[Anchor Lead]
Political parties are reeling from the fallout of the October 26th by-elections. Ruling party bigwig Park Geun-hye is focusing on policy-oriented moves. Meanwhile, leading opposition figures are picking up the pace of discussions on the consolidation of opposition forces.
[Pkg]
Former ruling Grand National Party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye holds a policy seminar. She proposes an employment and welfare system befitting the times for the "happiness of the people," which was her key slogan.
[Soundbite]Park Geun-hye (Fmr. Chairwoman, Grand National Party): “I believe the employment rate must be a major indicator, concerning economic policies from now on.”
Park also responded to calls that she lead efforts to revamp the ruling party, saying resolving the pressing concerns of the public is what politics is about.
The head of a pan-opposition consolidation body has denied rumors of forming a new party. Moon Jae-in stressed the consolidation of opposition forces led by the main opposition Democratic Party.
[Soundbite]Moon Jae-in (Chairman, Roh Moo-hyun Foundation): “Consolidation is the only way to win in the general elections and realize a transfer of power next year.”
Opposition leaders have begun talks on holding a convention to discuss consolidation. But certain heads of the Democratic Party's regional committees are urging a separate Democratic Party-only convention. Former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook is also taking steps toward the consolidation bid. She's also considering running for the top post of the Democratic Party.
2. Headlines
[Anchor Lead]
On Tuesday night, what sounded like several explosions were heard on subway line No. 3, resulting in a passenger evacuation. And in a separate incident, in Seoul’s Nowon District, an abnormal level of radiation was detected. Here’s those stories and more.
[Pkg]
Loud noises, like an explosion, were heard at a subway station in Gyeonggi Province five times. Passengers evacuated and the train was stopped for more than ten minutes. Seoul Metro explains the sounds were caused by a large amount of electric current streaming in at once.
Last night, radiation of 1,600 nano sieverts per hour was detected in the residential area of Weolgye-dong, Seoul.
[Soundbite] “Here, it goes up a lot. It goes all the way up to 1.8. There's something here.”
The National Radiation Emergency Medical Center said it was higher than Seoul's average level of 108. But it said it's not harmful to the human body. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety is planning to conduct more close examinations on the site.
A large flame swallows up the entire building. Early this morning, a single story restaurant building in Wui-dong, Seoul was caught on fire, causing an estimated loss of 53,000 U.S. dollars. Fire fighting authorities are assuming the fire occurred in the kitchen and are carrying out further investigations to find the cause.
3. Beef Day
[Anchor Lead]
Korean cattle farmers are experiencing increasing difficulties amid the falling price of cattle and competition from foreign imports. The country marked Hanwoo Day, or Korean Beef Day, Tuesday, with sales of up to half-off the normally expensive Korean beef.
[Pkg]
A long line has formed at a large discount store. Hanwoo Day, or Korean Beef Day, falls on November 1st. So discounts of up to 50 percent have attracted a horde of customers.
[Soundbite] “I waited for two to three hours. (What did you wait for?) To get a deal on beef. Up to 50% off.”
[Soundbite] “You can't have it as much as they want to, but if you want to treat your family, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes.”
Customers fill their carts to the top with the discounted Korean beef. The event is intended to promote consumption of Korean beef, which has seen sluggish sales. The discount store prepared 300 tons of beef, which sold out quickly. Stalls offering a taste of Korean beef dishes are also crowded with people.
[Soundbite] “It's delicious, sweet and savory. After tasting some, I made up my mind to bring some home.”
The price of a cow has dropped more than 20 percent in one year, posing a big headache for cattle farms. Feed prices keep rising but those of Korean beef continues to fall due to oversupply.
[Soundbite]Yu Hae-ung (Cow Farmer): “When you sell a cow after raising it for 30 months, it sells for lower than its original price.”
Foreign beef imports have also reduced Korean beef's share of domestic beef consumption to less than half. So there's no end in sight to the economic problems of domestic cattle farms.
4. Tailored Therapy
[Anchor Lead]
Patients with colorectal cancer generally receive similar treatment regimes. But a study has shown that the care should be customized to each person’s genetic characteristics.
[Pkg]
This 60-something man was diagnosed with colorectal cancer three years ago. He had treatments at different stages of the cancer but it eventually spread to his liver.
[Soundbite]Im Chung-seong (Patient): “I've undergone abdominal surgery four times in three years: once on my colon and three times on my liver.”
In many cases, colorectal cancer patients undergo treatment according to the progression of their disease. It is classified into stages one to four. Survival rates and treatment methods, such as surgery and chemotherapy, are also determined accordingly.
Researchers from Korea University Guro Hospital and MD Andersen Cancer Center of the U.S. conducted a joint study on 114 colorectal cancer genes and divided them into types A and B. The results show that regardless of the stage of the cancer, patients' survival rates are determined by their genetic types.
[Soundbite]Prof. Oh Sang-cheul (Korea University Guro Hospital): “Genes get involved in the growth and rapid proliferation of cancerous cells. Patients with malicious genes are more likely to have aggressive and rapidly proliferating tumors. That's why their prognosis is poor.”
Patients with Type A genes, which have a higher survival rate, did not need chemotherapy even at stage 3. The discovery of customized treatment will maximize the effectiveness of colorectal cancer treatment and reduce unnecessary suffering among patients.
5. Test Drug
[Anchor Lead]
Korea's much feared national college entrance exam is on Thursday next week. Health authorities are looking into rumors of students taking attention deficit disorder drugs to enhance their concentration.
[Pkg]
Tension runs high at this high school classroom eight days before the national college entrance exam. Students grow increasingly nervous by the day.
[Soundbite] “I have exams coming up. I'm nervous and I can't sleep.”
Certain students are even rumored to have received prescriptions for what's known as performance pills from the hospital. Certain hospitals prescribe the pills, saying they can treat attention deficit disorder and boost concentration. The medicine is intended for severe cases of attention deficit disorder in which sufferers cannot stand still for even one minute. But if a normal person takes this, impulsive behavior and loss of clear judgement can result. The pills are also addictive.
[Soundbite]Kim Hyo-jeong (Korea Food & Drug Administration): “You get more sensitive and experience insomnia; in serious cases you may exhibit aggressive behavior.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the pills have been linked to sudden deaths of children. More than 300 cases of side effects including insomnia have also been reported in Korea over the past two years. Experts say that instead of turning to drugs, students can raise concentration through sufficient sleep and eating regularly.
6. Military Drill
[Anchor Lead]
The Korean army has held a training exercise to prepare for a potential poison gas terror attack on the Seoul city subway or an enemy infiltration through the mountains.
[Pkg]
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters hover in the Seoul sky. The helicopters stop over a mountain top and troops descend to the ground on a rope. A military dog joins the troops to comb through the mountain. Detecting enemy forces, the troops use hand signals as they approach the invaders and fire blank shots. The enemy is seized instantly thanks to the airtight operation.
[Soundbite]Maj. Kim Gil-jeong (Capital Defense Command): “Under the slogan "defense and loyalty," we carry out the operation with a firm resolution to take down enemy infiltration.”
Toxic gases emerge from a subway station. Patients are transferred to the nearby hospital and a military intelligence team analyzes the pollutant. And then officials spray chemicals.
[Soundbite]Lt. Maj. Park Hui-geun (Army 71st Infantry Division): “The training is held to check the defense capacity of city infrastructure and to strengthen cooperation among the government and civic sectors, the police and the military in the event of enemy attacks.”
Some 250 troops took part in this training which was part of a national defense drill.
7. Oyster Season
[Anchor Lead]
Fall is oyster season in waters off the southern coast. The harvest is the same as usual but exports are increasing due to the Japanese nuclear disaster in March.
[Pkg]
This oyster farm is located in waters clean and clear enough that the sea floor is easily visible. Ropes are pulled in and oysters hanging among seaweed appear. The flesh is fresh and taut because the oysters have grown eating plenty of plankton.
[Soundbite]Kim Yang-won (Fisherman): “As you can see, the water is clear and rich in plankton; the oysters taste far better than those from other areas.”
Women mend the oysters at the island's harbor. Orders are pouring in from nationwide to get a taste of this year's first oysters. Fall is oyster season in Korea.
[Soundbite]Jeong Jeong-deok (Fisherwoman): “During the kimchi-making season, we're extremely busy; we often have to wake up at one or two in the morning.”
This year's oyster harvest is the same as usual but due to Japan's earthquake in March, exports have grown four times from last year. This has sent prices soaring. Oyster season will continue through February.
8. Tiger Couple
[Anchor Lead]
A Siberian tiger couple recently brought in from China are set to be released into an arboretum in three years. Take a look.
[Pkg]
This is a Siberian Tiger. The species is known to be extinct in Korea after the last one was caught in 1924 in South Jeolla Province.
A six-year-old male and a seven-year-old female tigers made a couple. They were brought from China. In order to protect and breed the species, Daejeon Zoo will take care of the feline couple.
[Soundbite]Lee Il-beom (Daejeon Zoo): “We picked the 6 and 7 year olds that have experienced reproduction. We're going to put them together during mating season between December and February to create offspring.”
When the term is over, the Siberian tiger couple will be released into an arboretum in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province. The tigers will be able to live close to the wilderness.
[Soundbite]Ryu Gwan-su (Korea Forest Service): “We're going to provide enough space for the Siberian tigers to help increase the number of their species.”
Currently, a total of 50 Siberian tigers are bred in Korea. The Korea Forest Service is planning to released 30 Siberian tigers in the next ten years in the arboretum after it's completed.
9. Is it Dementia?
[Anchor Lead]
If you find yourself continually forgetting things in your everyday life, you may have worried whether it could be a symptom of dementia. Today we take a look at the difference between run-of-the-mill absentmindedness and a more serious problem.
[Pkg]
Most people have experienced forgetfulness, say leaving your cell phone in the laundry or forgetting to lock the door when you go out.
[Soundbite] “I go into the room to get something and forget what I went in for.”
[Soundbite] “I open the fridge door to get something but forget and close it and open it again.”
This woman is always forgetting things. She puts her kitchen towels to boil on the stove and falls asleep and forgets about it, or mistakes a bottle of stain remover for eye drops, almost putting it in her eyes.
At least those things happened at home. Sometimes, she even takes her shoes off before getting onto the elevator. These are all symptoms of forgetfulness.
[Soundbite]Dr. Choe Seong-ho (Neurologist): “Forgetfulness occurs when the brain is given a big shock or due to depression or some psychological reason that causes weakened concentration.”
This type of absentmindedness occurs when the brain is less active due to repeated simple actions or because of stress or fatigue. To improve your memory it's good to exercise at least 30 minutes every day and to eat things that are good for your brain. That includes fresh fruit, which contains antioxidants, and fish, which are rich in brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids like DHA. Many people worry that severe forgetfulness is a sign of advancing dementia. But the cause of the two issues is different. Brain wave tests show that in the case of forgetfulness, only the part in charge of memory has slightly weakened, but in the case of dementia, cells of the entire brain gradually die.
[Soundbite]Dr. Park Ju-hong (Oriental Medicine): “Dementia is a type of personality disability occurring when brain cells die. Long-term forgetfulness doesn’t lead to dementia.”
We tried a simple test. Several objects were shown and the test subjects were asked to recall what objects they had seen.
[Soundbite] “There were a pencil, scissors, glue, a cell phone and a calculator.”
[Soundbite] “I can't remember.”
In the case of forgetfulness, one can recall a memory, but it may take some time. But dementia patients can’t remember anything because the cognitive ability has weakened. Even simple math problems can be difficult as abstract thinking is tough, weakening the ability to calculate or judge.
[Soundbite] “I couldn't calculate and come up with the answer well.”
Not being able to memorize phone numbers or people's names, difficulty in calculating money can be symptoms of dementia.
[Soundbite]Dr. Park Ju-hong (Oriental Medicine): “When you forget something and realize you had forgotten after someone tells you, it's forgetfulness. But in the case of dementia, people don't even remember or realize the fact that they can’t remember something.”
Forgetfulness isn’t really anything to worry about, but if you experience symptoms of dementia, it’s time to get a checkup.
Political parties are reeling from the fallout of the October 26th by-elections. Ruling party bigwig Park Geun-hye is focusing on policy-oriented moves. Meanwhile, leading opposition figures are picking up the pace of discussions on the consolidation of opposition forces.
[Pkg]
Former ruling Grand National Party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye holds a policy seminar. She proposes an employment and welfare system befitting the times for the "happiness of the people," which was her key slogan.
[Soundbite]Park Geun-hye (Fmr. Chairwoman, Grand National Party): “I believe the employment rate must be a major indicator, concerning economic policies from now on.”
Park also responded to calls that she lead efforts to revamp the ruling party, saying resolving the pressing concerns of the public is what politics is about.
The head of a pan-opposition consolidation body has denied rumors of forming a new party. Moon Jae-in stressed the consolidation of opposition forces led by the main opposition Democratic Party.
[Soundbite]Moon Jae-in (Chairman, Roh Moo-hyun Foundation): “Consolidation is the only way to win in the general elections and realize a transfer of power next year.”
Opposition leaders have begun talks on holding a convention to discuss consolidation. But certain heads of the Democratic Party's regional committees are urging a separate Democratic Party-only convention. Former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook is also taking steps toward the consolidation bid. She's also considering running for the top post of the Democratic Party.
2. Headlines
[Anchor Lead]
On Tuesday night, what sounded like several explosions were heard on subway line No. 3, resulting in a passenger evacuation. And in a separate incident, in Seoul’s Nowon District, an abnormal level of radiation was detected. Here’s those stories and more.
[Pkg]
Loud noises, like an explosion, were heard at a subway station in Gyeonggi Province five times. Passengers evacuated and the train was stopped for more than ten minutes. Seoul Metro explains the sounds were caused by a large amount of electric current streaming in at once.
Last night, radiation of 1,600 nano sieverts per hour was detected in the residential area of Weolgye-dong, Seoul.
[Soundbite] “Here, it goes up a lot. It goes all the way up to 1.8. There's something here.”
The National Radiation Emergency Medical Center said it was higher than Seoul's average level of 108. But it said it's not harmful to the human body. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety is planning to conduct more close examinations on the site.
A large flame swallows up the entire building. Early this morning, a single story restaurant building in Wui-dong, Seoul was caught on fire, causing an estimated loss of 53,000 U.S. dollars. Fire fighting authorities are assuming the fire occurred in the kitchen and are carrying out further investigations to find the cause.
3. Beef Day
[Anchor Lead]
Korean cattle farmers are experiencing increasing difficulties amid the falling price of cattle and competition from foreign imports. The country marked Hanwoo Day, or Korean Beef Day, Tuesday, with sales of up to half-off the normally expensive Korean beef.
[Pkg]
A long line has formed at a large discount store. Hanwoo Day, or Korean Beef Day, falls on November 1st. So discounts of up to 50 percent have attracted a horde of customers.
[Soundbite] “I waited for two to three hours. (What did you wait for?) To get a deal on beef. Up to 50% off.”
[Soundbite] “You can't have it as much as they want to, but if you want to treat your family, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes.”
Customers fill their carts to the top with the discounted Korean beef. The event is intended to promote consumption of Korean beef, which has seen sluggish sales. The discount store prepared 300 tons of beef, which sold out quickly. Stalls offering a taste of Korean beef dishes are also crowded with people.
[Soundbite] “It's delicious, sweet and savory. After tasting some, I made up my mind to bring some home.”
The price of a cow has dropped more than 20 percent in one year, posing a big headache for cattle farms. Feed prices keep rising but those of Korean beef continues to fall due to oversupply.
[Soundbite]Yu Hae-ung (Cow Farmer): “When you sell a cow after raising it for 30 months, it sells for lower than its original price.”
Foreign beef imports have also reduced Korean beef's share of domestic beef consumption to less than half. So there's no end in sight to the economic problems of domestic cattle farms.
4. Tailored Therapy
[Anchor Lead]
Patients with colorectal cancer generally receive similar treatment regimes. But a study has shown that the care should be customized to each person’s genetic characteristics.
[Pkg]
This 60-something man was diagnosed with colorectal cancer three years ago. He had treatments at different stages of the cancer but it eventually spread to his liver.
[Soundbite]Im Chung-seong (Patient): “I've undergone abdominal surgery four times in three years: once on my colon and three times on my liver.”
In many cases, colorectal cancer patients undergo treatment according to the progression of their disease. It is classified into stages one to four. Survival rates and treatment methods, such as surgery and chemotherapy, are also determined accordingly.
Researchers from Korea University Guro Hospital and MD Andersen Cancer Center of the U.S. conducted a joint study on 114 colorectal cancer genes and divided them into types A and B. The results show that regardless of the stage of the cancer, patients' survival rates are determined by their genetic types.
[Soundbite]Prof. Oh Sang-cheul (Korea University Guro Hospital): “Genes get involved in the growth and rapid proliferation of cancerous cells. Patients with malicious genes are more likely to have aggressive and rapidly proliferating tumors. That's why their prognosis is poor.”
Patients with Type A genes, which have a higher survival rate, did not need chemotherapy even at stage 3. The discovery of customized treatment will maximize the effectiveness of colorectal cancer treatment and reduce unnecessary suffering among patients.
5. Test Drug
[Anchor Lead]
Korea's much feared national college entrance exam is on Thursday next week. Health authorities are looking into rumors of students taking attention deficit disorder drugs to enhance their concentration.
[Pkg]
Tension runs high at this high school classroom eight days before the national college entrance exam. Students grow increasingly nervous by the day.
[Soundbite] “I have exams coming up. I'm nervous and I can't sleep.”
Certain students are even rumored to have received prescriptions for what's known as performance pills from the hospital. Certain hospitals prescribe the pills, saying they can treat attention deficit disorder and boost concentration. The medicine is intended for severe cases of attention deficit disorder in which sufferers cannot stand still for even one minute. But if a normal person takes this, impulsive behavior and loss of clear judgement can result. The pills are also addictive.
[Soundbite]Kim Hyo-jeong (Korea Food & Drug Administration): “You get more sensitive and experience insomnia; in serious cases you may exhibit aggressive behavior.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the pills have been linked to sudden deaths of children. More than 300 cases of side effects including insomnia have also been reported in Korea over the past two years. Experts say that instead of turning to drugs, students can raise concentration through sufficient sleep and eating regularly.
6. Military Drill
[Anchor Lead]
The Korean army has held a training exercise to prepare for a potential poison gas terror attack on the Seoul city subway or an enemy infiltration through the mountains.
[Pkg]
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters hover in the Seoul sky. The helicopters stop over a mountain top and troops descend to the ground on a rope. A military dog joins the troops to comb through the mountain. Detecting enemy forces, the troops use hand signals as they approach the invaders and fire blank shots. The enemy is seized instantly thanks to the airtight operation.
[Soundbite]Maj. Kim Gil-jeong (Capital Defense Command): “Under the slogan "defense and loyalty," we carry out the operation with a firm resolution to take down enemy infiltration.”
Toxic gases emerge from a subway station. Patients are transferred to the nearby hospital and a military intelligence team analyzes the pollutant. And then officials spray chemicals.
[Soundbite]Lt. Maj. Park Hui-geun (Army 71st Infantry Division): “The training is held to check the defense capacity of city infrastructure and to strengthen cooperation among the government and civic sectors, the police and the military in the event of enemy attacks.”
Some 250 troops took part in this training which was part of a national defense drill.
7. Oyster Season
[Anchor Lead]
Fall is oyster season in waters off the southern coast. The harvest is the same as usual but exports are increasing due to the Japanese nuclear disaster in March.
[Pkg]
This oyster farm is located in waters clean and clear enough that the sea floor is easily visible. Ropes are pulled in and oysters hanging among seaweed appear. The flesh is fresh and taut because the oysters have grown eating plenty of plankton.
[Soundbite]Kim Yang-won (Fisherman): “As you can see, the water is clear and rich in plankton; the oysters taste far better than those from other areas.”
Women mend the oysters at the island's harbor. Orders are pouring in from nationwide to get a taste of this year's first oysters. Fall is oyster season in Korea.
[Soundbite]Jeong Jeong-deok (Fisherwoman): “During the kimchi-making season, we're extremely busy; we often have to wake up at one or two in the morning.”
This year's oyster harvest is the same as usual but due to Japan's earthquake in March, exports have grown four times from last year. This has sent prices soaring. Oyster season will continue through February.
8. Tiger Couple
[Anchor Lead]
A Siberian tiger couple recently brought in from China are set to be released into an arboretum in three years. Take a look.
[Pkg]
This is a Siberian Tiger. The species is known to be extinct in Korea after the last one was caught in 1924 in South Jeolla Province.
A six-year-old male and a seven-year-old female tigers made a couple. They were brought from China. In order to protect and breed the species, Daejeon Zoo will take care of the feline couple.
[Soundbite]Lee Il-beom (Daejeon Zoo): “We picked the 6 and 7 year olds that have experienced reproduction. We're going to put them together during mating season between December and February to create offspring.”
When the term is over, the Siberian tiger couple will be released into an arboretum in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province. The tigers will be able to live close to the wilderness.
[Soundbite]Ryu Gwan-su (Korea Forest Service): “We're going to provide enough space for the Siberian tigers to help increase the number of their species.”
Currently, a total of 50 Siberian tigers are bred in Korea. The Korea Forest Service is planning to released 30 Siberian tigers in the next ten years in the arboretum after it's completed.
9. Is it Dementia?
[Anchor Lead]
If you find yourself continually forgetting things in your everyday life, you may have worried whether it could be a symptom of dementia. Today we take a look at the difference between run-of-the-mill absentmindedness and a more serious problem.
[Pkg]
Most people have experienced forgetfulness, say leaving your cell phone in the laundry or forgetting to lock the door when you go out.
[Soundbite] “I go into the room to get something and forget what I went in for.”
[Soundbite] “I open the fridge door to get something but forget and close it and open it again.”
This woman is always forgetting things. She puts her kitchen towels to boil on the stove and falls asleep and forgets about it, or mistakes a bottle of stain remover for eye drops, almost putting it in her eyes.
At least those things happened at home. Sometimes, she even takes her shoes off before getting onto the elevator. These are all symptoms of forgetfulness.
[Soundbite]Dr. Choe Seong-ho (Neurologist): “Forgetfulness occurs when the brain is given a big shock or due to depression or some psychological reason that causes weakened concentration.”
This type of absentmindedness occurs when the brain is less active due to repeated simple actions or because of stress or fatigue. To improve your memory it's good to exercise at least 30 minutes every day and to eat things that are good for your brain. That includes fresh fruit, which contains antioxidants, and fish, which are rich in brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids like DHA. Many people worry that severe forgetfulness is a sign of advancing dementia. But the cause of the two issues is different. Brain wave tests show that in the case of forgetfulness, only the part in charge of memory has slightly weakened, but in the case of dementia, cells of the entire brain gradually die.
[Soundbite]Dr. Park Ju-hong (Oriental Medicine): “Dementia is a type of personality disability occurring when brain cells die. Long-term forgetfulness doesn’t lead to dementia.”
We tried a simple test. Several objects were shown and the test subjects were asked to recall what objects they had seen.
[Soundbite] “There were a pencil, scissors, glue, a cell phone and a calculator.”
[Soundbite] “I can't remember.”
In the case of forgetfulness, one can recall a memory, but it may take some time. But dementia patients can’t remember anything because the cognitive ability has weakened. Even simple math problems can be difficult as abstract thinking is tough, weakening the ability to calculate or judge.
[Soundbite] “I couldn't calculate and come up with the answer well.”
Not being able to memorize phone numbers or people's names, difficulty in calculating money can be symptoms of dementia.
[Soundbite]Dr. Park Ju-hong (Oriental Medicine): “When you forget something and realize you had forgotten after someone tells you, it's forgetfulness. But in the case of dementia, people don't even remember or realize the fact that they can’t remember something.”
Forgetfulness isn’t really anything to worry about, but if you experience symptoms of dementia, it’s time to get a checkup.
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- Party Moves
-
- 입력 2011-11-02 17:22:36
[Anchor Lead]
Political parties are reeling from the fallout of the October 26th by-elections. Ruling party bigwig Park Geun-hye is focusing on policy-oriented moves. Meanwhile, leading opposition figures are picking up the pace of discussions on the consolidation of opposition forces.
[Pkg]
Former ruling Grand National Party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye holds a policy seminar. She proposes an employment and welfare system befitting the times for the "happiness of the people," which was her key slogan.
[Soundbite]Park Geun-hye (Fmr. Chairwoman, Grand National Party): “I believe the employment rate must be a major indicator, concerning economic policies from now on.”
Park also responded to calls that she lead efforts to revamp the ruling party, saying resolving the pressing concerns of the public is what politics is about.
The head of a pan-opposition consolidation body has denied rumors of forming a new party. Moon Jae-in stressed the consolidation of opposition forces led by the main opposition Democratic Party.
[Soundbite]Moon Jae-in (Chairman, Roh Moo-hyun Foundation): “Consolidation is the only way to win in the general elections and realize a transfer of power next year.”
Opposition leaders have begun talks on holding a convention to discuss consolidation. But certain heads of the Democratic Party's regional committees are urging a separate Democratic Party-only convention. Former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook is also taking steps toward the consolidation bid. She's also considering running for the top post of the Democratic Party.
2. Headlines
[Anchor Lead]
On Tuesday night, what sounded like several explosions were heard on subway line No. 3, resulting in a passenger evacuation. And in a separate incident, in Seoul’s Nowon District, an abnormal level of radiation was detected. Here’s those stories and more.
[Pkg]
Loud noises, like an explosion, were heard at a subway station in Gyeonggi Province five times. Passengers evacuated and the train was stopped for more than ten minutes. Seoul Metro explains the sounds were caused by a large amount of electric current streaming in at once.
Last night, radiation of 1,600 nano sieverts per hour was detected in the residential area of Weolgye-dong, Seoul.
[Soundbite] “Here, it goes up a lot. It goes all the way up to 1.8. There's something here.”
The National Radiation Emergency Medical Center said it was higher than Seoul's average level of 108. But it said it's not harmful to the human body. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety is planning to conduct more close examinations on the site.
A large flame swallows up the entire building. Early this morning, a single story restaurant building in Wui-dong, Seoul was caught on fire, causing an estimated loss of 53,000 U.S. dollars. Fire fighting authorities are assuming the fire occurred in the kitchen and are carrying out further investigations to find the cause.
3. Beef Day
[Anchor Lead]
Korean cattle farmers are experiencing increasing difficulties amid the falling price of cattle and competition from foreign imports. The country marked Hanwoo Day, or Korean Beef Day, Tuesday, with sales of up to half-off the normally expensive Korean beef.
[Pkg]
A long line has formed at a large discount store. Hanwoo Day, or Korean Beef Day, falls on November 1st. So discounts of up to 50 percent have attracted a horde of customers.
[Soundbite] “I waited for two to three hours. (What did you wait for?) To get a deal on beef. Up to 50% off.”
[Soundbite] “You can't have it as much as they want to, but if you want to treat your family, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes.”
Customers fill their carts to the top with the discounted Korean beef. The event is intended to promote consumption of Korean beef, which has seen sluggish sales. The discount store prepared 300 tons of beef, which sold out quickly. Stalls offering a taste of Korean beef dishes are also crowded with people.
[Soundbite] “It's delicious, sweet and savory. After tasting some, I made up my mind to bring some home.”
The price of a cow has dropped more than 20 percent in one year, posing a big headache for cattle farms. Feed prices keep rising but those of Korean beef continues to fall due to oversupply.
[Soundbite]Yu Hae-ung (Cow Farmer): “When you sell a cow after raising it for 30 months, it sells for lower than its original price.”
Foreign beef imports have also reduced Korean beef's share of domestic beef consumption to less than half. So there's no end in sight to the economic problems of domestic cattle farms.
4. Tailored Therapy
[Anchor Lead]
Patients with colorectal cancer generally receive similar treatment regimes. But a study has shown that the care should be customized to each person’s genetic characteristics.
[Pkg]
This 60-something man was diagnosed with colorectal cancer three years ago. He had treatments at different stages of the cancer but it eventually spread to his liver.
[Soundbite]Im Chung-seong (Patient): “I've undergone abdominal surgery four times in three years: once on my colon and three times on my liver.”
In many cases, colorectal cancer patients undergo treatment according to the progression of their disease. It is classified into stages one to four. Survival rates and treatment methods, such as surgery and chemotherapy, are also determined accordingly.
Researchers from Korea University Guro Hospital and MD Andersen Cancer Center of the U.S. conducted a joint study on 114 colorectal cancer genes and divided them into types A and B. The results show that regardless of the stage of the cancer, patients' survival rates are determined by their genetic types.
[Soundbite]Prof. Oh Sang-cheul (Korea University Guro Hospital): “Genes get involved in the growth and rapid proliferation of cancerous cells. Patients with malicious genes are more likely to have aggressive and rapidly proliferating tumors. That's why their prognosis is poor.”
Patients with Type A genes, which have a higher survival rate, did not need chemotherapy even at stage 3. The discovery of customized treatment will maximize the effectiveness of colorectal cancer treatment and reduce unnecessary suffering among patients.
5. Test Drug
[Anchor Lead]
Korea's much feared national college entrance exam is on Thursday next week. Health authorities are looking into rumors of students taking attention deficit disorder drugs to enhance their concentration.
[Pkg]
Tension runs high at this high school classroom eight days before the national college entrance exam. Students grow increasingly nervous by the day.
[Soundbite] “I have exams coming up. I'm nervous and I can't sleep.”
Certain students are even rumored to have received prescriptions for what's known as performance pills from the hospital. Certain hospitals prescribe the pills, saying they can treat attention deficit disorder and boost concentration. The medicine is intended for severe cases of attention deficit disorder in which sufferers cannot stand still for even one minute. But if a normal person takes this, impulsive behavior and loss of clear judgement can result. The pills are also addictive.
[Soundbite]Kim Hyo-jeong (Korea Food & Drug Administration): “You get more sensitive and experience insomnia; in serious cases you may exhibit aggressive behavior.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the pills have been linked to sudden deaths of children. More than 300 cases of side effects including insomnia have also been reported in Korea over the past two years. Experts say that instead of turning to drugs, students can raise concentration through sufficient sleep and eating regularly.
6. Military Drill
[Anchor Lead]
The Korean army has held a training exercise to prepare for a potential poison gas terror attack on the Seoul city subway or an enemy infiltration through the mountains.
[Pkg]
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters hover in the Seoul sky. The helicopters stop over a mountain top and troops descend to the ground on a rope. A military dog joins the troops to comb through the mountain. Detecting enemy forces, the troops use hand signals as they approach the invaders and fire blank shots. The enemy is seized instantly thanks to the airtight operation.
[Soundbite]Maj. Kim Gil-jeong (Capital Defense Command): “Under the slogan "defense and loyalty," we carry out the operation with a firm resolution to take down enemy infiltration.”
Toxic gases emerge from a subway station. Patients are transferred to the nearby hospital and a military intelligence team analyzes the pollutant. And then officials spray chemicals.
[Soundbite]Lt. Maj. Park Hui-geun (Army 71st Infantry Division): “The training is held to check the defense capacity of city infrastructure and to strengthen cooperation among the government and civic sectors, the police and the military in the event of enemy attacks.”
Some 250 troops took part in this training which was part of a national defense drill.
7. Oyster Season
[Anchor Lead]
Fall is oyster season in waters off the southern coast. The harvest is the same as usual but exports are increasing due to the Japanese nuclear disaster in March.
[Pkg]
This oyster farm is located in waters clean and clear enough that the sea floor is easily visible. Ropes are pulled in and oysters hanging among seaweed appear. The flesh is fresh and taut because the oysters have grown eating plenty of plankton.
[Soundbite]Kim Yang-won (Fisherman): “As you can see, the water is clear and rich in plankton; the oysters taste far better than those from other areas.”
Women mend the oysters at the island's harbor. Orders are pouring in from nationwide to get a taste of this year's first oysters. Fall is oyster season in Korea.
[Soundbite]Jeong Jeong-deok (Fisherwoman): “During the kimchi-making season, we're extremely busy; we often have to wake up at one or two in the morning.”
This year's oyster harvest is the same as usual but due to Japan's earthquake in March, exports have grown four times from last year. This has sent prices soaring. Oyster season will continue through February.
8. Tiger Couple
[Anchor Lead]
A Siberian tiger couple recently brought in from China are set to be released into an arboretum in three years. Take a look.
[Pkg]
This is a Siberian Tiger. The species is known to be extinct in Korea after the last one was caught in 1924 in South Jeolla Province.
A six-year-old male and a seven-year-old female tigers made a couple. They were brought from China. In order to protect and breed the species, Daejeon Zoo will take care of the feline couple.
[Soundbite]Lee Il-beom (Daejeon Zoo): “We picked the 6 and 7 year olds that have experienced reproduction. We're going to put them together during mating season between December and February to create offspring.”
When the term is over, the Siberian tiger couple will be released into an arboretum in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province. The tigers will be able to live close to the wilderness.
[Soundbite]Ryu Gwan-su (Korea Forest Service): “We're going to provide enough space for the Siberian tigers to help increase the number of their species.”
Currently, a total of 50 Siberian tigers are bred in Korea. The Korea Forest Service is planning to released 30 Siberian tigers in the next ten years in the arboretum after it's completed.
9. Is it Dementia?
[Anchor Lead]
If you find yourself continually forgetting things in your everyday life, you may have worried whether it could be a symptom of dementia. Today we take a look at the difference between run-of-the-mill absentmindedness and a more serious problem.
[Pkg]
Most people have experienced forgetfulness, say leaving your cell phone in the laundry or forgetting to lock the door when you go out.
[Soundbite] “I go into the room to get something and forget what I went in for.”
[Soundbite] “I open the fridge door to get something but forget and close it and open it again.”
This woman is always forgetting things. She puts her kitchen towels to boil on the stove and falls asleep and forgets about it, or mistakes a bottle of stain remover for eye drops, almost putting it in her eyes.
At least those things happened at home. Sometimes, she even takes her shoes off before getting onto the elevator. These are all symptoms of forgetfulness.
[Soundbite]Dr. Choe Seong-ho (Neurologist): “Forgetfulness occurs when the brain is given a big shock or due to depression or some psychological reason that causes weakened concentration.”
This type of absentmindedness occurs when the brain is less active due to repeated simple actions or because of stress or fatigue. To improve your memory it's good to exercise at least 30 minutes every day and to eat things that are good for your brain. That includes fresh fruit, which contains antioxidants, and fish, which are rich in brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids like DHA. Many people worry that severe forgetfulness is a sign of advancing dementia. But the cause of the two issues is different. Brain wave tests show that in the case of forgetfulness, only the part in charge of memory has slightly weakened, but in the case of dementia, cells of the entire brain gradually die.
[Soundbite]Dr. Park Ju-hong (Oriental Medicine): “Dementia is a type of personality disability occurring when brain cells die. Long-term forgetfulness doesn’t lead to dementia.”
We tried a simple test. Several objects were shown and the test subjects were asked to recall what objects they had seen.
[Soundbite] “There were a pencil, scissors, glue, a cell phone and a calculator.”
[Soundbite] “I can't remember.”
In the case of forgetfulness, one can recall a memory, but it may take some time. But dementia patients can’t remember anything because the cognitive ability has weakened. Even simple math problems can be difficult as abstract thinking is tough, weakening the ability to calculate or judge.
[Soundbite] “I couldn't calculate and come up with the answer well.”
Not being able to memorize phone numbers or people's names, difficulty in calculating money can be symptoms of dementia.
[Soundbite]Dr. Park Ju-hong (Oriental Medicine): “When you forget something and realize you had forgotten after someone tells you, it's forgetfulness. But in the case of dementia, people don't even remember or realize the fact that they can’t remember something.”
Forgetfulness isn’t really anything to worry about, but if you experience symptoms of dementia, it’s time to get a checkup.
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