Talks Failed

[Anchor Lead]

An inter-Korean meeting held at Kaesong has failed to produce an agreement on future talks about the Kaesong Industrial Complex. A joint assessment meeting for the inspection of overseas industrial parks continued past the set schedule, but the two sides failed to set the dates for further negotiations on developing the inter-Korean industrial park.



[Pkg]

The two Korean sides were deadlocked over the agendas for the future inter-Korean working meeting on the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The Ministry of Unification reported that the South Korean delegation had proposed to first discuss the three major issues of transportation, customs clearance, and communication, and the accommodations for South Korean workers at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The North countered by insisting that a pay raise for North Korean workers in Kaesong should be included in the agendas. Although the assessment meeting was supposed to be informal, it was as serious as official conference meeting. As the two sides were deadlocked, the chief North Korean delegate proposed a closed meeting to the South Korean delegation leader Kim Young-tak, raising hope for a dramatic conclusion of the meeting. The talks between the top delegates went longer than scheduled, but had failed to narrow the gap. The two sides failed to set the date for the working meeting on the Kaesong Industrial complex. Unlike the threats of retaliation issued by the North Korean military spokesperson last Friday, the North Korean delegation at the assessment meeting reportedly sought practical benefits by demanding a pay raise for North Korean workers. The South Korean Unification Ministry said that although the delegation has failed to set the dates for the working meeting on the Kaesong Industrial Complex, it plans to contact the North again to schedule the meeting soon.



2. NK Bank



[Anchor Lead]

North Korea says it will set up a national development bank for investment purposes. Pyongyang apparently believes attracting foreign investment will help the reclusive nation overcome its chronic economic difficulties, and allow it to recover from the repercussions of its currency revaluation late last year.



[Pkg]

North Korea’s National Defense Commission has announced a plan to set up a state-run development bank. The new bank will follow international financial regulations and systems to enter the global financial market. The goal is to attract foreign capital for investment purposes. The North’s Korea Taepung International Investment Group will handle overseas economic cooperation for the new bank. The group will be based in Pyongyang and provide funding for the bank. The chairman of the group’s board of directors will be Kim Yang-gon, a high-ranking member of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party. A Chinese national of Korean descent, Pak Chol-su, will be standing vice chairman. The new bank is apparently part of Pyongyang’s strategy to attract foreign funds should U.N. sanctions on it be lifted.



3. Haiti Helper



[Anchor Lead]

A female Korean soldier is drawing attention for risking danger to help out in Haiti. Meanwhile, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred, rattling the already struggling residents.



[Pkg]

The Montana Hotel had been the Haiti capital’s most luxurious hotel, but now bodies of hundreds of victims lie beneath the debris after the earthquake. The hotel which housed many UN officials drew global attention. Korean rescue crew members have begun searching the area. They had been called by UN Forces to help out.



[Soundbite] UN Forces in Haiti



It was 43-year-old major Yi Seon-hui working on the UN Forces, who helped the Korean rescue team and the UN Forces work together.



[Soundbite] Yi Seon-hui (Major, UN Forces) : “I thought the Korean rescue team could help rescue survivors fast. So we called them over.”



Yi has an experience of working in East Timor. She is doing her best to help recover the earthquake-devastated areas.



[Soundbite]

“We’ll do our best to overcome the disaster and help people recover.”



Meanwhile another strong earthquake of a magnitude of 5.9 struck Haiti Wednesday night Korean time. No additional injuries or damages had been reported, but rescuing survivors will likely be tougher. Small and big after tremors continue on a two or three-day-basis since the major earthquake on the 12th, to make locals more nervous.



4. Battery Rules



[Anchor Lead]

The U.S. will strengthen rules on air transport of rechargeable lithium batteries, pointing to the risk of explosion. The decision has put Korean exporters of IT products, an integral part of the local economy, on alert.



[Pkg]

Around 1-hundred-5 million cell phones were exported by air last year. Forty percent of the shipments went to the U.S.



[Soundbite] Choi Je-ho (Incheon Airport Customs) : “The quality of Korean IT products is outstanding and globally recognized. Many products have been exported.”



But new U.S. regulations are threatening to hurt Korean IT product exports to the U.S. Washington has tightened rules on the transport of lithium renewable batteries, citing the risk of explosion. Exporters must now reduce the overall weight of freight or package their products under a special method. This will deal an inevitable blow to Korea’s flagship IT export items like cell phones, laptops and MP3 players.



[Soundbite] Yi Eun-ho (Korean Agency for Tech & Standards) : “If the new regulations is applied, the fees to transport lithium rechargeable batteries will quadruple.”



The U.S. government will collect opinions on the new rules from other countries by March. Korea in cooperation with Japan will seek to make the new rules as favorable as possible for exporters of IT products to the U.S. market.



5. EV Cars



[Anchor Lead]

Electric cars are a great eco-friendly alternative in the age of awareness. Korean car makers have the technology for making them but haven’t been able to commercialize them as there had been no related laws. But electric cars can be driven on the streets of Korea from late March. Here’s more.



[Pkg]

Electric cars require no gas, so emit no exhaust fumes. The electricity costs less than $9 a month. They’re commonly driven for short distance trips in advanced countries. But they’re rarely seen on streets in Korea.



[Soundbite] Kim Ho-seong (Electric Car Manufacturer) : “We have world leading battery and motor technologies. But we weren’t allowed to drive the cars on local streets.”



But finally, safety standards and related laws have been drawn up. Now it’s allowed to drive electric cars on local streets from March 30th. Low speed electric cars of a maximum speed of 60 kilometers per hour will be allowed on roads. Regarding traffic flow and safety, the EV cars can be driven only on roads with a speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour. Once the batteries are recharged, the car can drive up to 120km. But there are still some improvements to be made. The models are twice more expensive than ordinary cars. There are also not enough recharge facilities.



[Soundbite] Kim Hyeon-jung (Min. of Land, Transport & Maritime Affairs) : “We’ll allocate the budget to help local governments build recharging infrastructures for test operations.”



The government is to carry out measures to spread the use of electric cars including test operations starting from August. This is to build recharge facilities for hi-speed electric cars capable of speeding over 60 kilometers per hour.



6. DMZ Bike Path



[Anchor Lead]

Work will begin this year on a national bicycle path covering nearly 500 kilometers near the heavily guarded inter-Korean border. Nature lovers and bicycle enthusiasts will be able to take in the well-preserved natural environment of the area near the Demilitarized Zone.



[Pkg]

A line of bicycles go toward an inter-Korean border area, where civilian access is usually restricted. Thick fog limits vision. But bicyclers say it’s exciting to run through an area where nature has remained untouched by humans for 60 years.



[Soundbite]

“More people will use bicycles and have a chance to enjoy the nature.”



Work will begin on a bicycle path covering nearly 500 kilometers linking Ganghwa near Incheon and Goseong, Gangwon Province. A 43-kilometer path between the Peace Dam and the pond Dutayeon will be built first as a test section. A variety of provincial festivals will be held along regions near the bicycle path.



[Soundbite] Lee Dal-gon (Public Admin. & Security) : “We developed the bike trail to give people the opportunity to enjoy the environment.”



The budget for the bicycle path this year is 25-and-a-half million U.S. dollars. But the challenge for the government is to develop areas near the inter-Korean border without damaging the natural environment.



7. Antarctic Veg



[Anchor Lead]

Fresh vegetables are available for Korean researchers in Korea’s Sejong Base in Antarctica all year around. A container-like plant factory has gone into operation.



[Pkg]

98% of the Antarctica is covered with ice. And the average annual temperature is 23 degrees Celsius below zero. Cultivating vegetables is impossible. It’s the same for Korea’s Sejong base in Antarctica. Vegetables have been shipped from Chile, which is 3,000 km away. And researchers live on canned vegetables during winter.



[Soundbite] Yi Hyeong-seok (King Sejong Station) : “We’re running out of fresh vegetables. So we often get constipated due to lack of fiber.”



But now, Korean researchers can have fresh vegetables. This is thank to a moving plant factory. It looks like a container, but it’s like a small farm inside. Different vegetables grow on each shelf. Vegetable dishes are now on the menu for the researchers. The factory can operate in the temperature of 50 degrees below zero. The amount of light and water is controlled automatically.



[Soundbite] Go Gwan-dal (Rural Development Admin.) : “Once the system is set up, temperature will be adjusted automatically, making plant cultivation easy in Antarctica.”



The Rural Development Administration plans to provide this facility to desert areas and ships where plant cultivation is difficult.



8. Giant Squid



[Anchor Lead]

The body of a giant squid nearly eight meters long and weighing 100 kilograms has been found on a southern coastal beach. The rarely seen species is known to live at a depth of 200 meters under the sea.



[Pkg]

The body of a huge marine creature has been found on the coast of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. The creature has been identified as a giant squid, known as the world’s largest invertebrate species.



[Soundbite] Jeong Man-su (Giant Squid Discoverer) “The head was here, and the legs were there. It’s the firs time I’ve ever seen such a huge squid.”



The squid is 7.7 meters long, 14 times longer than ordinary squid, and weighs 100 kilograms. The giant squid is known to live at depths of at least 200 meters. The species was first spotted in Pohang in 1995 and has appeared several times on the east coast between December and March, including on the shores of Uljin and Pohang. The latest squid discovery is the 13th in the area, but the first to be studied by experts. Pieces of squid beaks were found in the squid’s stomach. Experts say the squid likely moved to waters off North Gyeongsang Province in search of food like squid, cod and crab. Another theory is that it floated to the surface after dying.



[Soundbite] Yi Dong-u (Nat’l Fisheries Research & Development Inst.) : “It might have come to feed on squids or floated up from deep waters after it died.”



The Dokdo Fisheries Research Center in Pohang will analyze the squid. The think tank will then prepare the squid for display at the Fisheries Science Museum in Busan.



9. Singing Rooms



[Anchor Lead]

The karaoke, known as a “noraebang,” or “singing room,” in Korean, is a national pastime here in Korea. Anyone you meet will likely have a couple of favorite songs that they always sing at a noraebang. These days there are noraebangs that stand out from the pack. Let’s take a look.



[Pkg]

Singing rooms are loved by men and women alike. They have long been a leading form of entertainment for Koreans, who traditionally enjoy singing and dancing. Some special new types of noraebang are opening up these days.



[Soundbite] “It’s all yellow.” “Is it gold?”



This “golden” noraebang is growing popular. All the rooms are covered in shiny golden tiles. And it’s real, 24 carat gold! It cost over 177-thousand dollars.



[Soundbite] Go Hae-ryeong (Golden Noraebang) : “The economy’s tough. We designed it this way, so people can come here, touch real gold, have fun and relieve stress.”



The gold vibe spices up the mood as people sing away their stresses.



[Soundbite]

“These aren’t mine, but it feels like my room.”



[Soundbite]

“The gold tiles make me feel like a star. It’s very nice.”



There’s also an eco-friendly noraebang. As you enter, all you see here are people cycling.



[Soundbite]

“It’s so tiring!”



No, it’s not a gym. Here, you have to pedal the bike to make the music play. The machine runs on your exercise. Singing along on the bike, you also learn a little something about how energy and power works. The father keeps on cycling for the children to sing their song.



[Soundbite]

“The song was too long. I wanted to stop so badly. I need to work out. I’m exhausted.”



There are also noraebangs that go visit the customers. This is a truck karaoke at a market in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.



[Soundbite]

“I can go anywhere, anytime.”



This truck is for busy folks who don’t have the time to visit the noraebang. What’s interesting about the truck is that you use utensils to make music.



[Soundbite]

“These are old. But aren’t they fabulous?”



The singing truck has washed away the stress of market merchants.



[Soundbite]

“Thanks for the surprise show. It was fun.”



Where is it headed to now?



[Soundbite] Chu Yeong-sik (Singing Truck Owner) : “I can go anywhere I’m called for. I can travel literally all over the country.”



The noraebang is the leading pastime for 50 million Koreans. We look forward to seeing how they will evolve in the future.