Severed Ties

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea says it has cut off all ties with South Korea. This is Pyongyang’s response to Seoul’s moves to punish the North for sinking the naval vessel Cheonan.



[Pkg]

North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland says it will consider South Korea’s response to the Cheonan sinking as a declaration of war.



[Soundbite] N. Korean Central TV (May 25) : “The committee said that it would cut all inter-Korean ties and scrap the non-aggressive treaty as well as all cooperative projects.”



The committee says it has severed all inter-Korean ties, pledging no contact or dialogue while South Korean President Lee Myung-bak is in office. Pyongyang also says it’ll cut off all communication between the two Koreas and start an all-out counterattack against Seoul’s psychological warfare. The North says it will shut down an inter-Korean cooperation office at the Kaesong industrial complex and immediately expel all South Korean personnel there. But Pyongyang said nothing on the operations of the complex and South and South Korean companies stationed there. The move to sever all bilateral communication and shut down the complex office has raised fears that the Kaesong complex will be closed. The Unification Ministry in Seoul says it’ll closely monitor any further steps announced by the North.



2. French Vets



[Anchor Lead]

French soldiers who fought in the Korean War as part of the UN forces visited a battle site after 60 years.



[Pkg]

Sixty years have past since the Korean War, but the atmosphere is still tense in Yanggu, Gangwon Province. Veteran French soldiers have visited this county. This former French soldier who fought in the Korean War at age 21 remembers the battle vividly.



[Soundbite] Jaque Crisole (Korean War Veteran) : “I view the period with a ”



He fought fiercely amid exploding shells and shouts to make an advance. In 1951, UN and North Korean forces fought for 20 days at this place which claimed twenty thousand lives from both sides. At this memorial hall, in honor of those who sacrificed their lives at the battlefield, the French veterans lay before their fallen comrades old photos and medals of honor.



[Soundbite] Bernard Goufield (Veteran’s Family Member) : “In a letter, my brother said he came to Korea in the spirit of the cross.”



Visiting the old battle site near the inter-Korean border, the veterans realize the value of freedom they tried to defend risking their lives. Even after 60 years, their comradeship and their heart for peace remain the same.



3. UNESCO Donor



[Anchor Lead]

Korea joined UNESCO 60 years ago to receive aid, but it is now helping other countries. A world conference on the future of arts education has begun in Seoul to share South Korea’s developmental experience.



[Pkg]

South Korea became the 55th member country of UNESCO on June 14th, 1950. The Korean War broke out soon after and life on the Korean Peninsula grew chaotic. Support from UNESCO was a major factor in the country getting back on its feet. The world body donated school supplies and supported construction of textbook printing factories under a policy that education is the key to fostering good human resources. UNESCO also helped with rebuilding schools and training teachers. Fast forward 60 years. South Korea now has the world’s highest literacy rate and seven materials on UNESCO’s Memory of the World list. The country is also helping raise literacy in Africa and providing textbook printing paper to North Korea. South Korea has turned from aid recipient to donor. Seoul is hosting the World Conference on Arts Education, an event that seeks global integration through arts education.



[Soundbite] Irina Bokova (Director-General, UNESCO)



The conference has 129 countries attending and is nicknamed the cultural Olympics. The countries are discussing the development of arts education, which forms the foundation of imagination and creativity.



4. River Outcry



[Anchor Lead]

The leaders of four major religious denominations in Korea held a press conference to urge the government to immediately halt its four river improvement project.



[Pkg]

The leaders of Catholic, Protestant, Buddhism, and Won Buddhism denominations have called for an immediate suspension of the four river improvement project. They claimed that the project poses ’grave threat’ to the ecosystem.



[Soundbite] Park Jeong-u (Catholic Church) : “The four river project risks many lives.”



[Soundbite] Ven. Boseon (Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism) : “Stop sacrificing other lives to make someone else’s life more comfortable.”



They stressed that the project falls within the religious domain of dealing with life.



[Soundbite] Kim Geun-sang (Anglican Church of Korea) : “We’re accused of violating the election laws, but we’re working to save lives.”



[Soundbite] Ven. Kim Hyeon (Won-Buddhism) : “The government isn’t paying attention to our claims.”



It is unusual for the leaders of different faiths to form a united front. Meanwhile, dramatic changes have taken place at the project sites over the past six months. The wetland and willow trees have disappeared, and endangered fish were found dead, fueling protests from enraged environmental groups. Also, concerns mount over the possible damage to cultural artifacts discovered at the sites, even if the government has promised proper protective measures.



5. Lost Relics



[Anchor Lead]

The official estimate of the number of Korean cultural assets kept abroad is around 107,000. Here’s more about the relics that are scattered overseas.



[Pkg]

This royal seal was made to commemorate the last Korean Empress Myeongseong after her assassination by Japanese samurais. An American soldier during the Korean War bought this seal from a junk dealer for 25 dollars and took it home to the U.S. The seal was returned to Korea more than three decades later. Numerous Korean cultural assets that were taken overseas remain scattered and lost around the world. Such assets are also found everywhere in Japan, including this stone pagoda at the garden of a Tokyo hotel and a stone statue on the streets of Kyoto. Many Korean cultural assets are also kept at around 340 museums in 18 countries, including the U.S., France and England. Most of them were taken out of Korea over the period spanning Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, the Korean War, and the rule of the U.S. military government.



[Soundbite] Jeong Yang-mo (Fmr. National Museum of Korea) : “I was told in the 60’s that ancient artifacts, including some from ancient Gaya tombs, had been dug up by the Japanese.”



The official number of Korean cultural assets kept abroad is estimated at 107-thousand. But experts say the real number is probably much higher.



[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Bo-a (Chugye University for the Arts) : “Private collections in Japan amount to hundreds of thousands of pieces. So there must be many more worldwide. No one knows for sure.”



But the Korean government lacks the staff needed to locate the country’s cultural assets abroad. Many Korean cultural assets remain lost and forgotten despite rising public interest in them.



6. Burial Reform



[Anchor Lead]

The government will sharply ease regulations on burying the dead in natural tomb sites. This is in response to saturated grave facilities and to encourage this nature-friendly burial method.



[Pkg]

People at the funeral choose a tree, dig a hole, and bury the cremated remains of the dead in the hole. Instead of a mound or a tombstone, a tree marks the grave site. This tree burial has been introduced because tombs take up a great deal of land.



[Soundbite] Chae Jeong-won (Tree Burial User) : “He loved nature when he was alive. I chose this funeral procession because trees felt friendlier than a charnel house.”



Laws on nature burial were legislated in 2008, but after two years, it only accounts for one percent of all funerals customs. Some blame this to the lack of government promotion and public understanding.



[Soundbite] Go Deok-gi (Ministry of Health and Welfare) : “We believe people don’t know much about tree burial because it’s not publicized.”



The government has now sharply eased regulations to encourage this custom. Individuals can now simply report a tree burial instead of registering. Regulations on the grave size and location have been eased for the case of corporate burials. The government will also open more than ten of the nature burial sites each year for public sector by renovating existing public cemeteries.



7. Musical Regacy



[Anchor Lead]

North Jeolla Province is the birthplace of the one-person lyrical opera called pansori, and seeks to preserve traditional Korean folk music. A university in Jeonju has set learning traditional Korean music as a graduation requirement.



[Pkg]

College students follow the lead of a famous singer and practice a phrase from a Korean folk song. The rhythm and beats are all off, but the students have the passion to learn.



[Soundbite] Lee Jae-hyeon (Chonbuk National University) : “I like Korean music’s unique features different from Western musicals or operas.”



This part of the folk song "Heungboga" they sang is challenging even for professionals. The students learn the stanza in just three months thanks to their professor.



[Soundbite] Jo Tong-dal (Intangible Cultural Property No. 5) : “When they reach a certain level, they figure out their own styles. I’m really proud of them.”



This traditional music class is a prerequisite for all students at this university. The more they learn about Korean folk music, the more pride they have in their hometowns.



[Soundbite] Jeong Jin (Chonbuk National University) : “You get to appreciate the art. I think I can promote the city and my hometown to people elsewhere.”



The very survival of traditional Korean music could rest on the shoulders of these young Korean students.



8. Nature on Canvas



[Anchor Lead]

The natural landscapes of Korea have been reproduced on canvas. Seventy Korean artists are holding an exhibition to show how valuable nature is and the necessity of preserving it. Let’s take a look.



[Pkg]

Gyeongcheondae is famous for its landscape along the Nakdong River. The fine sand bank and a river have been depicted on canvas. This is Jeju Island’s Seongsan Ilchulbong meaning "sunrise peak." Oil paint has been applied using Korean painting methods to express the light spring atmosphere. This is Taehwa River of Ulsan, North Gyeongsang Province. The blue river appears beyond spring flowers in full bloom. The exotic stone cliff walls of Mount Cheongryang, North Gyeongsang Province have been rendered in traditional Korean ink called meok. Here’s a painting of a quiet and peaceful countryside road. Seventy artists have painted the Korean peninsula’s beautiful landscapes. Around 130 paintings on display show the nature as it is or through the eyes of the artist.



[Soundbite] No Gwang (Painter) : “We try to portray nature before it’s demolished. We want to hand it down to our descendants.

”



The exhibition has been organized to remind people of the value of nature.



9. Little Arabia



[Anchor Lead]

Koreans are as yet quite unfamiliar with Arabic culture. As such, people from 14 Arab countries have co-hosted a festival in Seoul to introduce their world. The festival features traditional Arabic weapons, clothing and food. Let’s take a look.



[Pkg]

Abiran left her motherland Egypt five months ago. She and her friends are on their way somewhere.



[Soundbite] Abiran (Interpreter, Kuwait Embassy) : “It’s wonderful to experience traditional Arabic culture here in Korea.”



People from 14 Arab countries hosted an Arabic festival in Seoul to help Korean people understand Arab culture.



[Soundbite]

“It reminds me of "One Thousand and One Nights."”



[Soundbite]

“The unique writing system.”



[Soundbite]

“Arabic clothes? The thing the women use to cover their faces.”



Koreans on the whole aren’t very familiar with Arab traditions. The festival features the traditional cultures of 300 million Arab people living in regions stretching from northern Africa to western Asia. Visitors are captivated by a variety of Arabic handicraft works such as glittering swords and beautiful bowl covers used by nomads in deserts.



[Soundbite]

“I read about Arab culture and art only in books. It’s great to see them with my own eyes.”



The traditional attire is suitable for people who live in desert areas. The thin and loose clothes are designed to protect people from the strong sunlight and sizzling, hot weather in desert regions.



[Soundbite]

“Their skills are outstanding. The works are very colorful and sophisticated.”



Arab dishes are offered to visitors. Smells of fried rice and cooked lamb entice hungry festival-goers.



[Soundbite]

“Couscous is good. My children loved the fried dish.”



Arab people living in Korea are excited at the rare chance to feast on Arabic food. The Iraqi embassy in Seoul offers the traditional Middle Eastern lamb dish Shawarma, a favorite of the Iraqi people.



[Soundbite]

“I tried the Iraqi dish. It’s really spicy but good.”



Women enjoy the traditional Arabic temporary tattooing called henna, which is practiced to wish for happy marriages and fertility. The festival reaches its culmination, as traditional group dancing and songs are performed. All 600 seats are occupied. The group dance is performed to celebrate a wedding in Arab countries. Sword dancing sends a murmur of excitement through the audience.



[Soundbite]

“I guess a drum is enough to make them happy.”



[Soundbite]

“I thought people from Middle East are belligerent, but I’ve found new aspects of Arabic culture here.”



The festival offers a welcome glimpse into the lives of the Arab people, and ensures that they will not remain strangers to Koreans.