Texts Return

[Anchor Lead]

Ancient Joseon Dynasty books looted by France in the 19th century have been returned to Korea. Volumes from the “Oegyujanggak” have arrived home for the first time in 145 years.



[Pkg]

The ancient Oegyujangkak texts arrive at the cargo terminal of the Paris airport. They fill five specially made wooden boxes. The first 75 of the nearly 300 volumes are arrived safely packed into boxes. All of the texts will return to Korea in four phases through late next month.



[Soundbite] Yu Bok-ryeol(Political Counselor/Korean Embassy to France) : "They are coming in phases due to technical issues, such as safety."



The containers of the texts have temperature and humidity controls. A plane carrying them departed from Paris early Thursday morning. The Korean government says the texts are being returned for good. Though the handover is technically a lease, this will be renewed every five years.



[Soundbite] Park Heung-shin(Korean Ambassador to France) : "We’ll keep them for good even though they’re leased."



The texts are finally coming home after 20 years of wrangling. French troops took the texts 145 years ago. The National Museum of Korea will take the Oegyujanggak texts upon their arrival and exhibit them from July.



2. Rising Prices



[Anchor Lead]

The Bank of Korea has raised its inflation forecast for this year, as inflation has been in the four percent range for three consecutive months.



[Pkg]

With oil prices close to $1.84 per liter, consumers are willingly lining up for cheaper prices. Though oil prices have reportedly gone down, consumers are not feeling it.



[Soundbite] "I can feel prices rising but can’t tell if they’re going down, even if the government is taking action."



In addition, service prices such as food service are also rising. The Bank of Korea analyzes that inflation will continue for the time being. To reflect this, the Bank of Korea has raised its target consumer price inflation rate to 3.9% from 3.5%. This is close to four percent, which is the target inflation rate. Concerns are rising that this price instability could stretch out over the long term.



[Soundbite]  An Sun-gwon(Korea Economic Research Institute) : "This forecast assumes oil and raw material prices will rise less and the foreign exchange rate will continue to drop. If not, inflation could be higher."



The central bank estimates that core inflation that excludes farm products and gasoline will rise sharply to 3.6% from the second half of this year. This means that inflation is likely to continue into 2012, if oil and farm product prices do not fall.



3. Detained in NK



[Anchor Lead]

An American being detained in North Korea is reportedly a Korean-American businessman in his 60s. The man is the fifth American to be held by the North since the start of the Barack Obama administration.



[Pkg]

A Korean American who has been detained in North Korea since November last year is known to be a 60-something California resident. Sources say he had a visa to enter the North and made business trips between China and North Korea. Experts say North Korean authorities apprehended him for doing missionary work in the Stalinist state.



Washington is protecting his privacy by not disclosing personal information or on how or when he was arrested. Because the man is an American citizen, the South Korean Foreign Ministry is simply checking the facts rather than taking action.



The U.S. State Department told a news briefing that an American is being held in North Korea, and urged his release on humanitarian grounds. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is scheduled to visit the North late this month. Whether Carter can facilitate the Korean-American man’s release is attracting speculation.



4. Flower Festival



[Anchor Lead]

Spring is in the air in Korea, and the famed cherry blossom festival has begun in Yeouido, Seoul. The flowers should be in full bloom over the weekend.



[Pkg]

Yoonjung-ro in Yeouido is filled with pink cherry blossoms on Thursday, the second day of the festival. The clouds of cherry flowers that are slowly blooming are drawing visitors.



It appears they will be at their best this weekend. Last night, bright fireworks signaled the beginning of the festival. As many as 900-thousand people visited the festival venue yesterday. This year, authorities estimate that more than five million visitors will enjoy the festival. During the festival, some 1,600 cherry trees and some ten spring flowers including azaleas and Korean forsythia will show off their colors. In addition, a wide variety of art exhibitions and performances will be held.



Access by car on the roads nearby will be partly or completely restricted until Monday afternoon. To make up for that, buses on the 29 bus routes that travel the area will be running for an extra hour in the evenings.



5. Ginseng Exports



[Anchor Lead]

The domestic pesticide limit for ginseng has been adopted as a global standard. This is expected to remove the obstacle of differing national regulations to Korean ginseng exports.



[Pkg]

Ginseng is known to help warm the body and recover stamina. A famous Joseon Dynasty medical book says ginseng strengthens the body’s five main organs and relieves the mind. Ginseng is familiar worldwide as an exotic food.



[Soundbite] "Brent Byars (American)"



CODEX, a global committee for food standards, has adopted Korea’s limits for the amount of pesticide allowed in ginseng. This comes ten years after kimchi was adopted as the official name of the spicy side dish instead of Japan’s "gimuchi." Ginseng importing countries must now follow Korea’s standards if they have no separate domestic regulations.

 

This could deal a blow to China, which is expanding ginseng exports based on the claim that Goryeo ginseng originated from China’s Liaodong Peninsula. Korea’s ginseng industry expects exports to increase as differing regulations had hindered selling ginseng abroad.



[Soundbite] Jo Jae-yeol(Ginseng Cooperative Association) : "Now we can export ginseng under the same standard as that for domestic sales, so we expect exports to double."



Korean ginseng exports last year exceeded 110 million U.S. dollars. Goryeo ginseng’s status in the global market is expected to rise higher.



6. Battling Dust



[Anchor Lead]

Yellow dust storms are expected to be more intense this year because of severe droughts in China. A private Korean organization and college students have been working to turn Chinese deserts into forests to prevent such toxic storms.



[Pkg]

Keeping one’s eyes open in this village in the Kubuqi Desert in China is nearly impossible even when the sandy wind is weak. Farmers had to give up corn cultivation because of severe droughts in the area. But just three decades ago, this village had a vast grassland.



[Soundbite] Local Resident : "Reckless sheep breeding has resulted in the disappearance of the grassland and a lack of groundwater."



Desertification in China has resulted in a longer yellow dust period in Korea. In 2009, Korea was hit by the sand storm for just 2.5 days but last year the number more than doubled to 6.7 days.



[Soundbite] "Let’s plant trees and save the Earth."



[Soundbite] "Let’s save the Earth on our own."



It’s been six years since two-thousand trees were planted every year to protect Chinese deserts. A 16-kilometer wall of trees crossing a desert has contributed to blocking yellow dust.



[Soundbite] Jo So-hui(College Student) : "These trees are young now but 20 or 30 years from now they will grow into a lush forest. I hope to come here with my children someday for a picnic."



Thanks to such efforts and the support of a Chinese youth organization, more than 80 percent of trees that had been planted in the desert have survived.



[Soundbite] Kwon Byong-hyon(President/Future Forest) : "The first eco-village will be founded here to save the Earth. It’ll be a green zone."



The efforts of Korean people sow the seeds of hope in Chinese deserts.



7. Kara’s Success



[Anchor Lead]

Despite the somber atmosphere in Japan, the popular Korean girl group Kara has set a record for a foreign female band by topping the Japanese music chart with its new single in the first week of its release.



[Pkg]

"Jet Coaster Love" is the third single to be released in Japan by the girl band Kara. Kara’s new songs can be heard in all music record stores across Japan. Kara’s new CD is displayed in the best spot of every store.



[Soundbite] Tokyo Resident : "I like Kara because its members are good at singing and dancing and they’re very cute."



Kara sold more than 123-thousand copies of its new single just one week after its release in Japan. This week, it also topped the Oricon single chart. Kara became the first foreign female music band to top the chart within a week after releasing a new single.



Japanese media reported extensively about Kara’s feat. Music industry insiders were also surprised by Kara’s unprecedented success amid the gloomy atmosphere in Japan following the March earthquake.



[Soundbite] Totaro Wajima(President/Music Record Company) : "The Japanese public prefers talented singers and bands these days. Kara is one of them."



Kara has decided to donate all proceeds from the sale of its new single to earthquake victims.



8. Sports News



[Anchor Lead]

Big men Kim Joo-sung and Ha Seung-jin are the players to watch in the Korean Basketball League finals, which begin Saturday. The pro-handball league has also begun a new season. Here’s today’s sports news.



[Pkg]

Coaches Hur Jae and Kang Dong-hee say they’re determined to win the Korean Basketball League title. They tell a news conference that they even stopped their tradition of having a meal together before a game against each other. Big men Ha Seung-jin and Kim Joo-sung are the keys to winning the championship.



[Soundbite] Ha Seung-jin(Center/KCC Egis) : "I have nothing but passion, tenacity and confidence because I’m young. I’ll beat Joo-sung with all these qualities."



Three-time title holder Kim Joo-sung is also confident of victory.



[Soundbite] Kim Joo-sung(Center/Dongbu Promi) : "It’s a lot pressure but it’s also going to be fun. The upcoming challenge is very meaningful to me."



The championship series will tip off Saturday.



The pro handball league has begun a new season hoping for the revival of the sport. Players stage an exciting game with superb shots and moves amid the loud cheers of some 1-thousand-500 spectators. Incheon Urban Development Corp. led by player-coach Baek Won-chul edged HC Welcomeloan Korosa, 30-29. In women’s action, Yongin City Hall won the first game of the season.



9. Spring Romance



[Anchor Lead]

It usually doesn’t matter where you are if you’re with the one you love. But once in a while, it’s nice to go on a particularly romantic date. Here are some spots that will turn up the love in your relationship.



[Pkg]

It is the season of blossoms and the spring breeze carries feelings of affection. The spring may remind you of your first kiss.



[Soundbite] "The Han River."



[Soundbite] "Under the streetlight outside my girlfriend’s house."



At this theme park, people are lined up at the Ferris wheel instead of the other more exciting rides. The couples getting on and off the wheel all look a little shy. So we got on the wheel ourselves to see what’s so great about it. The view, for one, was impressive. But it doesn’t look like everyone is so interested in the nice view. The main characters in the KBS drama “Dream High” also kissed on a Ferris wheel. Since then, more couples have started heading to the wheel for their romantic moments.



[Soundbite] "It feels like you’re floating in the sky..."



[Soundbite] "It makes things a bit more tense."



Here’s a popular date spot, Mount Nam in downtown Seoul. Many celebrities have proposed to their loved ones at this cafe.



[Soundbite] "This cafe is known for special events. You’ll know when you see it."



[Soundbite] "The couples look lovely."



You may wonder why the cafe gets such high praise.



[Soundbite] Jeong Mong-ju(Cafe Manager) : "Now it’s candlelight time. All electric lights will be turned off."



The lights go off and a romantic candlelit time for couples begins. And so does the romance. Over a hundred-thousand couples have visited here in the past 30 years just for the candlelight. This usually blunt husband also mellows in the low light.



[Soundbite] "Thank you always for backing me up."



And some surprise confessions emerge.



[Soundbite] "I love you."



[Soundbite] "It’s great. It’s been ages since I’ve felt the romantic feelings of my college years. The kiss time doubles, trebles my joy and happiness. It’s the best place of this kind."



Up here on the 33rd floor, the view adds to the romance. This bridge connecting two buildings is called the ’kiss bridge’ as couples are said to fall in love here.



[Soundbite] "It’s dark and the lights twinkle. It’s very pretty. I find my boyfriend more adorable."



There are lots of spots for you to get your spring romance underway.