Oldest Metal Print

[Anchor Lead]

Movable metal type more than a century older than "Jikji," which is currently considered to be the world’s oldest, has been discovered. If the discovery is recognized, it will force a revision to the history of world printing.



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The Buddhist book "Jikji" was published using the world’s oldest metal printing method in the 14th century. The book printed in 1377 was named to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001. But movable metal print types said to be at least 138 years older than Jikji have been found in Korea. An art gallery in Seoul has unveiled 12 metal prints called "Jeungdogaja" from the Goryeo Dynasty. A study by Kyungpook National University professor Nam Kwon-hee shows that the newly discovered prints had the same font as "Ode on Meditation by Zen Master Nam Myeong-cheon," which was published using woodblocks in 1239. The book says the woodblock edition was restored at the time because no metal print editions remained. This is considered clear evidence that movable metal print types existed prior to 1239, and that the recently discovered metal print type are older than Jikji. Domestic and overseas experts must recognize the discovery before Jeungdogaja is recognized as the world’s oldest moveable metal print type.





2. Faster KTX



[Anchor Lead]

The KTX Bullet Train is bringing the peninsula closer together. Beginning in November, the KTX ride between Seoul and Busan will be shortened by 30 minutes. The government is planning to expand KTX lines to connect the whole country within one and a half hours.



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The KTX train is running at high speed. It is tested at top speed on the line exclusively operated between Daegu and Busan. In just six minutes after leaving the heart of the city, the train reaches the speed of 300 kilometers per hour.



[Soundbite] Kim Byeong-ho (Korea Rail Network Authority): At the final stage of the test operation we reached speeds of up to 320 kilometers an hour. But we didn’t have any problem.



The new train will start regular operation from November. By taking the new KTX train it will take only two hours and 18 minutes to travel between Seoul and Busan. In 2012, an additional KTX line will be built to connect Seoul and the Incheon International Airport and all the sections of the Honam line are to be completed by 2017. As for the eastbound lines, like the Gyeongchun Line connecting Seoul and the Chuncheon region, the rails will be straightened to raise the top speed to up to 250 kilometers per hour. The GTX express railway project to connect the southern and northern regions of Gyeonggi Province running through Seoul will also be promoted. The government has drawn up a measure to cut the travelling time between Seoul and Busan to one hour and 43 minutes and that between Seoul and Gwangju to one hour and 11 minutes by 2020. Seoul will concentrate investment in such projects such as developing hi-speed trains with a maximum speed of 430 kilometers per hour to connect the whole peninsula within a one and a half hour distance.



[Soundbite] Lee Myung-bak (President): It’s a strategy to prepare for climate changes in the age of green growth.



Meanwhile, issues such as financing the constructions that are estimated to cost more than five billion U.S. dollars annually and the blow on other transportation means like airlines remain to be resolved.



3. Smart TVs



[Anchor Lead]

The smart TV is set to revolutionize the global TV industry. Domestic and foreign IT companies are in fierce competition to take the lead in the burgeoning sector.



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Videos posted on YouTube are viewed on TV. A Google Map can be moved using a TV remote control. One can also play video and Internet games on it. This smart TV also has the functions of a computer. The key element of a smart TV is applications. A Korean company has gathered hundreds of researchers working at Silicon Valley as part of a strategy to lead the world smart TV market.



[Soundbite] Yoon Boo Keun (President, Samsung Electronics): It’ll be hard to stay in lead if we don’t cooperate with the firms who have the content and data.



Global competition in the smart TV market is fierce. Google is working with Sony on Google TV and Apple will present iTV as early as this week.



[Soundbite] Steve Wozniak (Founder, Apple Computer)



The smart TV is expected to dominate half of the global TV market within the next two or three years. This is predicted to bring big changes to the Internet, semiconductor and broadcast industries. Whether Korea can take the lead in the smart TV market remains unknown because of the country’s relatively late entry into the smartphone sector.



4. Digital TV Plans



[Anchor Lead]

The switch to digital television is just around the corner. On Wednesday, analog TV broadcasting officially ended in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. But there are still many tasks lying ahead before the historic digital switch takes place in late 2012.



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Digital television sets have soared in popularity in the era of digital technologies.



[Soundbite] Kim Nam-yul (Manager): We receive many inquiries, especially from young clients, but the sales still fall short of expectations.



The digital TV and converter supply rate in Korea remains at just 61 percent. That’s significantly lower than the 92 percent rate in England, where the digital switch is slated for the same time as in Korea, and the 84-percent rate in Japan, which is to switch to digital televisions next July. Another problem lies in the lack of funding for the low-income class. The government has yet to decide on whether to help some 320-thousand households switch to digital broadcasting.



[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Gwang-ho (Seoul Nat’l Univ. of Technology): The inability to watch all TV channels or watching just certain channels will widen the information gap in our society.



Diverse channel services are also required for low-income households.



[Soundbite] Kim In-gyu (Chairman, Korean Broadcasters Assn.): We’ll promote the so-called "Korea View" policy to help the low income class watch digital TV channels for free.



It’s urgent to devise policies to make a successful digital switch.





5. Price Hikes



[Anchor Lead]

Prices of fruits and vegetables have skyrocketed because of the difficult weather. This has fueled consumer fears ahead of the Chuseok Thanksgiving holiday later this month.



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Homemakers say they find the prices of groceries scary. The situation is especially worrisome because the Chuseok holidays, or Full Moon Harvest, are just around the corner.



[Soundbite] I have to prepare a lot of food ahead of the holiday, but I can only prepare one third of what I used to do because of the price hike.



The price of radish has soared 126 percent, while that of garlic is up 85 percent. The price of fruit is also a huge burden, with one watermelon going for more than 25 U.S. dollars. The prices of fish and vegetables have accordingly surged 20 percent year-on-year. This is the biggest increase in six years. Inflation has been especially steep since June.



[Soundbite] Yang Dong-hui (Statistics Korea): Prices of produce continue to soar because of poor weather conditions such as heavy rains and hot weather.



But prices will likely rise further ahead of the Chuseok holidays. Erratic weather and the soaring international prices of crops and raw materials are the biggest factors behind inflation.



[Soundbite] Kang Jung-gu (LG Economic Research Inst.): Uncertainty over food prices remains high ahead of the holiday. Demand for food products usually rises then.



The government will soon announce measures to curb inflation ahead of the Chuseok holidays.





6. Colon Cancer



[Anchor Lead]

A large number of colon cancer patients learn of their illness only after they visit the doctor when they feel something is wrong. More than half of such patients are found to be in the third or fourth stages, where the cancer cells have already spread to other organs. Regular checkups are the key to discovering it early enough for treatment.



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A three-centimeter-long tumor is seen in the rectum. According to MRI test results, cancer is found to have spread to the liver as well. This is the case of colon cancer of the fourth stage where the cancer cells have spread to another organ. This patient came for test after showing symptoms of bloody excrement. He has never had a colonoscopy until then.



[Soundbite] Lee Won-seok (Colon Cancer Patient): I tried it five years ago, but cancelled my appointment. You have to take too many medications to get one.



According to results of a survey by the Korean Society of Coloproctology, more than half of patients diagnosed with colon cancer were in the third or fourth stage where the cancer has already spread to other organs. So doctors say getting regular checkups is important in discovering the illness early enough for treatment. When found before developing into the first stage, the cancer can be easily cured by a simple endoscopic surgery. Even when found in the first stage, the possibility of cure is over 90 percent.



[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Nam-gyu (Yonsei Univ. Severance Hospital): The polyps develop into cancer in 5 to 10 years. So finding and removing these through colonoscopy is the key to preventing cancer.



Maintaining normal body weight by eating less fat, quitting smoking and getting regular exercise is also important.





7. Biggest Drum



[Anchor Lead]

Yeongdong County in North Chungcheong Province claims to have made the world’s largest drum. It’s eight meters tall and leather from 40 cows was used to make it. The county is looking to register the drum in the Guinness Book of World Records.



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A drum bigger than a house is being moved by a huge crane. The seven-ton drum is as tall as a three-story building. Yeongdong County of North Chungcheong Province says this is the world’s largest drum at six meters in diameter. Leather from 40 cows and pinetree wood that filled four 15-ton trucks have been used to make this drum. To enhance the instrument’s durability, no adhesives or nails have been used. Instead the leather has been sewn together. Six master craftsman of traditional musical instruments have devoted 14 months to making the drum.

The project also cost nearly 170-thousand U.S. dollars.



[Soundbite] Lee Seok-je (Master of Treditional Instrument): No one knew what sound the drum would make. I was also uncertain about the sound of drum while working on it.



Yeongdong County is the birthplace of Park Yeon, a maestro of the early Joseon Dynasty and one of the three greatest musicians in Korean history. The county is seeking to register the drum in the Guinness Book of World Records.



8. Functional Games



[Anchor Lead]

A variety of recently developed online games helps users keep fit and even quit smoking and drinking. Such functional games have drawn particular attention recently.



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Students run, climb and move ceaselessly. This functional game was designed to help users improve their athletic skills. Users sweat and become short of breath trying to avoid a constantly moving light on the board.



[Soundbite] It’s fun and interesting. It makes me sweat and laugh.



Users continue to move watching the monitor.



[Soundbite] I’m so tired.



It’s like exercising. Games developed for educational purposes are also popular. This game was developed in a joint effort with elementary school students. It’s about cleansing lungs damaged by smoking and rescuing the user’s partner from drinking.



[Soundbite] Jeong Min-su (Researcher, Daesung Corp.): These games help young people avoid smoking, drinking, game addiction, obesity and drug abuse.



This overseas game presents users with a chance to experience life in prison. They must endure humiliation and insult from their inmates. When the user becomes agitated, the computer checks the brainwave and sends an alert signal. That is, if the users become agitated, they lose the game.



[Soundbite] Jude Ower (CEO, Digital 2.0)



Functional games have emerged as a new growth engine of the game market, which is predicted to reach 170 million dollars this year and double in size two years from now.





9. Mackerel Season



[Anchor Lead]

Autumn is mackerel season. This tasty fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to enjoy mackerel.



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Fishermen on the serene Yokji Island in the southern part of Korea are always busy during this time of year.



[Soundbite] We’re off to catch fresh mackerel.



This is a mackerel farm where the fish is bred. A school of silver mackerel approaches the surface of the water to feed. About 30,000 fish live in each enclosure. Mackerel is known to be hard to store. But naturally grown mackerel remains fresh for a long time under these conditions because it takes less time to transport.



[Soundbite] It tastes best in autumn because it contains a lot of fat



As well as tasting good, mackerel is rich in nutrients. The secret of the fish lies in its bluish back.



[Soundbite] Jeong I-an (Oriental Medical Doctor): The bluish back of the mackerel contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s particularly good for children. It also helps prevent dementia in elderly people and geriatric diseases.



Raw mackerel straight from the ocean contains a lot of DHA and vitamins.



[Soundbite] It dissolves in your mouth. It disappears before you chew it.



But mackerel tastes best when roasted. After marinating the fish for six hours, sprinkle its skin with some vinegar right before roasting it to remove the fishy smell. Now season it with some salt and roast in the oven. Make sure the skin remains intact.



[Soundbite] Mackerel skin is rich in nutrients. When eating roasted or cooked mackerel, you should make sure to eat the skin as well.



Once it’s done, you can spice it up with a spicy sauce.



[Soundbite] I just want to keep eating it. I guess I’ll have another bowl.



Another option is to put some radish in a steamer, top it with mackerel and steam. Radish is said to help sterilize the fish. While the mackerel is cooking, blanch blue crabs and sea squirts. Add plenty of bean sprouts and dried radish leaves. Next, add some spicy seasoning and stir-fry. Top everything with the steamed mackerel. Deep-fried mackerel balls are also well worth a try. Mince the raw fillet of mackerel with tofu and vegetables, knead the mixture into small balls and deep-fry them in oil.



[Soundbite] Lee Im-gwon (Chef, Mackerel Restaurant): Even kids who don’t like mackerel enjoy mackerel balls because they look like meatballs.



To make a casserole, add a variety of vegetables and pour in some hot stock. How does it taste?



[Soundbite] It’s so delicious. I love it.

Highly nutritious and cheap, mackerel is often called "the barley of the sea" and helps keep colds at bay in fall.