will host a global conference on peacekeeping activities in December. But the crown jewel of the country's hosting of international events is the Group of 20 summit in November. The conference will discuss the overcoming of the global economic crisis.

 

[Soundbite] Jeong Gu-hyeon (Samsung Econ. Research Inst.) : “We're not just accepting the rules set by others. Now, we're making new international rules and contributing to the world.”

 

The Korean government aims to further boost the country's international status as a key global leader this year.

 

4. New Year Events

 

[Anchor Lead]

Firms have held various events to greet the New Year. Some offices went mountain climbing to greet the new year's sun and celebrate a new start and some went to the theater to see musical performances. Here's more.

 

[Pkg]

Early at dawn, people climb the mountain to greet the New Year's sun at the summit.

 

[Soundbite] Park Ju-hyeong (Dept. Store Manager) : “I feel great. Let's go get the white tiger.”

 

Two hundred workers of a distribution company pledge to make a fresh start for 2010 greeting the New Year's sun on the mountain top.

 

[Soundbite]

“Yay! Hurrah!”

 

The 21 actors of this musical on the theme of energy are new employees. They had only three days to practice, but it was enough to touch the hearts of their colleagues.

 

[Soundbite] Nam Yeong-jun (Oil company) : “It gives me an important lesson about self-improvement. I don't want to fall behind.”

 

[Soundbite] Seong Mu-hwang (Oil Company) : “I feel more confident about myself at work and more ambitious about trying something new.”

 

Workers of a discount store are writing their New Year's resolutions on the green papers and posting them up.

 

[Soundbite] Hyeon Ji-hye (Discount Store) : “I hope my family and colleagues stay healthy, and then it can be a great year for all of us.”

 

Another firm's New Year's event has begun with the music played by the KBS Orchestra. Some 900 executives and employees have filled the theater to get inspirations for their New Year's plans from the music. Companies have begun the New Year with meaningful events despite the cold spell and heavy snow to strengthen their will to make this year special.

 

5. Dokdo Erosion

 

[Anchor Lead]

Most people know the eastern islets of Dokdo as small. But they used to be as big as neighboring Ulleung Island in the past. The elements have reduced the size of Dokdo, and the islets are expected to keep getting smaller.

  

[Pkg]

Dokdo is the result of a volcanic explosion more than four and a half million years ago. The islets' shape has been carved out in the process of enduring the elements. But this visible feature doesn't tell the whole story about Dokdo. A giant sea mountain below Dokdo lies 2-thousand meters under water. The mountain is eleven kilometers wide and 10 kilometers long, and is as big as neighboring Ulleung Island. The small tip of Dokdo is seen above sea level because of erosion and weathering.

 

[Soundbite] Park Chan-hong (Ocean Research & Development Inst.) : “Erosion is in process. It's become smaller if it keeps being worn away by wind and water.”

 

Small rocks and remnants hardened after a volcanic explosion, and this created Dokdo. So the islets are highly susceptible to erosion and weathering. The Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute says the top of the islets will get flatter and the bottom smaller due to waves. The Dokdo sea mountain is an underwater giant volcano, and is also getting smaller. The sandy part of the sea mountain is rapidly eroding along a steep sea valley. The sea mountain also belongs to Korea, like Dokdo. Experts say more attention is needed on the changes Dokdo and the sea mountain could face, calling them a reservoir of maritime resources.

 

6. Burj Khalifa

 

[Anchor Lead]

Built with Korean technology, the world's tallest building has finally opened. The building's name was changed from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa at the opening ceremony. Here's more.

 

[Pkg]

The world's tallest building Burj Khalifa has finally opened with a grand opening ceremony. The 828-meter-tall building is three times taller than Seoul's Mt. Nam. It is the first step Dubai has taken to turnover gloomy forecasts since the debt crisis. Dubai leader Mohammed Al Maktoum celebrating his fourth year at office, changed the tower's name from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa, after the president of United Arab Emirates.. This is to emphasize that the federation of seven emirates is an official country.

 

[Soundbite] Mohammed Al Maktoum (Dubai Leader) : “The world's tallest tower should be named after a great figure. I declare the opening of the Burj Khalifa Bin Zayed.”

 

The building will house a seven star hotel from the first to 39th floor, residential apartment up to the 108th floor and offices to the top. It is like a small city. Just 60 seconds up the elevator, one can arrive at the 124th floor, the world's highest observatory. One can also get a view of the entire city of Dubai just at a glance. This was all possible thanks to Korean technology. Now, people dream of buildings more than 1,000 meters tall. Korean builders are taking the lead in achieving this new goal.

 

7. Olympic Advice

 

[Anchor Lead]

Five-time world figure skating champion Michelle Kwan is visiting Korea as a public diplomacy envoy for the U.S. State Department. She says reigning world champion Kim Yu-na can win the Olympic gold medal next month if she skates as well as she does in practice.

 

[Pkg]

Figure skating icon Michelle Kwan is very close to Kim Yu-na. So much so that Kwan has chosen Korea as the venue for her first ice show since retirement. But the Chinese American isn't here as a figure skater, but as a U.S. public diplomacy envoy. She had a word of advice for Kim ahead of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next month.

 

[Soundbite] Michelle Kwan (U.S. Figure Skating Champion)

 

Kwan won five world and nine U.S. titles in her illustrious career, but never the Olympic gold. She showed her frustration over coming up short at the gala performance of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

  

[Soundbite] Michelle Kwan (U.S. Figure Skating Champion)

 

Kwan knows well the pressure of being the favorite to win the Olympic gold. Her advice to Kim was to shake off the pressure and just enjoy skating.

  

[Soundbite] Michelle Kwan (U.S. Figure Skating Champion)

  

Kwan's schedule in Korea includes coaching disabled skaters and performing public relations activities for the U.S. State Department.

 

8. Park's Resolution

 

[Anchor Lead] 

Swimmer Park Tae-hwan will make a bid to regain his place at the top this year. Park is bringing in a coach from overseas in addition to his current Korean coach. Under the two-coach system, he will prepare for this year's Asian Games.

 

[Pkg]

Park will bring in Australia's Michael Bohl as one of his coaches. His current Korean coach Roh Min-sang will take charge of Park's overall training program. Bohl will be a technical coach for Park. He was the coach of female swimmer Stephanie Rice who won three gold medals in the Beijing Olympic Games. In 2007 and 2009, Park had foreign coaches like Australia's Wayne Lawes and the U.S.' Dave Salo. But at the time, it was a short-time, one-point lesson. Park's sponsor committee said that the two coaches will share his training schedule and program.

 

[Soundbite] Jeong Il-cheong (Head, Park's Training Comte.) : “Though Bohl will be Park's new coach, we'll discuss everything with coach Roh to make sure Park is in his best condition.”

 

Bohl will arrive in Korea on January 8th and discuss training issues with Park. Park will fly to Australia in mid-January for training. He will team up with Bohl until the Asian Games in November. The success of the new two-coach system will depend on how well Park will communicate and interact with the foreign coach. Park is determined not to make another mistake this year. He is set to restore his honor and overcome his slump of last year.

 

9. Self Publishing

 

[Anchor Lead]     

It’s easy to make your own album with photos taken with your digital camera. And you can bind your old journals to create a record of your memories. Let's take a look at making a book that’s all your own.

 

[Pkg]

Ms. Kim's family spends a pleasant holiday afternoon reading a book.

 

[Soundbite]

“Mom, Dad! Look at it.”

 

It's all about the child, the mother and the father; the whole family.

 

[Soundbite] Kim Seon-hui (Family Book Author) : “We made the family photo album to save our family's special memories.”

 

A year's worth of photographs has been compiled to make it. The family edited it all together, from the cover to the content.

 

[Soundbite]

“I thought it'd be complicated. I tried it once and it wasn't as hard as I thought.”

 

They upload the picture files and resize them. And they write about the memories that go along with the photos. Then they send the edited pictures to an online company that makes personalized books in just one day. Choosing a theme makes the book even better. A collection of pictures of the child’s life from birth makes a great record of growing up. You can also put the pictures in a calendar. The end result is as good as books that are sold in stores.

 

[Soundbite]

“It's priceless because it's one of a kind. It also makes you feel happy to look at it once in a while.”

            

If you want to make a book of your own, you may want to visit an atelier. You can make books by taking a free class.

 

[Soundbite]

“We're making a journal.”

 

Diaries also become more special if you make them yourself. Try making and decorating one by hand. Housewives who love to cook can make cookbooks and movie buffs can make ticket scrapbooks by pasting used tickets inside and adding reviews. Old books or journals can become unique with a change of cover.

 

[Soundbite]

“I've had this since my college year. It's out of print, so I asked for the new cover to keep it longer.”

 

You can create an antique-style look by covering a used book with the leather of your choice and putting a button on it. Applying this to Bibles, journals or even your own biography makes them collector's items.           Of course, books have educational value too.

 

[Soundbite]

“Publicizing your own book helps you develop your reading, writing and speaking skills.”

 

This mother and child are making a special book of their own. Today's theme is “gifts for Santa Claus.” They can become writers while putting their thoughts down on gifts and decorating them. They write the title and even the price.

 

[Soundbite]

“I feel like I'm a writer now. It's really fun and exciting.”

 

[Soundbite]

“It's very meaningful because it's the one and only book. I had such a great time adding more values to something priceless.”

 

Making your own book is a great way to start out the new year by preserving memories from years past.