UN Resolution

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The U.N. Security Council is putting the final touches on a draft resolution on the Cheonan sinking. The resolution could be adopted as early as today.



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The five permanent member countries of the U.N. Security Council have agreed on the draft of a chairman’s declaration on the Cheonan sinking. The council is known to have held a private meeting in which ten non-permanent member countries reviewed and finetuned the draft. Representatives from member countries await approval from their respective governments. Afterwards, the council will hold a general meeting Friday evening Korean Standard Time on adopting the declaration. The draft does not directly name North Korea as the attacker, but subtly implies that Pyongyang is responsible for the sinking.



[Soundbite] Susan Rice(U.S. Ambassador to the UN)



The draft is said to also have passages saying such an incident must never happen again and urging countries to show efforts for security on the Korean Peninsula. A diplomatic source says South Korea is satisfied with the draft considering China’s strong resistance against openly accusing the North. U.N. measures on the Cheonan incident are going smoothly and near conclusion just about a month after the complaint was submitted. Accordingly, Seoul and Washington are expected to apply sanctions on Pyongyang and hold joint military operations soon after.



2. North Defectors



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The number of North Korean defectors in South Korea is rapidly increasing. The number is expected to exceed 20,000 by September. Female defectors account for 76 percent and more and more former North Koreans are coming with their families.



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This 25-year-old North Korean who defected to the South last year had graduated college and worked as a teacher in North Korea.



[Soundbite] North Korean Defector (Voice Modified) : “Women hear about life in the South more often when they travel to China to support the family. Men are more tied to the government than women.”



Recently, there has been a growing number of female defectors. They account for 76 percent of last year’s North Korean defectors. The number of North Koreans defecting with their families has also increased from last year’s 12 percent to 40 percent.



[Soundbite] North Korean Defector (Voice Modified) : “My son was 10 at the time. I want to bring him to the South as soon as possible.”



The annual capacity of Hanawon, the education center for helping North Korean defectors adapt to their new life in the South, is 1,000. The government is promoting a second Hanawon in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province to cover the increasing demand. Seeing the urgency for medical and legal services for North Korean defectors, the government is also planning to sign contracts with related institutions. The unemployment rate among North Korean defectors is 13.7 percent, about four times higher than the general public. It shows that many defectors still have a hard time adapting to life in the South. Meanwhile, the number of defectors continues to rise. The Unification Ministry expects the number to exceed 20,000 by September.



3. New Horizons



[Anchor Lead]



President Lee Myung-bak has told young workers in agriculture and fisheries that the two sectors are among the country’s key industries of the future. He’s also announced plans to set up 300 venture companies integrating agriculture, industry and commerce.



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President Lee has spoken to young workers in agriculture and fisheries. He urged them to have ambition, saying the two sectors are among Korea’s key industries of the future.



[Soundbite] Lee Myung-bak (President) : “We should have more young Korean with the strong will to devote their lives to this field. You should never give up.”



The young workers made presentations on their experiences and plans for domestic agriculture and fisheries.



[Soundbite] Park Seo-yeon (Nat’l College of Agriculture and Fisheries) : “I always wondered why my dad only works in the fisheries. I try to come up with ideas of combining fishing and farming industries.”



[Soundbite] Jo Gyu-pyo (Nat’l College of Agriculture and Fisheries) : “I’m commercializing not just apples but the field of farming itself, agricultural regions and even my trustworthiness and reliability.”



[Soundbite] Im Eun-yeong (Nat’l College of Agriculture and Fisheries) : “While running my peach orchard, I developed peach drinks good for stomach disorders made from antibiotic-free fruit.”



President Lee says farms should integrate with the food and bio industries to raise profits. The government will also develop 300 small to mid-size companies integrating agriculture, industry and commerce by 2012.



4. Tower Trend



[Anchor Lead]



The construction of extra tall edifices in Seoul always stirs up controversy. But the construction of the second Lotte World has recently been approved, paving the way for the construction of other massive skyscrapers in the city.



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This 780,000 square meter site is located across the street from the Lotte World in Jamsil, Seoul. It’ll soon be home to another Lotte World. The construction has been approved recently by the Seoul Metropolitan government. The 555 meter-tall skyscraper will be the first in the city to have over one hundred stories.



[Soundbite] Kim Myeong-su (Lotte Corporation) : “We can improve our technologies by building this skyscraper with our own capital.”



The construction of the 133-story Digital Media Center in Sangam-dong will begin as early as this year. It’s currently awaiting a government permit. The development of a global business center in Seoul Forest will also likely be approved.



[Soundbite] Seo Dong-ju (Hyundai Global Business Center) : “During the construction period, we can create 20,000 jobs and produce a production-driven effect of $1.6 billion.”



The construction of skyscrapers in Seoul is expected to boost the stagnant construction industry.



[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Sang-dae (Korea University) : “A couple of large projects worth over $1.6 billion each carried out simultaneously will contribute to the nation’s economy.”



But attracting investment in the slow economy and ensuring the safety of high-rises remain unsolved.



5. Han River



[Anchor Lead]



The number of fish species living in the Han River is growing. This is thanks to the improvement of water quality in the river.



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A net is pulled up under the Jamsil Bridge to survey fish species living in the Han River. The net is full of fish, making it hard for even three grown men to lift it. The number of fish species in the Han River has significantly grown. They include large skygagers measuring more than 60 centimeters long and chubby carps. This catch has netted 35 types of fish and eight other marine species like crabs.



[Soundbite] Yu Gang-yong (Captain, Fish Survey Ship) : “We’ve found some river puffers recently. The number of species keeps growing and diversifying each year.”



Surveys on fish species are conducted four times a year. More species are found with every study.



[Soundbite] Park Dong-sun (Seoul Metropolitan Office) : “More fish species are found in the river now thanks to the new eco-parks and improved water quality.”



The improved water quality in the Han River has helped raise the number of fish species there.



6. Goryeo Statue



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A gilt bronze statue of a bodhisattva from the latter Goryeo Dynasty has been unveiled for the first time. The statue dates all the way back to the 1300s, a period that marked the height of Korea’s Buddhist culture and art.



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The statue of bodhisattva sits with its legs half-crossed and wearing a subtle smile as if it’s meditating. The National Museum of Korea purchased the statue last year which is worth of a national treasure. The head of buddha statues from the early Goryeo era is unusually large, but this statue has a small face and is well-proportioned, which is the characteristic of the later Goryeo artworks. It’s also more glamorously adorned than other statues of the time. It has a lotus flower accessory below the ear and the belt is decorated with marbles. The black area where the gold is peeled off is the lacquer varnish underneath. Bone powder goes into lacquer in the traditional Korean way of artistry. The ingredient is believed to help the gold foil stay on longer. Based on radiocarbon dating, the statue is confirmed to have been made in the 1370s.



[Soundbite] Park Jung-hwan (National Museum of Korea) : “It’s an extraordinary piece reflecting the artistic change in Buddhist style from late Goryeo to the Joseon Era.”



The National Museum of Korea has also unveiled accessories and celadon porcelain unearthed from a royal Goryeo tomb in Ganghwa Island.



7. Air Force Visitors



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Korean Americans wishing to enter the U.S. Air Force Academy are learning firsthand about the life of a Korean pilot. They say an interactive program at the Korea Air Force Academy is also helping them learn about their roots.



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Everyone applauds as they soar into the air with the instructor’s help. They ride a super-light aircraft, experience the acceleration effect, and go into the low pressure room. They jump into water three meters deep to overcome their fear of water. Eighteen Korean Americans are on a 10-day program at the Korea Air Force Academy sponsored by the Korean-American community of New York.



[Soundbite] Gwak Sha-ron (16, Korean-American) : “I didn’t know much about my parents’ childhood. But now I understand it better.”



All of the participants wish to enter the U.S. Air Force Academy.



[Soundbite] Jonathan Kim (18, Korean-American)



[Soundbite] Choi Seok-in (Korea Air Force Academy) : “The program helps young Korean-Americans learn about their roots and boosts their love for flying in the sky.”



The Korean Americans will also visit traditional marketplaces and a folk village. They will then see underground tunnels that symbolize the division of the Korean Peninsula.



8. Rice Paddy Art



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Rice paddies have emerged as a new tourism resource. Large pictures created on rice fields are drawing scores of tourists from urban areas and even professional photographers.



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This picture shows children wearing traditional costumes and playing in a vast green field. Their vibrant moves and even funny facial expressions can be seen clearly.



[Soundbite] “The colors really go well together.”



A tiger gazing at the moon with its mouth wide open looks imposing. The tiger’s fur was subtly depicted with rice plants of five different colors, including crimson and yellow.



[Soundbite] Hwang Yong-ha (Goesan County Office) : “We drew floor plans and created the same picture on rice fields and colored them.”



These masterpieces were created on vast rice fields three times the size of a school stadium. They become more colorful as the rice ripens. Professional photographers and city-dwellers come here to appreciate these artworks.



[Soundbite] Sin Jae-yeong (Photographer) : “I want to come back here once again in the fall because the picture will look more vivid against the scenic foliage.”



Colorful rice has emerged as a promising tourism item amid plunging rice prices.



9. Zoo Summer



[Anchor Lead]



The scorching summer heat has come and zoos are busy doing everything they can to keep the animals cool. Cooling systems are turned on when temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius and the animals go on special summer diets. Let’s get a closer look at summer time at the zoo.



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At the zoo, the outdoor temperature has soared above 30 degrees Celsius. The scorching heat is hard to endure for both the animals and the visitors. Even the Siberian tiger, which is usually not that fond of water, splashes around to cool down. Summer is hardest to bear for the polar bears, with their thick layers of skin and fat. They cool down by swimming in the cold water.



[Soundbite] Lee Gwang-hui (Zookeeper) : “We prepared ice for the polar bears. They’re having a hard time due to the hot weather.”



Huge chunks of ice are thrown into the polar bear’s pool twice a day to help them keep cool.



[Soundbite] “I feel cooler just looking at it.”



Zookeepers think up all kinds of ideas to relieve the stress animals get from the summer heat. The care doesn’t end here.



[Soundbite] “It’s their favorite summertime snack.”



Frozen fruit and fish popsicles provide the bears water and nutrition. The cool snacks help the bears regain their energy.



[Soundbite] “I brought my child here to cool down. I’m glad because there’s a lot of fun stuff to do here.”



The elephants stay cool in the summer by taking showers. The shower is turned on every hour. The elephants consume around 100 tons of water in summer showers.



[Soundbite] Kim Jong-gap (Zookeeper) : “They have different spots they want to cool off. It could be their bum of their head. They move that part into the water.”



After their shower, the elephants take a drink. An elephant drinks about 10 liters of water per drink. In the kitchen, zookeepers are busy making dessert, which is fruit rich in water and vitamins.



[Soundbite] Kim Jin-mok (Zookeeper) : “I’m making a fruit cocktail.”



This fruit cocktail has been made especially for the ring-tailed lemurs from Madagascar.



[Soundbite] “Bon appetite!”



The lemurs cool down by eating the fresh fruit. They’re used to being watched. Watching the lemurs having their fruit makes the visitors jealous.



[Soundbite] “It’s so hot. I wish I had some fruit, too.”



Zookeepers are taking special care of the animals so they can have a healthy, happy summer.