Seoul Flooded

[Anchor Lead]



Flash floods caused by torrential rains have paralyzed major hubs of Seoul such as Gangnam District and Gwanghwamun. And more floods are likely as the heavy rain continues.



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Torrential rain has fallen since Tuesday. Seoul’s Gangnam subway station area is flooded even after a short rainfall. Rapid currents have formed like in valley waters. People and cars are stranded in place because of the rapidly rising water.



[Soundbite] “(Is the tunnel submerged?) The left side is okay but the right is submerged; you can’t go in there.”



The flash floods spread further with time. The section between Sadang and Namtaeryeong in the capital turned into a muddy river. Landslides from Mount Umyeon also hit Seoul Arts Center and the National Gugak Center. Recovery operations began soon after parts of the buildings were flooded. But performances scheduled for Thursday were likely affected. The drainage system in Gwanghwamun was expanded last year, but this didn’t prevent damage from the latest rainfall. People tried to scoop out water but in vain. The water rose to ankle level in no time. Flash floods paralyzed the Gangnam and Gwanghwamun districts, where public buildings and corporate offices are concentrated in.



2. Cars Submerged



[Anchor Lead]



Thousands of cars have been flooded in the downpour. Insurance company hotlines are overworked with the many requests for help.



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Cars are stranded in muddy water. Drivers leave their half-submerged cars and try to escape from the water. Some try to push their cars but to no avail.



[Soundbite] “The water rose all of a sudden, causing the cars to stop. Now they’re all submerged.”



Meanwhile, insurance companies are flooded with requests for help.



[Soundbite] (Driver): “Water is coming into my car because it’s already wheel-high.”



Some drivers ask to tow away their cars.



[Soundbite] (Driver): “My car is tangled up with other cars parked here. They’ve all clashed.”



Thousands of cars have become flooded over the past two days because of the torrential rain. Twelve non-life insurance companies have received more than 100-thousand requests for help. Drivers with a comprehensive car insurance can receive compensation to some extent.



[Soundbite] Park Ui-hyeon (Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance): “Since the 2003 Typhoon Maemi, comprehensive insurance coverage includes compensation for flooded cars. Drivers can call their insurers to find out more.”



The amount of compensation is based on the cost of restoring a damaged car to its original form. But even when compensation is paid, no extra charges apply.



3. Victim Relief



[Anchor Lead]



Residents of the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province who’ve suffered damage will get an extension of up to nine months on their tax payments. The period for car safety inspections will also be extended for vehicles damaged by the heavy rain.



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Residents of the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province who’ve suffered damage from torrential rain will get tax payment extensions of up to nine months. They’ll also be exempt from putting up tax collateral. This will apply to national taxes due by July 31st and other taxes with imminent due dates. Small companies can also get similar extensions of up to 18 months. The settlement process for unpaid taxes such as public auction will also be postponed by up to one year.



The car safety inspection and regular checkup period will be extended for vehicles that were submerged in the recent heavy rainfall. The Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Ministry has announced these measures and requested cooperation from the country’s cities and provinces. Cars rendered out of order due to rain damage should get a checkup when notified by authorities regardless of vehicle type and the previously notified inspection period.



4. Umyeon Slide



[Anchor Lead]



Several people have been killed and homes have been damaged after a landslide on Mount Umyeon. Locals say the disaster should have been anticipated because of reckless construction in the area.



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Torrential rains in September 2010 flooded an eight-lane motorway because water flew down from the nearby mountain. A big landslide occurred in the same area this year. Residents blame a construction site near the mountain for the disaster.



[Soundbite] Yu Seong-su (Victim): “It’s not a natural disaster. The water rushed out after it was trapped among the timbers.”



Timbers used in construction are scattered all over the mountain. These people lost their homes in just a few seconds. They resent the authorities, who failed to prevent the disaster.



[Soundbite] Park Gi-rim (Resident): “We’ve been asking the district office to cut down these trees since last year. They’ve been putting it off; we had a hard time last year because soil was washed down.”



Alleys became flooded when the Mount Umyeon reservoir overflew. Residents say a construction site near the reservoir made things worse. Plenty of evidence points to the failure to prevent the damage.



5. Safety Scores



[Anchor Lead]



Certain Korean cars have received perfect scores in a crash safety test. But they’ve been found to lack features that enhance pedestrian safety.



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A car crashes into a wall at 56 kilometers or 34 miles per hour. The front part suffers huge damage but the driver is not seriously injured thanks to an airbag. Safety tests have been conducted on five new cars. The Hyundai Grandeur and GM Korea’s Alpheon have received perfect scores on the test for the first time since safety tests were introduced for new cars. Three other cars got scores of 92 to 97 points to qualify for the top safety grade. All models scored highly in tests on side impact, a traditional weakness.



[Soundbite] Lee Jae-wan (Korea Automobile Testing & Research Inst.): “We’ve been doing the assessment on the sides of the cars since last year. All models including mini-¬cars scored high in the category because they’re equipped with side curtain airbags.”



The test results show that the safety of new cars has been significantly improved. But critics say the safety test is unreliable since most new cars have received the top safety grade since last year. And all of the cars lack sufficient features for pedestrian safety. All of the tested cars scored around 50 points in the pedestrian safety category, indicating that a car accident might cause serious injury to pedestrians.



6. Travel Ban



[Anchor Lead]



The government has decided to ban four Japanese lawmakers from travelling Ulleung Island, the nearest island to the Dokdo Islets. But the lawmakers say they will proceed with their plans.



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The South Korean government has decided to block four lawmakers from Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party from visiting Ulleung Island. Seoul says it will use diplomatic means to persuade the lawmakers to cancel their trip. However, if they proceed with their plan, they will be denied entry to Korea altogether. Seoul cites the lawmakers’ safety as the primary concern. The government expects serious physical clashes given the strong opposition from residents and civic groups. President Lee Myung-bak has ordered his staff to warn Japan about concerns over the lawmakers’ safety. The government will use diplomatic means to persuade the Japanese lawmakers to cancel their trip. It has already prepared legal grounds for banning their entry to Korea. According to the Article 11 of the Immigration Control Law, the government can deny entry to those who may commit acts detrimental to the interest of the nation or the public safety. Lawmaker Yoshitaka Shindo, who heads the delegation, says he was never told not to visit Korea because of safety concerns. Meanwhile, residents and civic groups have staged rallies to protest the Japanese lawmakers’ trip to Ulleung Island.



7. Free Meal Clash



[Anchor Lead]



Political parties look likely to clash over a referendum for controversial free school meals in Seoul. The ruling Grand National Party has pledged all-out support, while the main opposition Democratic Party calls the vote illegal.



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The ruling Grand National Party has confirmed its stance on the referendum on free school meals proposed by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.



[Soundbite] Kim Ki-hyun (Spokesman, Grand National Party): “As the ruling party, we’ve decided to give full support to the free meal referendum proposed by the Seoul government.”



Sources say certain members of the ruling party opposed the referendum at a joint meeting of executives and veteran lawmakers. But the majority favored the vote. The ruling party members will support the referendum by holding news conferences and interviews within permitted limits. But the main opposition Democratic Party says the referendum on free school meals is illegal. The party cites procedural problems and says the vote is against the law because the budgets of municipal and provincial governments cannot be determined by the referendum. The opposition party also blasted the ruling party for spending 17 million U.S. dollars on the referendum alone, while free meals at elementary schools will cost around 60 million dollars a year.



[Soundbite] Lee Yong-seop (Spokesman, Democratic Party): “By proposing the referendum, the Seoul government infringes on the rights of the education superintendent. According to the law, the free school meal project must be overseen by the education superintendent.”



The intra-party row over free school meals is escalating. Mayor Oh also postponed the proposal of the referendum bill scheduled for Thursday because of heavy rain.



8. Culture News



[Anchor Lead]



The Korean film "Countdown" has been invited to the Toronto International Film Festival. And the Australian duo Air Supply has sent a message of thanks to their Korean fans ahead of their eighth concert in the country. Here’s today’s entertainment news.



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The new action movie "Countdown" starring Jeong Jae-yeong and Jeon Do-yeon has been invited to the 36th Toronto International Film Festival. "Countdown" is the only Korean film to be invited to the festival, participating in the special presentation category. It introduces new works by renowned directors and actors. The film is about a life risking deal between a cold-blooded bond collector and an ex-convict.



The Australian soft rock band Air Supply, famous for its song "Goodbye," is to perform in Korea next month and has sent a message of thanks to their Korean fans. Air Supply thanked the fans for their endless love. The band was organized in Australia in 1976 and has drawn great popularity in Korea with many hit songs including "Goodbye."



Conductor Chung Myung-whun and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra are to go on another tour concert in Europe this year. Chung emphasized that tour concerts and recordings are necessary for the orchestra’s growth, and placed much meaning in this year’s tour, noting that the orchestra’s performance has advanced since it’s European tour last year.



9. Presbyopia Alert



[Anchor Lead]



Presbyopia is a condition in which the eyes lose their ability to focus, and it’s affecting more and more people lately. The problem begins at a young age due to overuse of computers and mobile devices. But it can be prevented by making small changes to your lifestyle. Here’s more on how to protect your vision.



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48 year-old homemaker Kim Yeong-ja has a hard time reading notes on the refrigerator.



[Soundbite] “I can’t see letters up close, everything looks blurry. I have to keep a distance from the text.”



Since she has difficulty reading her text messages, she squints often, causing wrinkles to form around her eyes.



[Soundbite] “My complexion is still firm. I want to be youthful. Please help me.”



If you have problems with your vision, a medical exam is a must. The eye doctor checks Kim’s vision and intraocular pressure. The result is 1.0/0.3 vision. The large difference between her nearsighted and farsighted visions indicates a problem.



[Soundbite] “You have presbyopia, which is eye aging.”



[Soundbite] Park Yeong-sun (Ophthalmologist): “People aged 45 and older have presbyopia. To some, the symptoms are more severe.”



Early signs of presbyopia include difficulty reading up close, decreased focusing ability for near objects, eyestrain and headache. Once presbyopia begins, it’s important to choose the right treatment to correct the problem. When symptoms are mild, the use of reading glasses is enough. But make sure to undergo eye exams once every two years and replace the lenses. You may also get multifocal lenses for yourself. The upper part of the lens helps one focus on far objects, while the bottom part helps one see up close. Meanwhile, some other people opt for implanting special lenses into their retina.



[Soundbite] “People with severely damaged retinas because of diabetes or high blood pressure need thorough examinations.”



62 year-old homemaker Kim Gil-ok can read without reading glasses. Here’s her secret.



[Soundbite] “I’m used to looking at things far away. It’s become a habit.”



And that’s not all.



[Soundbite] “I relieve (my eye fatigue) after watching a TV drama.”



Massaging your temples and the area around the eyes helps relieve eye fatigue. It’s also important to protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays. Healthy eating habits are also an important factor behind healthy eyes. Green vegetables are rich in lutein, which protects the retina. Fried noodles with spinach is an ideal dish for keeping your eyes healthy.



[Soundbite] Ha Myeong-hui (Culinary Researcher): “You should boil it quickly and as soon as possible to get the nutrients.”



Cook the spinach only briefly. Lutein can also be consumed as a nutritional supplement.



[Soundbite] Kang Yeong-u (Ophthalmologist): “Six milligrams of lutein will do. Eating 80 grams of spinach is enough.”



Small changes in one’s lifestyle can work wonders in delaying the onset of presbyopia.



[Soundbite] “I’m not going to give up. I’m going to do my best to protect my eyes.”



Don’t forget that early detection and treatment are of paramount importance as well.