Tighter Security

[Anchor Lead]

The growing threat of terrorism worldwide has prompted Korean airports to tighten security in the lead-up to the G20 summit. Passengers going on international flights must arrive at least three hours in advance to undergo security checks.



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Security officers at airports do full body checks on passengers. Passengers must take off their shoes for inspection. The security alert has been raised ahead of the G-20 Seoul summit next week. This means many inconveniences for passengers.



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It’s a long wait. The security checks take longer than usual.



The security alert level at all airports in Korea will be raised to "serious" Monday. The level is the highest that requires urgent anti-terrorism measures.



[Soundbite] Im Nam-su (Incheon International Airport) : “The boarding time is longer now. Passengers must arrive three hours before their flight to pass all procedures.”



The Korean government has also requested security checks for passengers arriving in Korea via direct flights.



2. Hosting Plans



[Anchor Lead]

Preparations for the G20 Seoul Summit are in high gear. As the host nation, Korea has prepared the best of local cuisine for the guests. Here’s more on the seating arrangement and menu selection for the conference.



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President Lee Myung-bak will be seated in the front spot, because he’s the leader of the host-country. Seats will be arranged according to each member’s period of service in the order of heads of the G20 states, leaders of invited nations and representatives of international organizations. The longest-serving president among the G20 leaders is Brazilian President Lula. Nations headed by presidents will be followed by countries headed by prime ministers, such as Turkey. The representatives of invited nations and international organizations will be seated according to the role and founding year of their nations and organizations.



[Soundbite] Lee Si-hyung (G20 Organization Committee) : “This three-row order will be kept when taking commemorative photos as well.”



The G20 Summit guests will be treated to the Korean beef tenderloin steak, so called "Stephanie." The meat will be coated with wheat flour to keep it warm for a long time and maximize its tenderness.



[Soundbite] Lee Byung-woo (Executive Chef) : “The distance between the kitchen and the luncheon venue is 70 meters. To keep the steak warm for as long as possible, we coat the meat with flour.”



The government says the menu will be simplified to exclude caviar and the goose’s liver foie gras. It will also take into consideration the religious views of the summit guests. The menu will also feature diverse fusion-style dishes to present the guests with a chance to try Korean cuisine.



3. Seal Mascot



[Anchor Lead]

A spotted seal that lives on Baeknryeong Island has been selected as the mascot of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. The seal travels between South and North Korean waters, and it’s hoped it will play the role of a messenger of peace.



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Seals on boulders bask in the sun. Some swim with just their heads sticking out of the water. These spotted seals live in waters off Baeknyeong Island located far north of the west coast. They’ve been designated Natural Monument No. 331. The three seal siblings have been named mascots for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. They’ve been given the names "Vichuon," "Barame" and "Chumuro," which mean "light," "wind" and "dance" in Korean. They’ve been selected as mascots because they symbolize Incheon and freely cross the inter-Korean sea border.



[Soundbite] Lee Yun-taek (Chairman, Organizing Committee) : “We have the seals as mascots hoping they’ll become messengers of peace and help relieve the tension on the peninsula and resolve ideological disputes.”



The symbol and emblem of the 2014 Incheon Asiad have also been unveiled. The letter "A" in Asian is formed with two people holding hands to symbolize hope.



[Soundbite] Song Young-gil (Mayor of Incheon) : “It well represents Incheon as the hub city of Asia soaring towards the bright future.”



The mascots and emblem will make their global debut at the Guangzhou Asian Games, which open November 12th.



4. Smart Medicine



[Anchor Lead]

The time isn’t far off when medical patients will be able to see their medical records and get checkups and treatment anytime, anywhere.



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A team of doctors enter the hospital room to check the patients’ conditions. But instead of charts they have tablet PCs in their hands. They open the medical records stored in the PC to look up any information they need about the patient.



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You must have gotten a lot better. We’ll take an x-ray next time.



Such is possible thanks to digitalized medical records. When all hospitals have this system implemented, doctors can check patients’ medical records anytime, anywhere.



[Soundbite] Jeong Jae-hun (Head, Samsung Medical Center Referral Center) : “Pictures taken with our hospital’s hi-tech devices can be viewed at smaller hospitals as well.”



Patients can get check-ups from overseas or at home without visiting the hospital. Global competition is already growing fierce in the smart medical sector with the U.S. investing 32 billion dollars and the EU spending 11 billion dollars.



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Clarence Wu (V. President, GE Healthcare IT)



At an international conference on the future of the "Smart Revolution," experts forecasted the combination of IT with other conventional industries like the medicine and education to go into full gear around 2013.



5. Autopsy Expert



[Anchor Lead]

Korea has marked Scientific Investigation Day by honoring coroners whose painstaking efforts help fight crime. Here’s one woman coroner who left a nursing career to solve murders.



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A coroner arrives at a crime scene and begins inspecting the body. She collects evidence and blood samples, and then begins to draw conclusions.



[Soundbite] Lee Hyeon-ju (Coroner, Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency) : “It looks like the victim died about three to four hours ago.”



Coroner Lee Hyeon-ju concludes that the victim was murdered by an acquaintance. The suspect is arrested two days later. Lee became a coroner five years ago after spending 15 years in nursing. She’s since been dispatched to more than 400 murder scenes. Lee has also solved the majority of her serious cases like serial murders. She often has to work at night but says she’s determined to resolve all of her murder cases.



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I want to represent the final say of the victims. That really motivates me.



Korea’s 57 coroners play a decisive role in scientific investigation and crime solving.



6. Young Heroine



[Anchor Lead]

A high school girl has saved the life of a two-year-old toddler who fell from a two-story building.



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Last Saturday, high school student Kim Han-seul spotted a toddler sitting on the edge of a window pane of a two-story building.



[Soundbite] Kim Han-seul (Rescuer, Gwangmun High School) : “The baby was sitting at the window, crying.”



Right then, she saw the baby falling out of the window. She immediately jumped over a 1.2-meter fence and caught the toddler with her arms.



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The only thing that popped up in my head was to rescue the baby no matter what.



Han-seul was scratched and bruised, she fell on the ground holding the baby in her arms. Her injuries were minor because she used to practice judo. But the toddler was intact.



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I was worried about baby. I didn’t really care about myself.



Words spread about Han-seul’s bravery around the neighborhood, making her a star.



[Soundbite] Kim Seong-hwan (Father) : “She always helps others carry their heavy bags. People thank her by treating her to meals.”



Han-seul has received an appreciation plaque from the police.



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I want to be a police officer who can help others.



Han-seul says her dream is to help others. Her noble act has warmed the hearts of her neighbors.



7. Rare Species



[Anchor Lead]

The otter and Hodgson’s bat are among endangered species rarely seen in Korea. But 67 endangered animal and plant species have been found to be enjoying a stable existence throughout the country.



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Wildlife ecology remains very much intact in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province. An otter leisurely looks for food after sunset. The endangered species has been confirmed to live in 65 other locations throughout the country.



[Soundbite] Seo Jae-hwa (Institute of Environmental Research) : “The high number of otters means the river environment has become perfect for their prey and habitation.”



Hodgson’s bats have also been spotted at three areas in the south. Leopard cats and martens have been found scattered across the country. Endangered plants are concentrated in certain regions. But foreign plants such as hogweed are evenly distributed nationwide.



[Soundbite] Prof. Choi Byoung-hee (Inha University) : “Foreign plants expel local species from their native grounds which is why indigenous and endangered species are disappearing.”



The National Institute of Environmental Research confirmed last year 67 endangered plant and animal species living in 120 regions across the country. The species are crucial to the preservation of the ecosystem and must be preserved.



8. Hanok Village



[Anchor Lead]

The popular TV series “The Seonggyungwan Scandal” ended this week. A set from the show in Jeonju is emerging as a new tourist attraction thanks to the hit. Here’s more.



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A girl disguised as a boy passes the exam into the most prestigious school of the Joseon Dynasty. This is where the story of the popular periodical TV drama Seonggyungwan Scandal begins. Though the drama has ended, the Confucian school in Jeonju where the drama had been shot is drawing many fans.



[Soundbite] (Tourist) : “The show was really fun. It’s interesting to come to the spot where Geol-o, Yun-hee and Seon-jun used to walk around.”



Looking around the popular filming locations including the 350 year old ginkgo tree is a new experience for tourists as well.



[Soundbite] (Chinese Tourist) : “I heard the drama was shot here. It’s amazing and nice to be here.”



Since the show was on air, a total of around 830,000 tourists had visited the site. There are some 300 Confucian schools remaining in Korea, but this one in Jeonju is known to be best preserved. The Jeonju Hanok Village with a 1,000 year history is emerging as a hot tourist spot thanks to the hit TV show.



9. Male Models



[Anchor Lead]

Actresses are no longer the only ones wanting to appear in commercials for skincare products. More actors and male models are appearing in cosmetics ads these days. Let’s take a look.



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With their milky complexions, and striking facial features, male models have taken cosmetics commercials by storm. One of them is singer Kim Hyun-joong. Kim has been a star of TV commercials for four years already.



[Soundbite] Kim Hyun-joong (Actor) : “I’ve been appearing in cosmetic commercials for the past four years. I guess my skin is still good. I guess my seniors feel the same way as I do. I’m not sure if I can keep doing it this year.”



Singer Lee Seung-ki and heartthrob actor Lee Min-ho are also among the most sought-after male models for cosmetics ads. Here’s another promising commercial star. It’s Song Jung-ki, who appears in the show "Sungkyunkwan Scandal." Song is known for his flawless complexion. He’s modest about the reason he was cast for the commercial.



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I don’t know. Maybe that’s because I don’t charge much.



Song’s personality brightens up the set. His good looks make him strong competition for the ladies who usually feature in such ads.



[Soundbite] Song Jung-ki (Actor) : “A lot of people said I’m perfect for the commercials. It feels good to hear that.”



[Soundbite] Ha Jae-geun (Culture Critic) : “For female models, consumers think they want to look as good as the models. Whereas for guy models, they want to go out with them. If you go for women, it’s a "wannabe" marketing, while it’s a "romantic" strategy if you go for guys.”



But these hunky guys are not the only ones appearing in such commercials. The boy-band 2PM... knows how to win over women’s hearts. One 2PM member, Taek-yeon, makes a perfect model for skincare products thanks to his fit body and healthy skin. Few women can resist the charm of male models. Another popular male model for skincare products is actor Chang Keun-seok. Young actor Yoo Seung-ho, whose popularity has soared recently, has been appearing in a TV commercial for products catering to consumers with skin problems.



[Soundbite]



It’s irreversible that it’s the era of beautiful men. Since the popularity of Korean culture will continue, demand for good-looking stars and guy models will remain high.



Male models have established a strong foothold in the TV cosmetics ad industry.