Samho Jewelry

[Anchor Lead]
The Omani government has allowed the Korean freighter "Samho Jewelry," which was rescued from Somali pirates, to enter its port. It appears the seven crewmembers will leave for Korea by air tomorrow. Questioning continues for the captured pirates, who are currently being held in Korea.

[Pkg]
The Korean government announced that the Samho Jewelry was allowed to enter an Omani port early this morning. The Korean freighter will enter Omani waters under the escort of the Korean Choi Young destroyer. The seven crew members of the Samho Jewelry will undergo basic medical checkups in Oman and head for Busan by air tomorrow.

[Soundbite] Jo Yong-u (Samho Shipping) : "We bought flight tickets, so the crew members will be able to arrive in Korea and get together with their families before the holiday. "

The Korean government has launched a massive investigation into the Somali pirates, in an unprecedented incident for Korea. The captured pirates are accused of maritime robbery and the attempted murder of captain Seok Hae-kyun. The Korean Coast Guard's special investigation headquarters will focus its efforts on obtaining confessions from the pirates regarding intentional hijacking of the Samho Jewelry. A pirate admitted to having shot captain Seok during a questioning session yesterday. He will be the focus of investigations regarding the criminal actions.

[Soundbite] Kim Chung-gyu (Senior Coast Guard Officer) : "The investigation headquarters has obtained enough investigation materials. We're expecting a tangible result."

In previous incidents, pirates who hijacked a Yemeni oil tanker and killed two crewmembers in 2009 were sentenced to death or 10 years in prison, and pirates who attacked a U.S. naval vessel last year were sentenced to life imprisonment or 30 years in prison.

2. Pre-school Aid

[Anchor Lead]
The government will significantly expand its financial support for parents who have preschoolers. It is also planning to offer preschool-related subsidies to multi-cultural or refugee families, regardless of their income.

[Pkg]
Starting March, the Ministry of Education will offer government subsidies to cover the entire government-set preschool tuition to parents who have preschoolers aged five or younger. Until last year, only parents who had five year olds received subsidies to cover the entire government-standard preschool tuition. Parents with three year and four year olds received different amounts of subsidies based on their income levels. The latest decision will increase the payment of the preschool-related subsidies to up to 220 U.S. dollars a month. Families earning a monthly income of 4,270 dollars or less will benefit from the subsidies. The ministry will also offer preschool-related subsidies to multicultural and refugee families regardless of their income levels. Parents who received the subsidies last year don't need to renew their applications. But new beneficiaries will have to make applications for the subsidies at community centers.

3. Recycled Reeds

[Anchor Lead]
Reed fields create a scenic view in the summer, but in the winter they may seem useless and even burdensome. However, it's been said that reeds can be a valuable resource. Here's more.

[Pkg]
Suncheon Bay looks picturesque in the summer thanks to its reed fields. But in winter the reeds wither and die. Decaying in mounds in the wetlands, they pollute the water and can damage fishing nets in the spring when they are washed away into the ocean.

[Soundbite] Choe Deok-rim (Sunchoen City Official) : "Currently, the reeds are left unattended because it costs money to burn them and there is no way to use them for other purposes. "

But these days, reeds serve as a valuable resource for producing synthetic wood. Until as recently as last year, the city of Ansan paid to outsource the incineration of reeds, but this year things have changed.

[Soundbite] Park Yong-sun (Korea Water Resources Corp.) : "It used to cost us a lot. Now companies producing synthetic wood collect the reeds on their own. That allows us to save processing costs."

The reeds are cut, and then compressed and collected by designated groups.

[Soundbite] Yu Hui-ryong (CEO, Reed Processing Company) : "Synthetic wood made from these reeds is stronger than wood made from imported reeds."

By making wood from reeds without burning them, the nation can minimize CO2 emissions and earn carbon credits while also contributing to the conservation of trees. The amount of reeds nationwide is estimated at 100-thousand tons. If used as a raw material for synthetic wood, their value surpasses 220 million dollars.

4. Again Society

[Anchor Lead]
With the onset of an aging society, the number of people suffering from geriatric diseases has soared. The number of dementia patients has more than quadrupled over the past seven years.

[Pkg]
The National Health Insurance Corporation says the number of dementia patients surged more than four and a half times from some 48-thousand in 2002 to more than 216-thousand in 2009. In the meantime, annual dementia treatment costs rose more than 11-fold from 50 million dollars to more than 550 million dollars. The number of people suffering from geriatric diseases such as cerebrovascular diseases and Parkinson's disease has doubled over the past seven years. Of those, dementia patients recorded the largest increase. The National Health Insurance Corporation attributes the surge in the number of dementia patients to aging, as over 30 percent of people over 85 suffer from dementia. To prevent dementia, doctors advise that senior people learn computer skills to stimulate their brains. Hobbies like gardening and drawing also help prevent dementia. A study says 80 percent of senior patients suffering from ailments develop dementia if they spend much time lying in bed. Therefore, walking and biking are also a good way to keep dementia at bay.

5. Retirement Plans

[Anchor Lead]
The repercussions of an aging society are also prompting a growing number of middle-aged people and senior citizens to prepare for their life after retirement.

[Pkg]
64-year-old Park Young-wook works as an apartment manager. Recently, he's been learning to bake. Park decided to become a professional baker at his advanced age because of concerns regarding the remainder of his life.

[Soundbite] Park Yeong-ok (64) (Student) : "It's been four months since I began this class. I used to have nothing to do after breakfast. I used to travel around the city. I was very anxious."

54-year-old Lee Sang-tae is an aspiring barista, and says there is too much left in his life to give up on new challenges.

[Soundbite] Lee Sang-tae (54) (Student) : "I have a long life ahead of me. So I decided to challenge this."

The average retirement age at Korean corporations is 55 - an age at which the majority of people are still capable of being very active. Given the average life span of 80, this means as many as 30 years remain of life after retirement. That's why a growing number of senior people are trying to find their second calling, to spend the rest of their lives in the most fulfilling and economically self- sufficient way. But unlike in Japan or the U.S., where retirees can receive structured government subsidies, individuals in Korea must figure out how to spend life after retirement on their own.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Su-yeong (Kyungsung University): It's more than just about making a living. We must create jobs that can improve the quality of our society and people's living.

How to make the best out of the 30 years after retirement has become an issue to be considered not only by individuals, but by society as a whole.

6. Temple Stay

[Anchor Lead]
Many students nowadays are choosing to spend some time at Buddhist temples to learn about traditional cultures and manners. Here's a story about students who are trying to discover their new "self" by becoming “one” with nature.

[Pkg]
Baekdam Temple in Mt. Seorak, Gangwon Province, was built 1,000 years ago by Venerable Jajang during the Silla Kingdom. The day begins with the sound of a wooden Buddhist gong at the temple. A sound of a drum resound around the temple. Students who participate in a temple stay program start making 108 bows at the sanctum despite the frigid morning cold. They soon get exhausted. But their minds get clear of earthly desires and thoughts such as academic achievements and peer pressure.

[Soundbite]

It's a good work-out and it helps me focus.

The temple stay participants eat a vegetarian diet in accordance with the Buddhist rule. They are required to finish their meals in respect for nature. Some participate in a five-day program while some stay a month. The students discover their self-identity through experiencing the daily routine of the temple and exercising Buddhist manners.

[Soundbite]

I have a chance to reflect on myself. I can also become more tenacious.

The students learn about honesty and the true meaning of love from nature through this temple-stay program.

7. Halla Snowscape

[Anchor Lead]
Mt. Halla in Jeju Island has become a "snow land" after several bouts of heavy snow. Climbers have set up camps for winter training there, and tourists are rushing out to see the snow-blanketed mountain. Here's a look at the breathtaking snowy scenes on the southern island.

[Pkg]
The sun rises over snow-carpeted fields and a mountain ridge. The crown-shaped mountain, Wanggwanneung, appears. Climbers have started winter training amid frigid temperatures as low as of minus 10 degrees Celsius. Placing their packs on the ground, they immediately begin clearing snow and evening the ground. This is in preparation to set up tents.

[Soundbite] Kim Yong-seok (Alpine Club Member) : "A tent may catch on fire and it may smell bad. We're making a wide and deep hole to fend off winds."

Three-hundred climbers in 18 teams have visited Mt. Halla for training this year alone.

[Soundbite] Park Cheol-hong (Climber) : "Many climbers come to Mt. Halla for winter training in preparation for their expeditions to overseas high peaks."

Tourists are also captivated with the snowy allure of Halla Mountain.

[Soundbite] Kang Seong-bo (Mt. Halla National Park) : "The snowscape looks gorgeous. Some 63,000 tourists have visited here."

Mt. Halla is predicted to remain covered in snow into February due to the unprecedented cold weather.

8. Artist's Dream

[Anchor Lead]
A sixteen year old boy is dreaming of becoming a painter. But even his desire to attain that dream proved to be difficult due to autism. But with his consistent efforts and his mother's endless love, he is finally seeing some progress towards his goal. Let's meet the mother and son.

[Pkg]
Canvases clad in vivid colors fill the gallery. The artist is 16 year-old Gwak Seong-min with a second degree developmental disability. His paintings are drawing attention for their special painting style. Seong-min has gotten accepted from Seoul Arts High School in March when school starts.

[Soundbite] Gwak Seong-min (16) : "I'm going to work hard on drawing, talking with friends and standing in line when I go to school."

To make this dream come true, Seong-min and his mother had to fight a long battle against the prejudices. The journey had begun when Seong-min who had loved to draw since elementary school applied to get into an art magnet school in 2008. The school refused to accept him, saying they had no facility for the disabled and this had raised a big social issue after the story aired on TV. But his mother did not give up and persuaded the office of education. At last, Seong-min was given the chance to take the entrance exam.

[Soundbite] Kim Song-hui (Mother) : "Rearing a child is a challenge every moment. I'm happy that his talent has been finally recognized and he got into the best art school in Korea."

Seong-min likes to play the piano and sing because singing helps him relax and draw better.

[Soundbite]

Let's build together a beautiful world.

Seong-min is dreaming of a world where disabilities can never be obstacles for making one's dream come true.

9. Pet Bunnies

[Anchor Lead]
This is the year of the rabbit. Some people in Korea may have only seen rabbits in zoos, but many other folks raise them at home. Pet bunnies are docile and quiet and make great pets.

[Pkg]
Jang Jin-i, a graduate school student who lives alone, is preparing for a birthday party.

[Soundbite] Jang Jin-I (Pet Rabbit Owner) : "(Someone's birthday today?) Yes, it's my Suho's birthday. "

The birthday boy today is none other than her rabbit Suho.

[Soundbite] Jang Jin-I (Pet Rabbit Owner) : "Suho helps me relax and gives me energy. It also helps me with studying. "

[Soundbite]

Happy birthday!

It’s Suho's 3rd birthday. The babies born between Suho and his partner are also here. The rabbit family enjoys a special meal only given on birthdays. While the bunnies enjoy the party, Jang is busy.

[Soundbite] Jang Jin-I (Pet Rabbit Owner) : "The color and material of clothes for rabbits in markets are not unique. I wanted to make it special and classy."

The rabbit couple looks like a pair of newlyweds in their new outfits with their names embroidered on them. Designer Ryu So-yeong visits this animal hospital in Yangjaedong, Seoul carrying a small rabbit.

[Soundbite] Ryu So-yeong (Pet Rabbit Owner) : "(Is it sick?) No, it's not sick. I just brought it for vaccination."

The rabbit was born just four months ago. It must be given special care so it can survive the winter in good health. Ryu brings the rabbit, after it gets its shots, somewhere else.

[Soundbite] Ryu So-yeong (Pet Rabbit Owner) : "I'm going on a vacation and can't bring it with me. I'll leave him here for a few days."

At the rabbit hotel, the pets are kept in automatically adjusted temperatures and are fed frequently, as rabbits prefer. Ryu feels safe leaving her pet here when she goes on a trip.

[Soundbite] Park Cheon-sik (Director, Animal Clinic) : "They're very precious. They must be given care to enjoy their company."

One cold winter night, office worker Park Gyeong-jin raises the room temperature for three-week-old baby bunnies and their postnatal mother. The babies roam around the room, exploring the new world. Park puts the siblings into a small box.

[Soundbite]

I'm going to find them new owners. I have a boy and a girl.

Park has final words to the new owner.

[Soundbite] Park Gyeong-jin (Pet Rabbit Owner) : "Since they're still young, you need to take special care of them, so they won't catch cold."

The owner greets the baby rabbits.

[Soundbite]

I'll try to raise a rabbit in the year of the rabbit. I live alone and I don't have a boy friend.

The mother watches her babies moving to a new home. Park grows emotional. Rabbits are gentle, lovely animals, and they’re receiving more love than ever in their year, 2011.