Symbiotic Growth

[Anchor Lead]
Korea celebrated its 66th Liberation Day on Monday. President Lee Myung-bak used the occasion to push for so-called "symbiotic development"; creating a society in which everyone reaps the benefits of growth.

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President Lee says the market economy needs a new model because of the global financial crisis and social polarization. He's proposed symbiotic development as the solution.

[Soundbite] Lee Myung-bak (President) : "We'll build a new development system bypromoting quality of life, financial development, social unity and individual growth."

President Lee says joint growth is an important strategy to realize symbiotic development and strengthens corporate ecology and the fair distribution of the benefits of growth. He pledged to expand employment of high school graduates, improve conditions for temporary workers, protect the rights of neighborhood store owners, and supply more smaller rental homes. The president also promised efforts to possibly reach fiscal balance by 2013 and warned against welfare populism. On North Korea, he says the North can achieve nothing through provocations. President Lee urged Pyongyang to take responsible action but also promised to continue humanitarian aid to the North. On relations with Japan, President Lee says Seoul won't be fettered by the past but didn't directly mention the territorial dispute over the Dokdo islets. But he says Japan has the responsibility to teach accurate history to its future generations.

2. Facility Export

[Anchor Lead]
An oil refinery made with Korean technology has left Korea's Ulsan Port headed for the United Arab Emirates. The 11,000 kilometer sea journey will take about a month.

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A huge plant facility is waiting to be shipped at Ulsan Port. This high-tech facility transfers medium quality oil produced at oil plants into expensive fuel of high-added value. This RFCC or residue fluid catalytic cracking reactor weighs 1,100 tons and is 46 meters long. It's as large as an 18-story high-rise building. A special vehicle with more than 60 wheels has been mobilized to transport the facility.

[Soundbite]

Philip Harrison (UAE Ordering Company)

It is 11,000 kilometers by sea from Ulsan Port to port city Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The destination is a town called Ruwais, west of Abu Dhabi. Korean builders including GS Engineering and Construction are building an oil refinery plant complex in Ruwais with an investment of over 9.6 billion dollars. The facility will travel the sea for a month and then be transported 250 kilometers on the road to reach the construction site in Ruwais in October.

3. Korean Model

[Anchor Lead]
Korean influence in business and development is growing in Southeast Asia. Cambodia and Vietnam have adopted Korean models for securities trading and farming.

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Promotional footage of the Cambodian stock exchange that opened last month features a Korean.

[Soundbite] Min Kyong-hoon (COO, Cambodia Securities Exchange) : "We're going to create a transparent and fair market."

The Korea Exchange holds a 45-percent share in the Cambodian stock exchange and shares its expertise with its Cambodian partner. Cambodia has also begun learning Korea's agricultural system. Reservoirs, wells and canals have been built in Cambodia to ensure smooth irrigation. Rice production has accordingly surged 50 percent while corn production is up 20 percent. The village has laid a solid foundation for farming by building reservoirs and canals and acquiring Korean agricultural technologies.

[Soundbite] An Seong-su (Korea Rural Community Corporation) : "We plan to set the irrigation area at 1,000 hectares. We believe that the locals can farm two or three crop."

Half of the tools used in the construction of Vietnam's first highway are Korean made. Korean builders have transferred advanced construction technologies to the Southeast Asian country. The project supervisor is Vietnam Development Bank. The bank adopted Korean policies five years ago through the Export-Import Bank of Korea.

[Soundbite] Nguyen Chi Trang (V.P., Vietnam Development Bank) : "We appreciate Korea's technological support."

Korean influence in Southeast Asia is spreading in business and infrastructure.

4. Daycare Centers

[Anchor Lead]
Child care centers at workplaces are a big help to working couples with young children. But only a few companies in Korea have such facilities.

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Su-min commutes with her father every morning. He can watch his daughter via a surveillance camera installed in the childcare center of his company.

[Soundbite] Im Dae-hwan (Office Worker) : "It’s good because we’ve been commuting together for a while, so we understand each other better and see more of each other."

But the company of this working mother does not have a daycare facility. She has to walk for more than 10 minutes every morning to take her daughter to her preschool.

More than 576 workplaces in the nation are mandated to have child care centers, but only 30 percent of them comply with the law. Businesses avoid opening childcare centers because of financial problems and lack of space, but there is no punishment for those who violate the law. Some six million married people in the nation work and have working spouses. Their childcare burden only keeps growing because their employers are not willing to help.

5. Polyp Alert

[Anchor Lead]
Polyps in the colon are dangerous because they can develop into cancer. A study has found that smoking and drinking double your risk of getting them.

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An endoscope is used to remove a polyp in the colon. Polyps in the colon can develop into cancer in five or ten years.

This man in his 50s frequently drinks alcohol. He's had five colon polyps removed this year, the same as last year.

[Soundbite] Kim Myeong-cheol (Patient) : "I don't like drinking, but I drink when I’m hanging out with friends."

A National Cancer Center study has found that a person who drinks alcohol for more than 28 years doubles his or her risk of colon polyps. Greasy side dishes that usually go with alcoholic beverages also cause colonic disease, including polyps.

[Soundbite] Dr. Lee Du-han (President, Daehang Hospital) : "A carcinogen called aldehyde is generated when alcohol is digested. It's known to increase the chance of colon cancer."

Smoking also raises the danger of developing polyps in the colon. The risk is 30 percent higher for former smokers and 70 percent more for people who still light up. Heavy smokers have been found to have adenomatous polyps, a preliminary stage of colon cancer. Many such cases had more than three adenomatous polyps. Medical experts say cancerous substances in cigarettes travel through blood and affect the mucous membrane of the colon to cause polyps. People who drink alcohol and smoke are at higher risk of various tumors, including colon polyps.

6. Smart Carts

[Anchor Lead]
Supermarkets are devoting a lot of effort to improving the design of their carts. Well-designed shopping carts play a crucial role in getting customers to spend more.

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This shopping cart has a special space for a coffee cup, a cell phone and notes. It's also equipped with reading glasses to help consumers read labels. Minimizing the weight of shopping carts is important because heavy carts discourage consumers from buying more. The average weight of a shopping cart has been cut from 22 kilograms to 19. Families with young children can use shopping carts with built-in toy cars.

[Soundbite]

It's easier to go grocery shopping this way because (my child) gets less whiny. We can take our time.

Recently, a contest for shopping cart designs has opened, showing the importance of well-designed carts.

[Soundbite] Kim In-suk (Executive, Supermarket Chain) : "Customers feel more satisfied when they use shopping carts with artistic elements."

There are more than 400 supermarket chains in the nation. Their shopping carts have emerged as an important marketing tool.

7. Being Heard

[Anchor Lead]
It can be tough for deaf people to enjoy cultural activities. But one group of hearing impaired teenagers is providing inspiration with a burning passion for music.

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A rhythmic drum sound rocks this classroom. The students at times go off beat but their faces and attitudes are filled with passion. They're deaf but they play the drums anyway. Just watching a performance is a challenge but the students use summer vacation to practice for the Korean percussion show "Nanta."

[Soundbite] Kang Seong-beom (Student) : "It was tough at first. Since my teacher taught me, it's become more fun and interesting."

Students are immersed in dancing in another classroom. They feel the vibrations rather than hear the sound, growing more confident with every dance move they learn. These deaf students will perform on August 26th and next month at the Jeonju International Sori Festival in North Jeolla Province. Their dogged determination and refusal to give up hope are well known among Korean netizens.

[Soundbite] Kim Seung-taek (Jeonju International Sori Festival) : "People who can't hear impress others through sound. Sound is a means of overcome disabilities and prejudice."

The daring and persistence of the deaf students are turning the impossible into reality, and touching many people along the way.

8. Rail Trips

[Anchor Lead]
Railway travel packages for the east coast are gaining in popularity this summer. East coast railway trips and rail bikes are already booked up for this month.

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A coastal train that can accommodate 110 passengers is packed. The refreshing view of the East Sea chases away stress in no time. Both children and adults enjoy the ride.

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I enjoyed the view of the blue sea and all kinds of games and quizzes. I made special memories.

The number of passengers on coastal train packages from Gangneung to Samcheok is about to surpass 500,000 five years since their launch. Some three thousand passengers use the coastal rail bike every day. It's been in high demand this summer. Local governments and the Korea Railroad are soon to develop tourist programs using coastal train and rail bike tours.

[Soundbite] Lee Eun-gyu (Korea Railroad Corporation) : "The synergistic effect of coastal trains and Samcheok rail bikes will be huge. We're offering big discounts to student on field trips."

But the tickets are hard to obtain because the trains are operated only three times a day and conflicts with unlicensed merchants in the rail bike area remain unresolved.

9. Dongchun Circus

[Anchor Lead]
Korea's first circus company, Dongchun, which has an 86-year tradition, was closed two years ago because it faced financial difficulties. But it recently reopened to the delight of its fans. Here's more.

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Many people looked forward to seeing the Dongchun Circus's performances in the past, when there was no television or radio. But the company had to suspend its performances two years ago because of financial difficulties.

Recently, the Dongchun Circus has reopened. The performance hall is already packed with spectators.

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I watched their performance 10 years ago. I'm curious to see how it has changed.

The lighting, music and stage set have all gone high-tech.

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Now, we begin the Dongchun Circus performance!

The performance finally begins. Performers climb poles and slide down upside down. Breathtaking midair stunts are a staple of the circus. The performers defy gravity as they fly through the air.

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I’d only heard about this from older people. Now I'm excited to see it myself.

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It's been 30 years. Now it seems all real. I wish I could see it more often but I don't have much opportunity.

This person is warming up backstage. He's Park Kwang-hwan, the Dongchun Circus’s master of juggling. Park takes to the stage and awes the audience with his juggling skills.

[Soundbite] Park Gwang-hwan (Member, Dongchun Circus) : "It's more about enjoying yourself with the audiences. All eyes are on me."

The highlight of the circus is a high-flying performance to the folk song "Arirang." A man and a woman stage a beautiful show suspended in the air.

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Tight-rope walking to the song "Arirang" was fun to watch. I almost cried.

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I watched this circus as a child. Seeing it now is like a new experience.

As soon as the performance is over, the performers begin to rehearse again.

[Soundbite] Park Se-hwan (Director, Dongchun Circus) : "We must cater to our audiences. We must exceed their expectations but we still have a long way to go."

Thanks to strenuous efforts, the 86-year-old Dongchun Circus has become what it is today. Park joined the company three decades ago. When the Dongchun Circus was closed for two years, he had to perform with other companies. These days he's dedicated to training young performers to carry on the circus’s tradition. Park says the circus is everything to him and he doesn't want to lose his dream ever again.

[Soundbite] Park Gwang-hwan (Member, Dongchun Circus) : "The Dongchun Circus is the oldest and only circus company in Korea. So I want to do my best to carry on its tradition with my colleagues, at least somehow."

The Dongchun Circus has offered an escape to ordinary people for more than eight decades, and will hopefully continue to do so for many years to come.