[Anchor Lead]
Korea is scheduled to retake the wartime operational command from the U.S. in 2012. But President Lee Myung-bak has said for the first time that a delay of the transfer date can be reviewed.
[Pkg]
President Lee holds a luncheon meeting with the leaders of the country’s three major political parties. The chairman of the minor conservative Liberty Forward Party Lee Hoi-chang proposes considering a delay in the wartime command transfer. The president says opinions on this differ within the military, but adds the suggestion will be carefully considered. President Lee in June last year said the command transfer has been agreed on and cannot be invalidated. But Seoul and Washington have agreed on a possible delay if inter-Korean ties worsen.
The president’s comment Tuesday is perhaps a hint that cross-border relations have soured to the point of possibly reviewing a delay in the command transfer. A government official says private think tanks in the U.S. also advocate a delay in the command transfer. The official says President Lee’s comments will lead to the start of bilateral talks on the matter. President Lee also lashed out at North Korea in a meeting with the National Unification Advisory Council. He says the North Korean people are starving, yet Pyongyang spent 5.3 million U.S. dollars for an all-night fireworks parade. The president urged the North to come to its senses.
2. Spies Arrested
[Anchor Lead]
South Korean authorities have arrested two North Korean spies sent to assassinate former North Korean official Hwang Jang-yop. The North Korean agents posed as defectors so they could enter South Korea through a third country.
[Pkg]
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and the National Intelligence Service have arrested two North Korean spies for plotting to assassinate a high-ranking defector Hwang Jang-yop. The spies secretly entered Thailand through China earlier this year, disguising themselves as defectors. They had gone to an illegal alien protection center in Thailand and requested that they be sent to South Korea. But NIS officers found out that the North Koreans were lying when some discrepancies about their escape routes and hometowns were discovered during questioning.
Further investigation revealed that the two were members of the North’s military espionage unit called Reconnaissance Bureau of the North Korean People’s Armed Forces. They told South Korean security officers that they were acting on a direct order from the bureau’s chief Kim Yong-chol to kill Hwang. A source in the Prosecutors’ Office says that the spies are well trained in martial arts, enough to take on three or four opponents at a time. The Prosecutors’ Office and the NIS are also investigating whether they have contacted any other North Korean agents already active in the South.
3. Foot-and-Mouth
[Anchor Lead]
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has spread from Ganghwa Island to farms in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province.
[Pkg]
Foot-and-mouth disease has reached the mainland after the outbreak first occurred on Ganghwa Island. The Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry says a confirmed case of the disease was detected at a farm in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. The number of farms with outbreaks of the disease has risen to six.
[Soundbite] Lee Seong-u (Local Farmer) : “I’m so devastated. I’ve been working on this farm for over twenty yeas.”
The Gimpo farm is 5.3 kilometers away from the disease’s point of origin in Ganghwa. This shows that the quarantine of at-risk areas within the three-kilometer radius has been compromised. But authorities say no dynamic connection has been confirmed between Ganghwa and the Gimpo farm. They also cite no signs of veterinary visits, vehicle access or calf transactions. The Agriculture Ministry will cull some 190 animals from four farms located within the 500-meter radius of the disease-affected farm. Roughly 74-thousand cattle and pigs inside the 10-kilometer radius are also banned from leaving the quarantined area.
[Soundbite] Lee Chang-beom (Min. for Food & Agriculture) : “We plan to set up disease prevention networks on major freeways from Seoul to Gimpo.”
The number of preventive checkpoints has been raised to three to stop a further spread of the disease to the nearby cities of Goyang and Paju.
4. Boar Damage
[Anchor Lead]
Farmers were once helpless to the damage wreaked by wild boars both in the countryside and in cities. But now they’ll be compensated for losses inflicted by the boars.
[Pkg]
A wild boar falls down, after being chased and shot by a hunter. The animals are hunted down but their numbers hardly decreased. A boar that has come down from the mountains at night digs up the fields as it looks for food. No fruit or vegetables are left after their appearance. Farm losses from boar attacks totaled 4.8 million dollars last year. But since there was no compensation for that, farmers couldn’t do anything about it.
[Soundbite] Jo Seong-rok (Victim) : “Wild boars attack the farm every year. They pull out all the plants.”
But now there is a way. The Ministry of Environment has included 486 new species including wild boars and magpies on the list of wild animals that people are banned from catching but can receive compensation if they inflict damage on farm crops.
[Soundbite] Choi Jong-won (Ministry of Environment) : “Boars, water deer and other wild animals frequently damage farm crops. The new act provides financial aids for the losses.”
The ministry estimates the compensation will require about 7.2 million dollars a year.
5. New Candidates
[Anchor Lead]
The June 2 local elections are seeing a growing number of disabled people joining the race. They say they want to create a world free of discrimination. They face an uphill battle, but seem determined to press on.
[Pkg]
This person adeptly answers questions about childbirth of disabled women. She uses her mouth and tools to write her responses on the monitor, but she fears nothing. Jo Wu-ri suffers from a brain lesion disorder, but urges the disabled to stand on their own two feet. She is running for the Cheongju City Council in the June 2 local elections.
[Soundbite] Jo U-ri (Council Member Candidate) : “I decided to run in the election because I believe in myself. I ask for your support.”
Lee Mi-yeon is handing out her party’s leaflets. She also suffers from a similar disease and is running for office in her province.
[Soundbite] Lee Mi-yeon (Assembly Member Candidate) : “I’ll create work spaces where everyone can enjoy their work.”
Disabled candidates running in the local elections say they seek change policies for the disabled. But they find it tough to make speeches, secure financing, and perform the simple act of distributing leaflets. The disabled comprise six percent or 2.3 million voters but just 46 of them are elected officials, or one percent of the total. They seek to create a society where the disabled can live harmoniously side by side with the non-disabled.
6. KBS Radio 3
[Anchor Lead]
KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled, started airing on an FM frequency on April 20th. The new channel is aiming to become a bridge of communication between the disabled
and the world.
[Pkg]
DJ Kang Won-rae sounds more excited and special today.
[Soundbite] Kang Won-rae (KBS Radio 3 DJ) : “We’ve opened the era of clearer sounds on 104.9 FM.”
This is the first official FM broadcasting of KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled population. This KBS channel for the disabled was launched in 1995, but was heard only on special receivers. It started airing on an AM radio in 2000 and finally launched FM services a decade later.
[Soundbite] Choi See-joong (Head, Korea Communications Commission) : “It’s a really meaningful day because we’re making progress for people with disabilities.”
Over the years people with disabilities communicated with the world through KBS Radio 3 programs. The station has helped make the dreams of many disabled come true by sharing jobs and rehabilitation information.
[Soundbite] O Mun-yeong (KBS Radio 3 Listener) : “Thanks to the information provided by the station, I was able to come out into the world on a wheelchair rather than crawling.”
This radio documentary is a signature program of KBS Radio 3. It described that it’s not that hard for students with disabilities to study together with normal children. KBS Radio 3 plans to expand its target audience from the disabled population to the elderly, multicultural families, and other underrepresented classes.
7. Green City
[Anchor Lead]
The planting of greenery along concrete walls in Seoul is getting a good response from the public. The city government this year is concentrating on planting trees and plants around the venue of the November G20 summit and main roads.
[Pkg]
Spring has arrived, and the walls along the subway rails are covered with greenery. Vine has been planted along the city’s concrete walls to keep Seoul green. Residents say walking along the vine-covered walls is much more refreshing and relaxing.
[Soundbite] “The vines will help clean up the air polluted by cars. I like being close to trees and plants.”
Over the past decade, more than 2.2 million vine and plant saplings have been planted along Seoul’s concrete walls, adding up to 127 kilometers in length. This has improved the urban landscape as well as the air quality. The greenery has also reduced heat islands and noise in Seoul.
[Soundbite] Choi Byeong-eon (Seoul City Hall) : “The project is very easy, economic and cost-effective. All you need is to purchase trees to plant in the city.”
The project this year will focus on the Seoul Convention and Exhibition Center, or COEX, and major hotels to prepare for the G20 summit. Planting vine along city walls requires no land purchase. The project is a big help in improving the urban environment at low cost.
8. Comic on Film
[Anchor Lead]
Noted Korean directors are shooting films based on comic books. Directors Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame and Kang Woo-seok, who made "Silmido", are working to present new stories that retain the spirit of the original comic books, but are restructured for more cinematic appeal.
[Pkg]
Lee Mong-hak, an illegitimate son of a nobleman, wants to change the world with his sword. He meets his match in a blind swordsman, Hwang Jeong-hak, who is out to stop him. High-grossing director Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame is working on his third historical film, which is based on a comic book. Unlike the original story, the film focuses on the head-to-head competition between the two swordsmen.
[Soundbite] Lee jun-ik (Director, "Blades of Blood") : “Readers can imagine by reading the narratives in comic books, but films must actually show. Directors must let their imaginations run wild.”
In a secluded rural village... A young man visiting the place after his father’s death finds out a new secret. This movie due for a July release is filmed by Director Kang Woo-seok of "Silmido," the first Korean movie to draw more than 10 million viewers. This film is also based on an online comic titled "Moss," but it’s not a direct translation of the comic book.
[Soundbite] Kang Woo-suk (Director, "Moss") : “Comic books make many things possible, but I had to make many changes to fit reality.”
Korean film lovers are waiting to see the works of the acclaimed filmmakers, who are creating new stories based on existing ones.
9. Youth Quotient
[Anchor Lead]
Today’s senior citizens are fearlessly making new attempts to stay young. They’re trying out cultural activities that were once thought to be the exclusive domain of the younger generation, such as performing in a play, forming a band, or becoming a barista.
[Pkg]
This theater company composed entirely of senior citizens is busy rehearsing for its first performance in May. Elderly actors and actresses often forget their lines, but they don’t seem fazed and immediately improvise.
[Soundbite] Lee Seung-ju (74) : “I entirely understand the story. It makes me look back on my youth.”
Most of these elderly actors have never seen a play in their lives. But they’re searching for new identities as they participate in the performance.
[Soundbite] Choi Jun (82) : “I have nothing much to do at home. But here, I get to laugh and enjoy with people.”
This sixty-something barista expertly brews a steaming hot cup of coffee. Coffee made with wrinkled hands seems to contain life’s wisdom. It was hard for her to learn coffee-making skills among young people, but now she can make a variety of trendy coffee drinks for the older generation.
[Soundbite] Park In-suk (62) : “Everyone has different preference. It’s fun listening to what they like and dislike. I love this feeling of competence.”
Belly dancing is no longer only for young women in their twenties. This housewife in her fifties is a big belly dance fan. And nowadays, there are many in her age group who are learning to belly dance. The secret to living and looking young is to constantly challenge yourself.
[Soundbite] Kim Seong-hae (53) : “Living young means having high self-esteem. I didn’t experience menopause, because I’m constantly searching for myself.”
Some senior citizens are immersed in studying English. This English class has students of all ages from their thirties to their seventies.
[Soundbite] Chu Na-yeong (59) : “Age is just a number. It has nothing to do with studying. It’s very meaningful to study here with younger people.”
What they fear most is mental aging. So they study harder to keep their minds young. This is a studio located near the youthful neighborhood of Hongdae. The members of this band range in age from their twenties to their sixties. Despite the age gaps, they become one when practicing. Opening up your mind and becoming friends with people of all ages are essential to living young.
[Soundbite] Kim hae-won (28) : “They’re really enthusiastic. They’re far more passionate than I am. I also get up earlier in the morning to practice with them.”
[Soundbite] Choi Jun-won (55) : “We learn passion and energy from the younger members and we teach them life experiences.”
Age is only a number to these spirited senior citizens. They’re showing that the elderly are still capable of leading culturally productive and fun-filled lives.
Korea is scheduled to retake the wartime operational command from the U.S. in 2012. But President Lee Myung-bak has said for the first time that a delay of the transfer date can be reviewed.
[Pkg]
President Lee holds a luncheon meeting with the leaders of the country’s three major political parties. The chairman of the minor conservative Liberty Forward Party Lee Hoi-chang proposes considering a delay in the wartime command transfer. The president says opinions on this differ within the military, but adds the suggestion will be carefully considered. President Lee in June last year said the command transfer has been agreed on and cannot be invalidated. But Seoul and Washington have agreed on a possible delay if inter-Korean ties worsen.
The president’s comment Tuesday is perhaps a hint that cross-border relations have soured to the point of possibly reviewing a delay in the command transfer. A government official says private think tanks in the U.S. also advocate a delay in the command transfer. The official says President Lee’s comments will lead to the start of bilateral talks on the matter. President Lee also lashed out at North Korea in a meeting with the National Unification Advisory Council. He says the North Korean people are starving, yet Pyongyang spent 5.3 million U.S. dollars for an all-night fireworks parade. The president urged the North to come to its senses.
2. Spies Arrested
[Anchor Lead]
South Korean authorities have arrested two North Korean spies sent to assassinate former North Korean official Hwang Jang-yop. The North Korean agents posed as defectors so they could enter South Korea through a third country.
[Pkg]
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and the National Intelligence Service have arrested two North Korean spies for plotting to assassinate a high-ranking defector Hwang Jang-yop. The spies secretly entered Thailand through China earlier this year, disguising themselves as defectors. They had gone to an illegal alien protection center in Thailand and requested that they be sent to South Korea. But NIS officers found out that the North Koreans were lying when some discrepancies about their escape routes and hometowns were discovered during questioning.
Further investigation revealed that the two were members of the North’s military espionage unit called Reconnaissance Bureau of the North Korean People’s Armed Forces. They told South Korean security officers that they were acting on a direct order from the bureau’s chief Kim Yong-chol to kill Hwang. A source in the Prosecutors’ Office says that the spies are well trained in martial arts, enough to take on three or four opponents at a time. The Prosecutors’ Office and the NIS are also investigating whether they have contacted any other North Korean agents already active in the South.
3. Foot-and-Mouth
[Anchor Lead]
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has spread from Ganghwa Island to farms in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province.
[Pkg]
Foot-and-mouth disease has reached the mainland after the outbreak first occurred on Ganghwa Island. The Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry says a confirmed case of the disease was detected at a farm in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. The number of farms with outbreaks of the disease has risen to six.
[Soundbite] Lee Seong-u (Local Farmer) : “I’m so devastated. I’ve been working on this farm for over twenty yeas.”
The Gimpo farm is 5.3 kilometers away from the disease’s point of origin in Ganghwa. This shows that the quarantine of at-risk areas within the three-kilometer radius has been compromised. But authorities say no dynamic connection has been confirmed between Ganghwa and the Gimpo farm. They also cite no signs of veterinary visits, vehicle access or calf transactions. The Agriculture Ministry will cull some 190 animals from four farms located within the 500-meter radius of the disease-affected farm. Roughly 74-thousand cattle and pigs inside the 10-kilometer radius are also banned from leaving the quarantined area.
[Soundbite] Lee Chang-beom (Min. for Food & Agriculture) : “We plan to set up disease prevention networks on major freeways from Seoul to Gimpo.”
The number of preventive checkpoints has been raised to three to stop a further spread of the disease to the nearby cities of Goyang and Paju.
4. Boar Damage
[Anchor Lead]
Farmers were once helpless to the damage wreaked by wild boars both in the countryside and in cities. But now they’ll be compensated for losses inflicted by the boars.
[Pkg]
A wild boar falls down, after being chased and shot by a hunter. The animals are hunted down but their numbers hardly decreased. A boar that has come down from the mountains at night digs up the fields as it looks for food. No fruit or vegetables are left after their appearance. Farm losses from boar attacks totaled 4.8 million dollars last year. But since there was no compensation for that, farmers couldn’t do anything about it.
[Soundbite] Jo Seong-rok (Victim) : “Wild boars attack the farm every year. They pull out all the plants.”
But now there is a way. The Ministry of Environment has included 486 new species including wild boars and magpies on the list of wild animals that people are banned from catching but can receive compensation if they inflict damage on farm crops.
[Soundbite] Choi Jong-won (Ministry of Environment) : “Boars, water deer and other wild animals frequently damage farm crops. The new act provides financial aids for the losses.”
The ministry estimates the compensation will require about 7.2 million dollars a year.
5. New Candidates
[Anchor Lead]
The June 2 local elections are seeing a growing number of disabled people joining the race. They say they want to create a world free of discrimination. They face an uphill battle, but seem determined to press on.
[Pkg]
This person adeptly answers questions about childbirth of disabled women. She uses her mouth and tools to write her responses on the monitor, but she fears nothing. Jo Wu-ri suffers from a brain lesion disorder, but urges the disabled to stand on their own two feet. She is running for the Cheongju City Council in the June 2 local elections.
[Soundbite] Jo U-ri (Council Member Candidate) : “I decided to run in the election because I believe in myself. I ask for your support.”
Lee Mi-yeon is handing out her party’s leaflets. She also suffers from a similar disease and is running for office in her province.
[Soundbite] Lee Mi-yeon (Assembly Member Candidate) : “I’ll create work spaces where everyone can enjoy their work.”
Disabled candidates running in the local elections say they seek change policies for the disabled. But they find it tough to make speeches, secure financing, and perform the simple act of distributing leaflets. The disabled comprise six percent or 2.3 million voters but just 46 of them are elected officials, or one percent of the total. They seek to create a society where the disabled can live harmoniously side by side with the non-disabled.
6. KBS Radio 3
[Anchor Lead]
KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled, started airing on an FM frequency on April 20th. The new channel is aiming to become a bridge of communication between the disabled
and the world.
[Pkg]
DJ Kang Won-rae sounds more excited and special today.
[Soundbite] Kang Won-rae (KBS Radio 3 DJ) : “We’ve opened the era of clearer sounds on 104.9 FM.”
This is the first official FM broadcasting of KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled population. This KBS channel for the disabled was launched in 1995, but was heard only on special receivers. It started airing on an AM radio in 2000 and finally launched FM services a decade later.
[Soundbite] Choi See-joong (Head, Korea Communications Commission) : “It’s a really meaningful day because we’re making progress for people with disabilities.”
Over the years people with disabilities communicated with the world through KBS Radio 3 programs. The station has helped make the dreams of many disabled come true by sharing jobs and rehabilitation information.
[Soundbite] O Mun-yeong (KBS Radio 3 Listener) : “Thanks to the information provided by the station, I was able to come out into the world on a wheelchair rather than crawling.”
This radio documentary is a signature program of KBS Radio 3. It described that it’s not that hard for students with disabilities to study together with normal children. KBS Radio 3 plans to expand its target audience from the disabled population to the elderly, multicultural families, and other underrepresented classes.
7. Green City
[Anchor Lead]
The planting of greenery along concrete walls in Seoul is getting a good response from the public. The city government this year is concentrating on planting trees and plants around the venue of the November G20 summit and main roads.
[Pkg]
Spring has arrived, and the walls along the subway rails are covered with greenery. Vine has been planted along the city’s concrete walls to keep Seoul green. Residents say walking along the vine-covered walls is much more refreshing and relaxing.
[Soundbite] “The vines will help clean up the air polluted by cars. I like being close to trees and plants.”
Over the past decade, more than 2.2 million vine and plant saplings have been planted along Seoul’s concrete walls, adding up to 127 kilometers in length. This has improved the urban landscape as well as the air quality. The greenery has also reduced heat islands and noise in Seoul.
[Soundbite] Choi Byeong-eon (Seoul City Hall) : “The project is very easy, economic and cost-effective. All you need is to purchase trees to plant in the city.”
The project this year will focus on the Seoul Convention and Exhibition Center, or COEX, and major hotels to prepare for the G20 summit. Planting vine along city walls requires no land purchase. The project is a big help in improving the urban environment at low cost.
8. Comic on Film
[Anchor Lead]
Noted Korean directors are shooting films based on comic books. Directors Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame and Kang Woo-seok, who made "Silmido", are working to present new stories that retain the spirit of the original comic books, but are restructured for more cinematic appeal.
[Pkg]
Lee Mong-hak, an illegitimate son of a nobleman, wants to change the world with his sword. He meets his match in a blind swordsman, Hwang Jeong-hak, who is out to stop him. High-grossing director Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame is working on his third historical film, which is based on a comic book. Unlike the original story, the film focuses on the head-to-head competition between the two swordsmen.
[Soundbite] Lee jun-ik (Director, "Blades of Blood") : “Readers can imagine by reading the narratives in comic books, but films must actually show. Directors must let their imaginations run wild.”
In a secluded rural village... A young man visiting the place after his father’s death finds out a new secret. This movie due for a July release is filmed by Director Kang Woo-seok of "Silmido," the first Korean movie to draw more than 10 million viewers. This film is also based on an online comic titled "Moss," but it’s not a direct translation of the comic book.
[Soundbite] Kang Woo-suk (Director, "Moss") : “Comic books make many things possible, but I had to make many changes to fit reality.”
Korean film lovers are waiting to see the works of the acclaimed filmmakers, who are creating new stories based on existing ones.
9. Youth Quotient
[Anchor Lead]
Today’s senior citizens are fearlessly making new attempts to stay young. They’re trying out cultural activities that were once thought to be the exclusive domain of the younger generation, such as performing in a play, forming a band, or becoming a barista.
[Pkg]
This theater company composed entirely of senior citizens is busy rehearsing for its first performance in May. Elderly actors and actresses often forget their lines, but they don’t seem fazed and immediately improvise.
[Soundbite] Lee Seung-ju (74) : “I entirely understand the story. It makes me look back on my youth.”
Most of these elderly actors have never seen a play in their lives. But they’re searching for new identities as they participate in the performance.
[Soundbite] Choi Jun (82) : “I have nothing much to do at home. But here, I get to laugh and enjoy with people.”
This sixty-something barista expertly brews a steaming hot cup of coffee. Coffee made with wrinkled hands seems to contain life’s wisdom. It was hard for her to learn coffee-making skills among young people, but now she can make a variety of trendy coffee drinks for the older generation.
[Soundbite] Park In-suk (62) : “Everyone has different preference. It’s fun listening to what they like and dislike. I love this feeling of competence.”
Belly dancing is no longer only for young women in their twenties. This housewife in her fifties is a big belly dance fan. And nowadays, there are many in her age group who are learning to belly dance. The secret to living and looking young is to constantly challenge yourself.
[Soundbite] Kim Seong-hae (53) : “Living young means having high self-esteem. I didn’t experience menopause, because I’m constantly searching for myself.”
Some senior citizens are immersed in studying English. This English class has students of all ages from their thirties to their seventies.
[Soundbite] Chu Na-yeong (59) : “Age is just a number. It has nothing to do with studying. It’s very meaningful to study here with younger people.”
What they fear most is mental aging. So they study harder to keep their minds young. This is a studio located near the youthful neighborhood of Hongdae. The members of this band range in age from their twenties to their sixties. Despite the age gaps, they become one when practicing. Opening up your mind and becoming friends with people of all ages are essential to living young.
[Soundbite] Kim hae-won (28) : “They’re really enthusiastic. They’re far more passionate than I am. I also get up earlier in the morning to practice with them.”
[Soundbite] Choi Jun-won (55) : “We learn passion and energy from the younger members and we teach them life experiences.”
Age is only a number to these spirited senior citizens. They’re showing that the elderly are still capable of leading culturally productive and fun-filled lives.
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- Transfer Agenda
-
- 입력 2010-04-21 17:16:28
[Anchor Lead]
Korea is scheduled to retake the wartime operational command from the U.S. in 2012. But President Lee Myung-bak has said for the first time that a delay of the transfer date can be reviewed.
[Pkg]
President Lee holds a luncheon meeting with the leaders of the country’s three major political parties. The chairman of the minor conservative Liberty Forward Party Lee Hoi-chang proposes considering a delay in the wartime command transfer. The president says opinions on this differ within the military, but adds the suggestion will be carefully considered. President Lee in June last year said the command transfer has been agreed on and cannot be invalidated. But Seoul and Washington have agreed on a possible delay if inter-Korean ties worsen.
The president’s comment Tuesday is perhaps a hint that cross-border relations have soured to the point of possibly reviewing a delay in the command transfer. A government official says private think tanks in the U.S. also advocate a delay in the command transfer. The official says President Lee’s comments will lead to the start of bilateral talks on the matter. President Lee also lashed out at North Korea in a meeting with the National Unification Advisory Council. He says the North Korean people are starving, yet Pyongyang spent 5.3 million U.S. dollars for an all-night fireworks parade. The president urged the North to come to its senses.
2. Spies Arrested
[Anchor Lead]
South Korean authorities have arrested two North Korean spies sent to assassinate former North Korean official Hwang Jang-yop. The North Korean agents posed as defectors so they could enter South Korea through a third country.
[Pkg]
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and the National Intelligence Service have arrested two North Korean spies for plotting to assassinate a high-ranking defector Hwang Jang-yop. The spies secretly entered Thailand through China earlier this year, disguising themselves as defectors. They had gone to an illegal alien protection center in Thailand and requested that they be sent to South Korea. But NIS officers found out that the North Koreans were lying when some discrepancies about their escape routes and hometowns were discovered during questioning.
Further investigation revealed that the two were members of the North’s military espionage unit called Reconnaissance Bureau of the North Korean People’s Armed Forces. They told South Korean security officers that they were acting on a direct order from the bureau’s chief Kim Yong-chol to kill Hwang. A source in the Prosecutors’ Office says that the spies are well trained in martial arts, enough to take on three or four opponents at a time. The Prosecutors’ Office and the NIS are also investigating whether they have contacted any other North Korean agents already active in the South.
3. Foot-and-Mouth
[Anchor Lead]
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has spread from Ganghwa Island to farms in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province.
[Pkg]
Foot-and-mouth disease has reached the mainland after the outbreak first occurred on Ganghwa Island. The Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry says a confirmed case of the disease was detected at a farm in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. The number of farms with outbreaks of the disease has risen to six.
[Soundbite] Lee Seong-u (Local Farmer) : “I’m so devastated. I’ve been working on this farm for over twenty yeas.”
The Gimpo farm is 5.3 kilometers away from the disease’s point of origin in Ganghwa. This shows that the quarantine of at-risk areas within the three-kilometer radius has been compromised. But authorities say no dynamic connection has been confirmed between Ganghwa and the Gimpo farm. They also cite no signs of veterinary visits, vehicle access or calf transactions. The Agriculture Ministry will cull some 190 animals from four farms located within the 500-meter radius of the disease-affected farm. Roughly 74-thousand cattle and pigs inside the 10-kilometer radius are also banned from leaving the quarantined area.
[Soundbite] Lee Chang-beom (Min. for Food & Agriculture) : “We plan to set up disease prevention networks on major freeways from Seoul to Gimpo.”
The number of preventive checkpoints has been raised to three to stop a further spread of the disease to the nearby cities of Goyang and Paju.
4. Boar Damage
[Anchor Lead]
Farmers were once helpless to the damage wreaked by wild boars both in the countryside and in cities. But now they’ll be compensated for losses inflicted by the boars.
[Pkg]
A wild boar falls down, after being chased and shot by a hunter. The animals are hunted down but their numbers hardly decreased. A boar that has come down from the mountains at night digs up the fields as it looks for food. No fruit or vegetables are left after their appearance. Farm losses from boar attacks totaled 4.8 million dollars last year. But since there was no compensation for that, farmers couldn’t do anything about it.
[Soundbite] Jo Seong-rok (Victim) : “Wild boars attack the farm every year. They pull out all the plants.”
But now there is a way. The Ministry of Environment has included 486 new species including wild boars and magpies on the list of wild animals that people are banned from catching but can receive compensation if they inflict damage on farm crops.
[Soundbite] Choi Jong-won (Ministry of Environment) : “Boars, water deer and other wild animals frequently damage farm crops. The new act provides financial aids for the losses.”
The ministry estimates the compensation will require about 7.2 million dollars a year.
5. New Candidates
[Anchor Lead]
The June 2 local elections are seeing a growing number of disabled people joining the race. They say they want to create a world free of discrimination. They face an uphill battle, but seem determined to press on.
[Pkg]
This person adeptly answers questions about childbirth of disabled women. She uses her mouth and tools to write her responses on the monitor, but she fears nothing. Jo Wu-ri suffers from a brain lesion disorder, but urges the disabled to stand on their own two feet. She is running for the Cheongju City Council in the June 2 local elections.
[Soundbite] Jo U-ri (Council Member Candidate) : “I decided to run in the election because I believe in myself. I ask for your support.”
Lee Mi-yeon is handing out her party’s leaflets. She also suffers from a similar disease and is running for office in her province.
[Soundbite] Lee Mi-yeon (Assembly Member Candidate) : “I’ll create work spaces where everyone can enjoy their work.”
Disabled candidates running in the local elections say they seek change policies for the disabled. But they find it tough to make speeches, secure financing, and perform the simple act of distributing leaflets. The disabled comprise six percent or 2.3 million voters but just 46 of them are elected officials, or one percent of the total. They seek to create a society where the disabled can live harmoniously side by side with the non-disabled.
6. KBS Radio 3
[Anchor Lead]
KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled, started airing on an FM frequency on April 20th. The new channel is aiming to become a bridge of communication between the disabled
and the world.
[Pkg]
DJ Kang Won-rae sounds more excited and special today.
[Soundbite] Kang Won-rae (KBS Radio 3 DJ) : “We’ve opened the era of clearer sounds on 104.9 FM.”
This is the first official FM broadcasting of KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled population. This KBS channel for the disabled was launched in 1995, but was heard only on special receivers. It started airing on an AM radio in 2000 and finally launched FM services a decade later.
[Soundbite] Choi See-joong (Head, Korea Communications Commission) : “It’s a really meaningful day because we’re making progress for people with disabilities.”
Over the years people with disabilities communicated with the world through KBS Radio 3 programs. The station has helped make the dreams of many disabled come true by sharing jobs and rehabilitation information.
[Soundbite] O Mun-yeong (KBS Radio 3 Listener) : “Thanks to the information provided by the station, I was able to come out into the world on a wheelchair rather than crawling.”
This radio documentary is a signature program of KBS Radio 3. It described that it’s not that hard for students with disabilities to study together with normal children. KBS Radio 3 plans to expand its target audience from the disabled population to the elderly, multicultural families, and other underrepresented classes.
7. Green City
[Anchor Lead]
The planting of greenery along concrete walls in Seoul is getting a good response from the public. The city government this year is concentrating on planting trees and plants around the venue of the November G20 summit and main roads.
[Pkg]
Spring has arrived, and the walls along the subway rails are covered with greenery. Vine has been planted along the city’s concrete walls to keep Seoul green. Residents say walking along the vine-covered walls is much more refreshing and relaxing.
[Soundbite] “The vines will help clean up the air polluted by cars. I like being close to trees and plants.”
Over the past decade, more than 2.2 million vine and plant saplings have been planted along Seoul’s concrete walls, adding up to 127 kilometers in length. This has improved the urban landscape as well as the air quality. The greenery has also reduced heat islands and noise in Seoul.
[Soundbite] Choi Byeong-eon (Seoul City Hall) : “The project is very easy, economic and cost-effective. All you need is to purchase trees to plant in the city.”
The project this year will focus on the Seoul Convention and Exhibition Center, or COEX, and major hotels to prepare for the G20 summit. Planting vine along city walls requires no land purchase. The project is a big help in improving the urban environment at low cost.
8. Comic on Film
[Anchor Lead]
Noted Korean directors are shooting films based on comic books. Directors Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame and Kang Woo-seok, who made "Silmido", are working to present new stories that retain the spirit of the original comic books, but are restructured for more cinematic appeal.
[Pkg]
Lee Mong-hak, an illegitimate son of a nobleman, wants to change the world with his sword. He meets his match in a blind swordsman, Hwang Jeong-hak, who is out to stop him. High-grossing director Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame is working on his third historical film, which is based on a comic book. Unlike the original story, the film focuses on the head-to-head competition between the two swordsmen.
[Soundbite] Lee jun-ik (Director, "Blades of Blood") : “Readers can imagine by reading the narratives in comic books, but films must actually show. Directors must let their imaginations run wild.”
In a secluded rural village... A young man visiting the place after his father’s death finds out a new secret. This movie due for a July release is filmed by Director Kang Woo-seok of "Silmido," the first Korean movie to draw more than 10 million viewers. This film is also based on an online comic titled "Moss," but it’s not a direct translation of the comic book.
[Soundbite] Kang Woo-suk (Director, "Moss") : “Comic books make many things possible, but I had to make many changes to fit reality.”
Korean film lovers are waiting to see the works of the acclaimed filmmakers, who are creating new stories based on existing ones.
9. Youth Quotient
[Anchor Lead]
Today’s senior citizens are fearlessly making new attempts to stay young. They’re trying out cultural activities that were once thought to be the exclusive domain of the younger generation, such as performing in a play, forming a band, or becoming a barista.
[Pkg]
This theater company composed entirely of senior citizens is busy rehearsing for its first performance in May. Elderly actors and actresses often forget their lines, but they don’t seem fazed and immediately improvise.
[Soundbite] Lee Seung-ju (74) : “I entirely understand the story. It makes me look back on my youth.”
Most of these elderly actors have never seen a play in their lives. But they’re searching for new identities as they participate in the performance.
[Soundbite] Choi Jun (82) : “I have nothing much to do at home. But here, I get to laugh and enjoy with people.”
This sixty-something barista expertly brews a steaming hot cup of coffee. Coffee made with wrinkled hands seems to contain life’s wisdom. It was hard for her to learn coffee-making skills among young people, but now she can make a variety of trendy coffee drinks for the older generation.
[Soundbite] Park In-suk (62) : “Everyone has different preference. It’s fun listening to what they like and dislike. I love this feeling of competence.”
Belly dancing is no longer only for young women in their twenties. This housewife in her fifties is a big belly dance fan. And nowadays, there are many in her age group who are learning to belly dance. The secret to living and looking young is to constantly challenge yourself.
[Soundbite] Kim Seong-hae (53) : “Living young means having high self-esteem. I didn’t experience menopause, because I’m constantly searching for myself.”
Some senior citizens are immersed in studying English. This English class has students of all ages from their thirties to their seventies.
[Soundbite] Chu Na-yeong (59) : “Age is just a number. It has nothing to do with studying. It’s very meaningful to study here with younger people.”
What they fear most is mental aging. So they study harder to keep their minds young. This is a studio located near the youthful neighborhood of Hongdae. The members of this band range in age from their twenties to their sixties. Despite the age gaps, they become one when practicing. Opening up your mind and becoming friends with people of all ages are essential to living young.
[Soundbite] Kim hae-won (28) : “They’re really enthusiastic. They’re far more passionate than I am. I also get up earlier in the morning to practice with them.”
[Soundbite] Choi Jun-won (55) : “We learn passion and energy from the younger members and we teach them life experiences.”
Age is only a number to these spirited senior citizens. They’re showing that the elderly are still capable of leading culturally productive and fun-filled lives.
Korea is scheduled to retake the wartime operational command from the U.S. in 2012. But President Lee Myung-bak has said for the first time that a delay of the transfer date can be reviewed.
[Pkg]
President Lee holds a luncheon meeting with the leaders of the country’s three major political parties. The chairman of the minor conservative Liberty Forward Party Lee Hoi-chang proposes considering a delay in the wartime command transfer. The president says opinions on this differ within the military, but adds the suggestion will be carefully considered. President Lee in June last year said the command transfer has been agreed on and cannot be invalidated. But Seoul and Washington have agreed on a possible delay if inter-Korean ties worsen.
The president’s comment Tuesday is perhaps a hint that cross-border relations have soured to the point of possibly reviewing a delay in the command transfer. A government official says private think tanks in the U.S. also advocate a delay in the command transfer. The official says President Lee’s comments will lead to the start of bilateral talks on the matter. President Lee also lashed out at North Korea in a meeting with the National Unification Advisory Council. He says the North Korean people are starving, yet Pyongyang spent 5.3 million U.S. dollars for an all-night fireworks parade. The president urged the North to come to its senses.
2. Spies Arrested
[Anchor Lead]
South Korean authorities have arrested two North Korean spies sent to assassinate former North Korean official Hwang Jang-yop. The North Korean agents posed as defectors so they could enter South Korea through a third country.
[Pkg]
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and the National Intelligence Service have arrested two North Korean spies for plotting to assassinate a high-ranking defector Hwang Jang-yop. The spies secretly entered Thailand through China earlier this year, disguising themselves as defectors. They had gone to an illegal alien protection center in Thailand and requested that they be sent to South Korea. But NIS officers found out that the North Koreans were lying when some discrepancies about their escape routes and hometowns were discovered during questioning.
Further investigation revealed that the two were members of the North’s military espionage unit called Reconnaissance Bureau of the North Korean People’s Armed Forces. They told South Korean security officers that they were acting on a direct order from the bureau’s chief Kim Yong-chol to kill Hwang. A source in the Prosecutors’ Office says that the spies are well trained in martial arts, enough to take on three or four opponents at a time. The Prosecutors’ Office and the NIS are also investigating whether they have contacted any other North Korean agents already active in the South.
3. Foot-and-Mouth
[Anchor Lead]
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has spread from Ganghwa Island to farms in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province.
[Pkg]
Foot-and-mouth disease has reached the mainland after the outbreak first occurred on Ganghwa Island. The Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry says a confirmed case of the disease was detected at a farm in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. The number of farms with outbreaks of the disease has risen to six.
[Soundbite] Lee Seong-u (Local Farmer) : “I’m so devastated. I’ve been working on this farm for over twenty yeas.”
The Gimpo farm is 5.3 kilometers away from the disease’s point of origin in Ganghwa. This shows that the quarantine of at-risk areas within the three-kilometer radius has been compromised. But authorities say no dynamic connection has been confirmed between Ganghwa and the Gimpo farm. They also cite no signs of veterinary visits, vehicle access or calf transactions. The Agriculture Ministry will cull some 190 animals from four farms located within the 500-meter radius of the disease-affected farm. Roughly 74-thousand cattle and pigs inside the 10-kilometer radius are also banned from leaving the quarantined area.
[Soundbite] Lee Chang-beom (Min. for Food & Agriculture) : “We plan to set up disease prevention networks on major freeways from Seoul to Gimpo.”
The number of preventive checkpoints has been raised to three to stop a further spread of the disease to the nearby cities of Goyang and Paju.
4. Boar Damage
[Anchor Lead]
Farmers were once helpless to the damage wreaked by wild boars both in the countryside and in cities. But now they’ll be compensated for losses inflicted by the boars.
[Pkg]
A wild boar falls down, after being chased and shot by a hunter. The animals are hunted down but their numbers hardly decreased. A boar that has come down from the mountains at night digs up the fields as it looks for food. No fruit or vegetables are left after their appearance. Farm losses from boar attacks totaled 4.8 million dollars last year. But since there was no compensation for that, farmers couldn’t do anything about it.
[Soundbite] Jo Seong-rok (Victim) : “Wild boars attack the farm every year. They pull out all the plants.”
But now there is a way. The Ministry of Environment has included 486 new species including wild boars and magpies on the list of wild animals that people are banned from catching but can receive compensation if they inflict damage on farm crops.
[Soundbite] Choi Jong-won (Ministry of Environment) : “Boars, water deer and other wild animals frequently damage farm crops. The new act provides financial aids for the losses.”
The ministry estimates the compensation will require about 7.2 million dollars a year.
5. New Candidates
[Anchor Lead]
The June 2 local elections are seeing a growing number of disabled people joining the race. They say they want to create a world free of discrimination. They face an uphill battle, but seem determined to press on.
[Pkg]
This person adeptly answers questions about childbirth of disabled women. She uses her mouth and tools to write her responses on the monitor, but she fears nothing. Jo Wu-ri suffers from a brain lesion disorder, but urges the disabled to stand on their own two feet. She is running for the Cheongju City Council in the June 2 local elections.
[Soundbite] Jo U-ri (Council Member Candidate) : “I decided to run in the election because I believe in myself. I ask for your support.”
Lee Mi-yeon is handing out her party’s leaflets. She also suffers from a similar disease and is running for office in her province.
[Soundbite] Lee Mi-yeon (Assembly Member Candidate) : “I’ll create work spaces where everyone can enjoy their work.”
Disabled candidates running in the local elections say they seek change policies for the disabled. But they find it tough to make speeches, secure financing, and perform the simple act of distributing leaflets. The disabled comprise six percent or 2.3 million voters but just 46 of them are elected officials, or one percent of the total. They seek to create a society where the disabled can live harmoniously side by side with the non-disabled.
6. KBS Radio 3
[Anchor Lead]
KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled, started airing on an FM frequency on April 20th. The new channel is aiming to become a bridge of communication between the disabled
and the world.
[Pkg]
DJ Kang Won-rae sounds more excited and special today.
[Soundbite] Kang Won-rae (KBS Radio 3 DJ) : “We’ve opened the era of clearer sounds on 104.9 FM.”
This is the first official FM broadcasting of KBS Radio 3, Korea’s only broadcasting channel for the disabled population. This KBS channel for the disabled was launched in 1995, but was heard only on special receivers. It started airing on an AM radio in 2000 and finally launched FM services a decade later.
[Soundbite] Choi See-joong (Head, Korea Communications Commission) : “It’s a really meaningful day because we’re making progress for people with disabilities.”
Over the years people with disabilities communicated with the world through KBS Radio 3 programs. The station has helped make the dreams of many disabled come true by sharing jobs and rehabilitation information.
[Soundbite] O Mun-yeong (KBS Radio 3 Listener) : “Thanks to the information provided by the station, I was able to come out into the world on a wheelchair rather than crawling.”
This radio documentary is a signature program of KBS Radio 3. It described that it’s not that hard for students with disabilities to study together with normal children. KBS Radio 3 plans to expand its target audience from the disabled population to the elderly, multicultural families, and other underrepresented classes.
7. Green City
[Anchor Lead]
The planting of greenery along concrete walls in Seoul is getting a good response from the public. The city government this year is concentrating on planting trees and plants around the venue of the November G20 summit and main roads.
[Pkg]
Spring has arrived, and the walls along the subway rails are covered with greenery. Vine has been planted along the city’s concrete walls to keep Seoul green. Residents say walking along the vine-covered walls is much more refreshing and relaxing.
[Soundbite] “The vines will help clean up the air polluted by cars. I like being close to trees and plants.”
Over the past decade, more than 2.2 million vine and plant saplings have been planted along Seoul’s concrete walls, adding up to 127 kilometers in length. This has improved the urban landscape as well as the air quality. The greenery has also reduced heat islands and noise in Seoul.
[Soundbite] Choi Byeong-eon (Seoul City Hall) : “The project is very easy, economic and cost-effective. All you need is to purchase trees to plant in the city.”
The project this year will focus on the Seoul Convention and Exhibition Center, or COEX, and major hotels to prepare for the G20 summit. Planting vine along city walls requires no land purchase. The project is a big help in improving the urban environment at low cost.
8. Comic on Film
[Anchor Lead]
Noted Korean directors are shooting films based on comic books. Directors Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame and Kang Woo-seok, who made "Silmido", are working to present new stories that retain the spirit of the original comic books, but are restructured for more cinematic appeal.
[Pkg]
Lee Mong-hak, an illegitimate son of a nobleman, wants to change the world with his sword. He meets his match in a blind swordsman, Hwang Jeong-hak, who is out to stop him. High-grossing director Lee Jun-ik of "The King and the Clown" fame is working on his third historical film, which is based on a comic book. Unlike the original story, the film focuses on the head-to-head competition between the two swordsmen.
[Soundbite] Lee jun-ik (Director, "Blades of Blood") : “Readers can imagine by reading the narratives in comic books, but films must actually show. Directors must let their imaginations run wild.”
In a secluded rural village... A young man visiting the place after his father’s death finds out a new secret. This movie due for a July release is filmed by Director Kang Woo-seok of "Silmido," the first Korean movie to draw more than 10 million viewers. This film is also based on an online comic titled "Moss," but it’s not a direct translation of the comic book.
[Soundbite] Kang Woo-suk (Director, "Moss") : “Comic books make many things possible, but I had to make many changes to fit reality.”
Korean film lovers are waiting to see the works of the acclaimed filmmakers, who are creating new stories based on existing ones.
9. Youth Quotient
[Anchor Lead]
Today’s senior citizens are fearlessly making new attempts to stay young. They’re trying out cultural activities that were once thought to be the exclusive domain of the younger generation, such as performing in a play, forming a band, or becoming a barista.
[Pkg]
This theater company composed entirely of senior citizens is busy rehearsing for its first performance in May. Elderly actors and actresses often forget their lines, but they don’t seem fazed and immediately improvise.
[Soundbite] Lee Seung-ju (74) : “I entirely understand the story. It makes me look back on my youth.”
Most of these elderly actors have never seen a play in their lives. But they’re searching for new identities as they participate in the performance.
[Soundbite] Choi Jun (82) : “I have nothing much to do at home. But here, I get to laugh and enjoy with people.”
This sixty-something barista expertly brews a steaming hot cup of coffee. Coffee made with wrinkled hands seems to contain life’s wisdom. It was hard for her to learn coffee-making skills among young people, but now she can make a variety of trendy coffee drinks for the older generation.
[Soundbite] Park In-suk (62) : “Everyone has different preference. It’s fun listening to what they like and dislike. I love this feeling of competence.”
Belly dancing is no longer only for young women in their twenties. This housewife in her fifties is a big belly dance fan. And nowadays, there are many in her age group who are learning to belly dance. The secret to living and looking young is to constantly challenge yourself.
[Soundbite] Kim Seong-hae (53) : “Living young means having high self-esteem. I didn’t experience menopause, because I’m constantly searching for myself.”
Some senior citizens are immersed in studying English. This English class has students of all ages from their thirties to their seventies.
[Soundbite] Chu Na-yeong (59) : “Age is just a number. It has nothing to do with studying. It’s very meaningful to study here with younger people.”
What they fear most is mental aging. So they study harder to keep their minds young. This is a studio located near the youthful neighborhood of Hongdae. The members of this band range in age from their twenties to their sixties. Despite the age gaps, they become one when practicing. Opening up your mind and becoming friends with people of all ages are essential to living young.
[Soundbite] Kim hae-won (28) : “They’re really enthusiastic. They’re far more passionate than I am. I also get up earlier in the morning to practice with them.”
[Soundbite] Choi Jun-won (55) : “We learn passion and energy from the younger members and we teach them life experiences.”
Age is only a number to these spirited senior citizens. They’re showing that the elderly are still capable of leading culturally productive and fun-filled lives.
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