Beopjeong Dies

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A revered Buddhist monk in Korea has passed away. Venerable Beopjeong was most famous for his 1976 essay collection "Non-possession." Mourners have gathered en masse at his memorial altar at Gilsang Temple in Seoul.



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The Venerable Beopjeong preached and practiced a life of non-possession. He died Thursday at age 77. He was hospitalized this year after his lung cancer worsened. The monk died at Gilsang Temple in Seoul, which he founded. Memorial altars were set up at two other places. Throngs of people and religious leaders, including Seoul archbishop Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, paid their condolences.



[Soundbite] Ven. Jigwan (Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism) : “His spiritual legacy will remain with the Koreans forever.”



Beopjeong was born Park Jae-cheol in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, in 1932. He entered the Buddhist priesthood at Songgwang Temple in 1954. The monk wrote a number of Buddhist books, including the 1976 essay collection "Non-possession." Many people began going to see him, so he moved deep into the mountains of Gangwon Province in 1992 to focus on his practice.



[Soundbite] Ven. Beopjeong (Apr. ’03) : “I feel free if I don’t possess anything,”



He asked in his will to stop publication of all of his books after his death and not to hold a funeral.



[Soundbite] Ven. Jinhwa (Head, Cremation Preparation Committee) : “He made sure not to hold any kind of funeral ritual calling it unnecessary.”



Beopjeong has been posthumously awarded the country’s highest Buddhist title. His body will be cremated Saturday, along with his belongings including his robe.



2. Courage Award



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North Korean defector-turned professor Lee Ae-ran has received the International Women of Courage award. At the ceremony in Washington, U.S. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama hailed her courage.



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Professor Lee took the podium introduced by Hillary Clinton. The First Lady also welcomed her to the stage. Michelle Obama praised Lee for first caring for other North Korean defectors amidst her own personal trials.



[Soundbite] Michelle Obama (U.S. First Lady)



Clinton said the award went to Lee because she was a defender of human rights of North Korean refugees.



[Soundbite] Hillary Clinton (U.S. Secretary of State)



She defected to South Korea in 1997 with her four-month-old son. She’s the first North Korean female defector to earn a doctoral degree, to become a professor and now to receive the international recognition. She passed all honor to fellow refugees and the North Korean people.



[Soundbite] Lee Ae-ran (Award Winner) : “I want to share this honor with people in the North.”



Professor Lee hopes her example can provide courage and hope to other defectors.



3. Korean Wave



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A Korean university is spreading the Korean language throughout the world by setting up Korean-language schools abroad. The university has opened its ninth school in Mongolia, where interest in things Korean is high.



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Ulaanbataar is the capital of Mongolia. Korean cars are seen here and there on the streets. Korean red pepper paste and soybean paste have long been hit products at this large supermarket. Interest in Korean products has widened to the Korean culture and language. Eager students from elementary to high school and college learn Korean, though their pronunciation remains awkward. They’re studying at a Korean-language school in Ulaanbataar set up by a Korean university. The students hope to use their language skills to get jobs with Korean companies. They can now even sing Korean songs.



[Soundbite] “Are we breaking up now?”



The school is the ninth to be opened by the university since 2007. The university first opened such schools in Uzbekistan and China.



[Soundbite] Jeong Tae-gyeong (Yeoju Institute of Tech) : “We’re trying to show how excellent the Korean language is and spread the Korean culture to activate cultural exchange with other countries.”



The university plans to open 30 Korean-language schools in 12 countries by 2014, including in Australia and New Zealand.



4. G20 Ritual



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Yeongsanjae is a Buddhist ritual customarily held around a big, significant national event. The nation’s largest Yeongsanjae was held Thursday to wish for a successful hosting of the G20 Summit later this year.



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The ritual started with solemn Buddhist music. It was followed by a dynamic, yet classy performance of Bara dance, and the ceremony proceeds toward a climax. The Buddhist ritual of Yeongsanjae reenacts Buddha’s lecture to the public some 2,600 years ago. The ritual was held when an important national event was planned to pray for the nation’s prosperity by unifying the people. To wish for a successful hosting of the G20 Summit slated for November in Seoul, this year’s Yeongsanjae was the largest one ever and attended by some 20 thousand people including foreign dignitaries.



[Soundbite] Yu Yun-sun (Taego Order of Korean Buddhism) : “The ritual is held when there’s an important national event. This time, it’s held to pay for a successful hosting of the G20 Summit.”



Yeongsanjae is a multi-disciplinary cultural heritage that combines music, art, and dance. It was registered last year as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of humanity.



[Soundbite] Slobodan Marinkovic (Serbian Ambassador to Korea)



The ritual has fueled Korea’s desire to hold a successful G20 Summit.



5. Spring Herbs



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The beginning of springtime can bring physical fatigue as the body adjusts to the warmer temperatures. But eating vitamin-rich spring herbs can beat this seasonal lethargy.



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Various greens and herbs sprout up in spring. Their fragrance and pungent taste revitalize the taste buds.



[Soundbite] “I can smell the fresh scent of herbs. I feel so refreshed.”



Spring herbs are richer in vitamins B1 and B2 than those harvested in other seasons. The herb called shepherd’s purse is loaded with protein and boosts vision and liver function. Saponin contained in the edible shoots of the bitter-tasting fatsia enhances blood circulation. Fragrant and edible aster scaber boosts appetite. Spring herbs can also chase away fatigue and prevent adult diseases.



[Soundbite] Dr. Jo Ae-gyeong (Family Practitioner) : “It’s rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and beta carotene to boost your immunity or allergies or spring sandstorms.”



Cooking can destroy nutrients in spring herbs, so the cooking method is important.



[Soundbite] Park Chang-u (COEX Intercontinental, Seoul) : “Don’t cook the herbs for a long time. Cook them as quickly as possible to retain the nutrients.”



Spring herbs are the vitamins of nature. To enjoy their natural taste and scent, minimal use of seasoning is also recommended.



6. Top Grade Beef



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Korean beef, called hanwoo, has been put up for auction at a record-high price of 11-thousand-500 dollars. Such top quality hanwoo is seen as the new hope for cattle farmers.



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This is one massive cow. It’s too big for the cage. An average beef cow, or hanwoo cow, at this farm weighs over 700 kilograms, which is 200 kilograms more than a regular beef cow. A cow from his farm was sold at 11.7 thousand dollars at the auction market late last month, the highest ever in the country.



[Soundbite] Kim Chang-beom (Beef Cattle Farmer) : “We feed them with hay first, and then mix in with regular feed later on.”



Beef cattle from Namhae were sold for between 10 and 11, 000 dollars also in September and October last year. They are certainly the leading brand of the highest grade beef cattle market. The success is thanks to securing quality breeds and a complete quality management.



[Soundbite] Park Jae-ho (Namhae County Office) : “We buy the high grade cattle from the cows we supplied to farmers to keep the breed.”



Here, calves are fed only the best feed based on produce or origin rules.



[Soundbite] Go Jae-ho (Pres., Namhae Hanwoo Assn.) : “Namhae’s beef cattle topped the Ministry of agriculture’s list last year.”



Beef cattle, priced at well over 10,000 dollars, are a much needed booster to the sluggish livestock industry.



7. Natural Paste



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Demand at home and abroad is growing for soybean paste, or doenjang, made the natural way on Jeju Island. Here’s a look at what goes into making this unique product.



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These are clay jars filled with soybean paste at the foot of Gonae Peak. The surrounding rich pine forest helps the soybean paste ferment well.



[Soundbite] Kim Seong-ok (Soy Bean Paste Manufacturer) : “Pine pollens in the air helps the bean paste ferment and mature naturally to produce healthy food for consumers.”



This manufacturer makes soybean paste the traditional way using only beans from Jeju Island and natural salt. The bean paste is then matured for three to four years in the unpolluted Jeju air and sunlight, and without artificial additives. So the soybean paste contains a number of healthy substances. This has raised demand for the soybean paste in the U.S. and Canada as well as in Korea.



[Soundbite] Wu Geon-ha (Distributor) : “The products are likely to sell well because people are more health-conscious.”



The manufacturer insists on maturing the soybean paste the natural way, though it takes much longer.



[Soundbite] “I stick to natural fermentation because many substances good for the body are made seasonally in the natural environment.”



More students and tourists are visiting the site for the soybean paste’s fermentation. This is because the site is surrounded by pine trees to form a unique nature scene.



8. Love Nest



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The natural monument eagle owl is difficult to catch sight of, as they are very cautious nocturnal animals. It’s hatching season for the owls, and we’ve got them on camera taking care of their offspring in their nests. Let’s take a look.



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An eagle owl has built a nest between the cracks of a stone cliff wall where humans hardly set foot. The mother bird flies away immediately at the sound of someone coming. A fledgling that hatched just about a week ago lies alone in the nest.



[Soundbite] “I found it in the nest. I realized it’s a hatching season.”



While the mother is away, the baby falls out of the nest and down the steep cliff. A rescue team saves the baby owl and returns it to its nest. The nest is filled with food including a rabbit and other small birds that mother has brought to feed her baby. A female eagle owl lays two or three eggs a time. The eggs hatch around this time of the year, about a month earlier than other birds.



[Soundbite] Prof. Jo Sam-rae (Kongju Nat’l University) : “The birds have to choose the right time to feed the fledgling. Now, it’s a perfect season to hunt for rabbits or rodents because plants still haven’t bloomed yet.”



The eagle owl, an endangered species, is increasing in number as the population of the prey has increased lately around the area.



9. Ewha District



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The shopping district Myeong-dong, the traditional cultural neighborhood Insa-dong and the Dongdaemun clothing wholesale complex have traditionally been popular among Chinese tourists. Now, Chinese people are making their way to a new area, the neighborhood around Ewha Womans University.



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Tourist buses line up in a parking lot early in the morning. Chinese tourists start to flow off of the vehicles.



[Soundbite] “One, two, three!”



There is something the visitors rush to do first, as soon as they get here. It’s taking pictures of themselves in front of the main gate of Ewha Womans University. This is because of a rumor that taking a picture in front of the university brings good luck.



[Soundbite] Chinese Tourist : “There’s a rumor that taking photos here brings you good luck.”



Local merchants also benefit from the streams of Chinese tourists. The visitors are fascinated by the small, charming stores that sell clothes, cosmetics and accessories.



[Soundbite] Na Taek-ryul (Merchant) : “The number of Chinese customers has soared. We used to have them twice a day, but now we have five.”



This is a university neighborhood, so the goods are affordable, adding another reason for the area’s growing popularity.



[Soundbite] Chinese Tourist : “This district has more exciting things. It’s also bigger and sells many cute stuff.”



With Chinese tourists swarming to the district, competition between shops is growing fierce to attract more Chinese customers. This cosmetics store hired an employee who can speak Chinese.



[Soundbite] “Foundation.”



Korean employees also try to learn Chinese conversation whenever they get some time.



[Soundbite] Bae Jeong-hyeon (Cosmetic Store Employee) : “Seventy percent of Chinese tourists come to the district, so we hire Chinese-speaking employees.”



Chinese tourists can obtain detailed information on products they are looking to buy, helping to make the district a shopping heaven.



[Soundbite] Chinese Tourist : “The employee speaks Chinese, so I can ask questions about things I want to buy. I feel like I’m in China.”



The wide variety of snacks at hand is another pleasure the tourists can find in the district. Spicy traditional Korean food like topokki seasoned rice cakes and chicken skewers captivate the taste buds of the tourists.



[Soundbite] “Delicious!”



With its unique charms, the Ewha Womans University neighborhood is doing its part to contribute to Korea’s growing touristic sensibility.