Political Update

[Anchor Lead]

Democratic United Party executive advisor Moon Jae-in has officially announced his bid for the presidency. And Saenuri Party leader Hwang Woo-yea met with the party's presidential candidates to work out the details of the upcoming primary.

[Pkg]

At Seoul's Independence Park, Moon Jae-in, the executive advisor for the opposition Democratic United Party, declared his bid for the Presidency of Korea, vowing to make it a a country owned by the common people.

[Soundbite] Rep. Moon Jae-in (Executive Advisor, DUP) : "Let's overcome the wall of privileges, the wall of discrimination, the wall of division and the wall of defeatism."

Former and current members of the main opposition party and some 1,000 online supporters gathered to show Moon their strong support. Lawmakers Chung Sye-kyun and Kim Yeong-hwan and South Gyeongsang Province governor Kim Doo-kwan are also expected to run for presidency, intensifying the competition.

Gyeonggi Province governor Kim Moon-soo met with Saenuri Party leader Hwang Woo-yea to request a reformation of the law for a completely open primary process simultaneously held for both the ruling and opposition parties. Beforehand, Hwang also contacted lawmakers Chung Mong-joon and Lee Jae-oh to request that they register as primary candidates but was only given the reply that an agreement must be drawn up on the rules first. The ruling party's former emergency committee chairman Park Geun-hye again opposed the complete open primary system for reasons such as side effects and cost matters. Communication has begun but it is expected to take more time before all parties come to an agreement.

2. Reactor Halts

[Anchor Lead]

Reactor 1 of the Sinwolseong Nuclear Power Plant in Gyeongju has shut down yet again because of a technical problem.

[Pkg]

Reactor 1 of the Sinwolseong Nuclear Power Plant, which was recently operating on a pilot basis, was suspended on Sunday morning. The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corporation says the reactor's turbine stopped automatically, which then put the brakes on its power generation. But the authorities say there were no safety problems resulting, including any radiation leaks.

[Soundbite] KHNP Official (Voice Modified) : "This test is conducted to close a valve that supplies vapor to the turbine. The valve must not close further before the turbine stops, but it closed more than necessary."

It's the third suspension of the reactor so far, and it's been just a week since its operation was resumed after three months of repairs. The launch of the reactor's commercial operations, which were slated for late July, has hit a snag yet again.

3. Bottle Alert

[Anchor Lead]

Baby bottles continue to raise safety concerns because of environmental hormones. But bottles made of polycarbonate, which is thought to emit environmental hormones, are still sold to consumers.

[Pkg]

Formula bottles require safety more than any other product because they're used to feed babies.

[Soundbite] "I heard about environmental hormones emitted from baby bottles, so I check that out."

The Korea Consumer Report, published by the Fair Trade Commission and civic groups, has evaluated the safety of 23 kinds of plastic bottles. The report says that consumers still have access to six kinds of bottles made of polycarbonate, which may contain bisphenol A - a horomone that causes endometrial problems. Bottles made of polycarbonate and containing scraches or scars can emit bisphenol A or create a breeding ground for bacteria. Their manufacture, import and sale are to be banned altogether starting in July.

[Soundbite] Park In-rye (Green Consumer Network) : "Bisphenol A causes serious problems, so you need to choose products that don't contain it."

The results of the quality inspection on plastic bottles have been published on the Internet Smart Consumer website.

4. Sweaty Students

[Anchor Lead]

Students are sweating it out in the country’s classrooms as schools try to save on energy costs.

[Pkg]

Afternoon classes are under way at a high school. The students look like they are listening to their teacher. But they are obviously distracted as they fan themselves with books or other things in a desperate effort to fight the heat.

[Soundbite] "It’s hot. I can’t focus on the class because I keep fanning myself."

The temperature stands at 28.8 degrees Celsius in this classroom. But the air conditioner is rarely turned on. Amid a shortage of power, the government ordered public agencies to keep room temperatures at a minimum of 28 degrees. However, classrooms are an exception to the rule. Yet, the schools are afraid of running their air conditioners in fear of huge electricity bills, which generally account for a third of a school's management costs.

[Soundbite] Kim Jong-geun (High School Principal) : "I want to provide a cool environment to my students. But we have to save energy somehow. And the power bills are a huge burden for the school."

As the electricity fees are predicted to see a hike of about ten percent this summer amid the shortage of power, it is getting more and more unlikely that the students will be able to attend their classes in a comfortable environment.

5. Winter Birds

[Anchor Lead]

An increasing number of winter migratory birds are becoming residents in Korea due to climate change and ecological improvements in the Sihwa Lake area.

[Pkg]

A reed field stretching along the water looks to be an ideal breeding site for birds. A family of waterfowl swims in water. They are great crested grebes famous for their colorful feathers and head decorations. They are a major winter migratory bird known to winter in the Korean Peninsula migrate to colder regions in summer. But the birds are seen throughout the year near Sihwa Lake. They have built nests and have become a resident bird. Roughly 20 great crested grebes have been found near Sihwa Lake. A pair of the birds settled in the region seven years ago. Since then, the number of resident great crested grebes has been on the rise. The birds build their nests right above the water surface. But the temperature inside the nests is kept at 38 degrees Celsius.

[Soundbite] Choe Jong-in (Volunteer/Ansan City Official) : "Now the weather is warm so they only cover their nests roughly. But on a cold day, they cover them tightly and go out hunting."

As well as great created grebes, other species of winter migratory birds, like spot-billed ducks and mallards, have become residents of Sihwa Lake.

6. School Orchard

[Anchor Lead]

Students at a city school have started an orchard of maeshil, or Japanese apricots. They donate the proceeds from the harvest to the needy. Take a look.

[Pkg]

Students are busy picking Japanese apricots in a field. This forest of Japanese apricot trees was built in a deserted area that measures 6,600 square meters at a corner of a school. Although the land is steep and desolate, the students, parents and school faculty planted 800 Japanese apricot trees here five years ago. After overcoming droughts and heavy rains, the trees bore fruit this year for the first time since they were planted.

[Soundbite] "I realized that people work hard picking maeshil and I was eating them without appreciating the farmers' work."

The farming of Japanese apricots has fetched more than 3,400 U.S. dollars, and the proceeds will go to help students in need.

[Soundbite] Lee Seung-yeol (Middle School Principal) : "Students can realize the importance of work and profits from the field can be used to help needy students."

With farming as a school activity, the unity within the student body has been boosted while encouraging the students to respect life and think about those less fortunate.

7. DMZ Treasure

[Anchor Lead]

KBS has found a rare species of fish called the golden mandarin in the northern part of the Han River near the Demilitarized Zone.

[Pkg]

Civilian access is limited in this area near the Demilitarized Zone in Gangwon Province. The bed of the Bukhan River has been exposed amid the prolonged drought. But a school of mandarin fish is found in a region where the current is fast. A gold-colored fish stands out in the group. It is a Korean golden mandarin fish, which was designated as natural monument No.190. The Korean golden mandarin fish swims in a group and takes a break behind a rock. The Korean golden mandarin fish is a rare species whose body is yellow or orange with the exception of their white bellies. The fish's beautiful color is assumed to be a result of genetic mutation.

[Soundbite] Prof. Choe Jae-seok (Kangwon National University) : "A large number of golden mandarin fish is naturally preserved in this region. Genetic resources are protected here, which is academically meaningful."

The Cultural Heritage Administration has designated the region a natural monument to protect the habitat of the Korean golden mandarin fish. The ecological environment has been well preserved in the military protection area.

8. Mulberry Fever

[Anchor Lead]

It is mulberries season these days, and the harvest is in full swing. We went out and tried some.

[Pkg]

A myriad of mulberry trees grow in a field measuring about 100,000 square meters. The branches are full of berries. The children have fun plucking and eating the mulberries. Their hands and mouths turn black in no time. More than 20 mulberry tree species grow here. They all have fruits of different sizes and shapes. Mulberries turn dark red during this time of year, tasting both sweet and sour while exuding a nice aroma. Since ancient times, the mulberry trees have been known for their versatility. Their leaves are used to feed silkworms, while their roots are used for medicinal purposes. Mulberry trees used to be common in Korea, but their number has dwindled since the sericulture industry lost popularity.

[Soundbite] Yu Seon-yo (Korea Silk Museum) : "It's hard to find mulberry trees these days. Many food products are made of them."

Mulberries used to be a popular snack in the past, but nowadays, they can only be found at farms growing them.

9. Health Tips

[Anchor Lead]

Even though Korea is in many ways at the cutting edge of the information age, folk beliefs from the past often tend to linger, particularly with regards to health. Today we’ll take a look at some common misconceptions.

[Pkg]

With the hot weather these days, cool drinks are seen in many hands.

[Soundbite] "I habitually drink it when I'm thirsty."

Our bodies need fluid, but will any drink suffice? We conducted an experiment, where we measured the total body water of two women of similar age and physique. For an hour, one woman drank a liter of five different drinks and the other drank a liter of water. After three hours, their body water was measured again. The lady who had various drinks saw her water level go down by two tenths of a liter, while the lady who only drank water retained her level.

[Soundbite] Jeong Ji-haeng (Traditional Medicine Doctor) : "Juice contains lots of sugar so during metabolism, the body needs water. Tea drinks also contain medicinal herbs that promote diuretic action; caffeinated drinks do, too. So drinking these drinks a lot over the long term can cause chronic fatigue, dehydration, lethargy and symptoms of aging and constipation."

Kang So-ra has been married for ten years. She likes to eat chocolate when she's tired out from housework. Our crew visited a hospital to find out if sweet foods can help ease fatigue.

[Soundbite] "I feel fresh and light in the morning. But after noon, the back of my head starts to feel bad."

[Soundbite] Prof. Kang Hui-taek (Gangnam Severance Hospital) : "Then you probably feel better at night; it's the classic pattern of adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands produce stress hormones in your body. When you’re less stressed, your blood pressure also goes down. When you eat sweet food, the adrenal glands boost their function."

So sweets mainly just make you feel better.

[Soundbite] "If you continue to eat sweets, your body craves carbohydrate, which can lead to obesity or diabetes. Also, sweet food supplies nutrients to bacterial flora that grow in your intestines, increasing enterotoxins as a result."

If toxins found in the intestines increase, this causes a vicious circle where you absorb more toxins and fail to properly absorb nutrients. This can make you tired and irritated. Many people also believe that a glass of beer before bed can help you sleep. We asked an expert.

[Soundbite] "It helps you to fall asleep more easily. But it also affects the muscles, lowering your respiratory function. This can cause sleep apnea and prevent you from falling into a deep sleep."

Little life habits can have big effects over the long term, so it’s as good a time as any to nip those bad ones in the bud.