Hacking Scandal

[Anchor Lead]



Police are investigating the alleged hacking of the National Election Commission’s Web site on the day of the October 26th by-elections. Investigators have searched the office and home of an IT businessman who is implicated in the cyber attack. A key question is if senior ruling party officials ordered the hacking.



[Pkg]



Police have searched the office and home of a businessman who allegedly led a hacking attack on the homepage of the National Election Commission on by-election day October 26th. The man is the head of an IT company. Police have secured related materials from the raid, including computers. A combined 1,500 zombie computers are known to have been used in the cyber attack, far more the initially believed 200. The huge number of mobilized computers suggests that the attack might have been a premeditated organized scheme, not a mistake by an individual. So police are tracking the bank accounts of the IT entrepreneur and an aide to ruling party lawmaker Choi Ku-sik. Investigators want to know if the cyber attack was conducted in return for money and at the order of high-ranking ruling party members. A full-fledged investigation has begun into an alleged cyber attack on the website of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. Police are examining computer log-in records handed over from Park’s camp. The probe is soon expected to find out if the IT businessman and the lawmaker’s aide committed the cyber attack on Park’s website.



2. Probe Aftermath



[Anchor Lead]



The Grand National Party is urging a thorough investigation into the DDoS attack and punishment for the perpetrators. The Democratic Party has also set up a task force to investigate the matter.



[Pkg]



The Grand National Party holds a meeting of its supreme members to discuss ways to overhaul the party. But topping the agenda of the meeting is the distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, attack on the National Election Commission’s Web site that allegedly involves a secretary of one of the party members. The party leadership including its chairman has apologized to the public and urged a police investigation. Representative Choi Gu-shik has stepped down from his post as head of the party’s PR Planning Team following accusations that his secretary was involved in the cyber attack. The Democratic Party has set up a task force to investigate the matter, calling it "an election terror attack" that was meant to block young people from voting and help the Grand National Party win.



[Soundbite] Kim Jin-pyo (Floor Leader, Democratic Party): "If the investigation is conducted insufficiently, as in the past, we’ll push for a parliamentary probe and even bring in a special counsel."



The Democratic Party also demanded that police investigate the place where the cyber attack was performed and disclose evidence.



3. Bold Investments



[Anchor Lead]



The Korean economy’s heavy dependence on trade is expected to cause it suffer next year due to gloomy prospects for the global marketplace. But domestic companies say they’re determined to overcome obstacles through aggressive investment.



[Pkg]



Many companies in Korea and abroad are tightening their belts and cutting investment amid the sluggish global economy. But Samsung Group is planning to increase investment next year. The conglomerate seeks to gain opportunities through bold investment in difficult economic times.



[Soundbite] Lee Kun-hee (Chairman, Samsung Electronics): "I think we should (invest) more aggressively than usual."



Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group has set a goal of selling seven million cars next year. The carmaker will start operations at its third plant in China next year. This small exporter of diamond cutting devices will mainly target emerging economies as its strategic market next year. Emerging markets are expected grow an average of 5.6 percent, four times that of advanced markets. Emerging markets also absorb 70 percent of Korean exports, so targeting such markets is a good strategy to overcome the economic slump.



[Soundbite] Sin Min-yeong (LG Economic Research Institute): "It’s good to increase exports to emerging countries or participate in their projects to build social overhead capital facilities."



Other tasks for the Korean economy include boosting domestic consumption and improving the health of the financial market by stabilizing the foreign exchange rate and monitoring speculative funds.



4. Fake Components



[Anchor Lead]



Authorities have caught a company that supplied cheap, untested domestic components to the Busan Metro and the Korea Railroad Cooperation by disguising them as parts made by a German firm.



[Pkg]



This is the braking system of a Busan Metro train. This part transmits compressed air to the brakes. Technical glitches in the cylinder head and cooling device can cause problems in the braking system. An investigation conducted by the Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commission has revealed that components that had been supplied to Busan Metro were manufactured by a small domestic firm.



[Soundbite] (Manufacturing Company Official (Voice Modified)): "(Do you test the quality?) We can’t. We don’t do that."



The fake components were supplied to the Korea Railroad and the Seoul Metro as well. The Busan Transportation Corporation bought enough fake components to be used in 15 trains; the Korea Railroad bought the components for 25 KTX trains, while the Seoul Metro - for more than 50 trains. The components were sold for a price three to four times higher than their original price. A failure in the braking system can result in a serious accident. But nobody checked the authenticity of the components after their supply.



[Soundbite] (Fmr. Supply Company Staff Member (Voice Modified)): "The test for German-made products is very simple. You just used them."



The transportation corporations say they don’t see any problem because the components haven’t caused any accidents so far.



[Soundbite] (Korea Railroad Corp. Official (Voice Modified)): "There were no problems with the papers or products."



The Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commission is demanding that the Ministry of Land investigate the matter and that a probe be conducted into possible irregularities between the supplying firm and officials from the involved corporations.



5. Early Puberty



[Anchor Lead]



A study has found that meat and instant foods are factors that can cause children to go through puberty earlier than normal. The condition is called precocious puberty.



[Pkg]



This 8-year-old girl suddenly gained weight four months ago and has not grown taller since. She was first thought to be experiencing symptoms of obesity but was later diagnosed with precocious puberty.



[Soundbite] (Parent (Voice Modified)): "She’s in 2nd grade. She suddenly gained a lot of weight and then began to develop breasts."



Precocious puberty refers to gaining secondary sex characteristics and undergoing puberty earlier than usual. Afflicted youths see growth plates closed to stop growth, rapid mood changes, or extreme curiosity about sex. Boys should be examined for precocious puberty if their genitals develop before age 9. Girls should be checked if they develop breasts before age 8.



[Soundbite] Choe Dae-won (Traditional Medicine Doctor): "Precocious puberty is closely related to obesity and bad eating habits. So you should reduce your intake of meat and instant foods and prevent weight gain through aerobic exercise."



To prevent or slow down the precocious puberty, giving stress to children should be avoided and plenty of sleep is recommended.



6. Germanium Clams



[Anchor Lead]



Korean fishermen have acquired domestic and Japanese patents for short-necked clams rich in germanium, which is an immune system booster.



[Pkg]



Dozens of cultivators carrying fishermen stand in a line on a seashore. They scrape the mud with hooks and put it into mesh bags. When they shake the bags, short-neck clams appear.



[Soundbite] Lee Bong-ja (Fisherwoman): "Broth made with them is milky and tasty. They taste good because the seawater is clean here."



These clams contain four times more germanium than ordinary clams. Germanium is known for its excellent property to boost the immune system and help the body get rid of waste matters. The fishermen began cultivating the clams four years ago by scattering germanium-rich sand in the wetland. Since acquiring patents in Korea and Japan, they have been exporting the clams overseas.



[Soundbite] Choe Jang-yeol (Head, Local Fishing Community): "We harvest 1,200 tons every year. About 60 percent of them are exported to Japan."



Padori wetland, in particular, is a lucrative revenue source for fishermen because it produces a rich clam harvest every year even without clam seeds. Clam harvesting has been suspended until April next year to let the clams accumulate nutrients during the winter.



7. Sharing Life



[Anchor Lead]



More Koreans are helping with fundraising drives and doing volunteer work for the needy. A survey has found that half of Seoul residents took part in charity activities last year.



[Pkg]



Volunteers warmly greet the elderly and homeless. Donations from employees of the aid organization Community Chest of Korea have funded this luncheon. The staff donated 1 percent of their wages. Son Eun-jeong joined a volunteering group last year. She helps serve food to the needy.



[Soundbite] Son Eun-jeong (Volunteer, Community Chest of Korea): "I feel fulfilled watching them happily have the meal. I’m going to do more volunteering."



The number of Seoul residents who donate to charity or do volunteer work is on the rise. A survey of people living in the city aged 15 or over found that half took part in charity activities last year, up 15 percent from five years ago. The number of donation methods has increased. Most people made donations through phone calls, while far fewer chose to donate cash. Women were found to be more active than men in both fundraising and volunteering. Two-thirds of volunteers also donated money.



8. Underdog Story



[Anchor Lead]



A high school girl from a provincial area has landed a job at the Financial Supervisory Service. The girl set a clear goal and worked hard to achieve it.



[Pkg]



No Hui-rim has landed jobs at the Financial Supervisory Service and the Korea Development Bank. She chose the Financial Supervisory Service as her first workplace.



[Soundbite] No Hui-rim (High School Student): "Invite me when you guys hold a high school reunion next year. I’ll definitely come."



The girl beat some 40 college graduates to win the competition. She received the highest score at her job interview thanks to her clear goals. No has two professional licenses and attended five leadership development programs - all thanks to her strong determination. Despite her busy life as a high school senior, No volunteered to teach computer operating skills to children at a welfare facility. Her upbeat and positive-minded personality often makes her friends forget that she takes care of her grandmother and younger siblings.



[Soundbite] Cha Chun-dan (Grandmother): "Behave yourself and focus on your work. Remember that all of this is thanks to your teachers."



This high-school girl has achieved her goal despite adversity. Hers is a story of hope to many job-seekers in the era of high unemployment.



9. Heating Bill Tips



[Anchor Lead]



As temperatures drop, the heaters go on. People use similar heating systems in their apartments in Korea, but bills aren’t so similar. Here are some tips on saving on heating costs this winter.



[Pkg]



In the winter, the heating bills start to add up. But there are ways around this.



This woman wears thick clothes even when she’s at home.



[Soundbite] "I pay over 200,000 won (US$177) in gas fees and 100,000 won in electricity. I’m dreading this winter because of the severe cold wave in the forecast."



[Soundbite] "I’m here to help save your rising heating bills."



[Soundbite] "How do you normally use the heat? "



[Soundbite] "I’m alone during the day so I have the heater on. And I turn on the boiler in the evening."



Electric heaters should only be used for short periods.



[Soundbite] "This electric heater uses a lot of energy. Its power consumption is 800 watts."



Using an 800 watt heater is the same as having six to seven televisions turned on at the same time. A 2000 watt heater uses the same amount of electricity as two air conditioners.



[Soundbite] "Try not to use heaters at all. Save costs by more effectively using the boiler."



Boilers can also be gas guzzlers.



[Soundbite] "This needs to have checked. There are other ways to save costs by examining the cleanliness and condition of the boiler."



Boilers need to be cleaned twice a year. Otherwise, they get rusty and don’t last as long. You need to separate the filter and clean it with a toothbrush. Another way to clean the boiler is to ventilate the pipe.



[Soundbite] "You can hear the air coming out in a tiny sound. After that, only water will come out. Then you can lock this. Opening the valve and letting the air out will boost heating efficiency."



This is the view from a heat detection camera. The lighter areas indicate heat. After cleaning the boiler, you clearly see that floor heating has improved.



[Soundbite] "It’s a lot warmer than before the boiler was cleaned."



Now let’s find out how to use your boiler cost effectively.



[Soundbite] "Keep the temperature low and turn the boiler on and off when necessary. You save on gas bills and also prevent freezing."



We visited a housewife who keeps her heating bill low. Her secret to saving money is the curtain that blocks chilly air from seeping in.



[Soundbite] "Look. The wind comes in and the candle light sways so I used curtains."



Another trick is to place five or six candles around the house. Light them for about an hour each day to keep the house warm and also to get rid of odors. You can also use thick sheets on your bed instead of electric blankets to save energy. One good way to make your bed nice and cozy is to heat up a hot pack in the microwave and put it under your blanket before going to bed.



[Soundbite] "Let’s join in to save energy and heating bills."



There are lots of little things you can do to keep your heating bills down and still stay warm this winter.