Father's Legacy

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Saenuri Party heavyweight and lead presidential contender Park Geun-hye has caused waves by saying her father’s coup was the best choice for the nation, and that the legitimacy of his legacy should be judged by history.



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Saenuri Party presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye says that the May 16th coup d’etat was the best choice for her father in an inevitable situation. She is the daughter of former President Park Chung-hee who had seized power through the coup.



[Soundbite] Rep. Park Geun-hye (Fmr. Chairwoman, Saenury Party): “I think it laid down the cornerstone for establishing the Korea we know today; I feel my father made the right decision.”



Park said that the people and history should decide whether her father’s May 16th coup and Yushin Constitution were justified. But she was quick to apologize to those who suffered under former President Park Chung-hee’s Yushin regime.



She rejected allegations of her privatizing the ruling party, saying that she merely wished to right wrongs and mend political disputes stemming from a parliamentary veto of an arrest for Saenuri Party Representative Chung Doo-un. Park has made it clear that the opposition camp’s call for radical economic democratization and the dissolution of conglomerates is undesirable.



[Soundbite] “I don’t think that kind of radical action is desirable for our economy.”



She also referred potential rivals in the presidential race, including Seoul National University professor Ahn Cheol-soo and Democratic United Party adviser moon Jae-in, as Park Geun-hye bashers.



The Saenuri Party presidential contender accused the opposition Democratic United Party as arrogant autocrats, lacking self-reflection and being intolerant of historical views different from its own.



2. China Slowdown



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China is the largest market for Korean exports, and as the current slowdown in the world’s most populous country creates economic issues around the globe, local exporters are also on alert.



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These are the exports of machinery, home appliances and steel, which are Korea’s flagship export

items. The shipments of those items have significantly dwindled. The nation’s overall exports have also fallen 1.5 percent, which is a far cry from last year’s growth of some 15 percent. An economic slowdown in China is directly having negative impacts on Korea’s exports. China’s economic growth rate has dropped to a 7-percent level for the first time in three years. Analysts say that even just a one-percentage point drop in China’s economic growth rate would pull down Korea’s economic growth rate by 0.4 percentage points. Having already been dealt a hard blow by the struggling European and U.S. economies, Korean exporters are now in emergency mode due to the drop in their shipments to China, which is Korea’s largest market. Korea posted a trade surplus in the first half of this year. However, it is a typical surplus that’s posted during an economic depression, which is for a plunge in imports, not for bullish exports. Some market watchers are suggesting that the nation should minimize its risks from the dulling Chinese economy by developing more overseas markets in emerging nations, such as the countries in Southeast Asia. As the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, which supports domestic exporters, has gone into emergency mode, the government is also trying to come up with various measures to boost the nation’s exports and maximize the effects of its free trade agreements.



3. Gas Supply



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Korea Gas Corporation officials have announced that they’re secured a three-year supply of natural gas for the country.



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About 80 kilometers northeast of Mozambique, Africa, a large exploration vessel digs a tube well extracting natural gas from the ocean. Over the past eight months, large gas fields have been discovered in four exploration wells in Mozambique’s Mining Lot 4. The gas reserves are presumed to contain more than a billion tons of gas, which is enough to last Korea for the next 30 years. The Korea Gas Corporation has acquired a 10-percent share in the gas exploration project. This will enable Korea to secure enough natural gas for three years. However, a problem remains as there are no means of transporting the gas to land. In order to export the gas, the Korean government wishes to support Mozambique in installing gas pipes connecting to land, gas storage facilities, and LNG carriers. Seoul has also promised technological cooperation.



[Soundbite] Mun Jae-do (Min. of Knowledge Economy): “Through this project, we’ll help Africa become economically independent by creating jobs and training them in new technologies.”



The development of large gas reserves is expected to boost cooperation in natural resources between Korea and African countries.



4. Aging Concerns



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Korea has one of the most rapidly aging societies in the world, but a survey has shown that the majority of people getting ready to retire are woefully unprepared.



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This retired man continues to work as a laborer. Despite his national pension and a meager income, he does little to improve his family’s financial situation. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Pension Corporation shows that Koreans’ preparedness for life after retirement in terms of income and assets scored only 40 points. The majority of the respondents turned out to be completely unprepared for a life of leisure after they retire an important factor that rises with age. The survey shows that retirees scored just 48 points in terms of their preparedness for leisure activities. But they received a comparatively high score in terms of social interaction - 63 points. As for a healthy lifestyle - 68 points. Their total average score was 55 points. The survey has also found that married people were better prepared for life after retirement than those who were single or divorced. As the nation’s average life expectancy continues to rise, Koreans live about 30 more years after retiring. However, their financial preparedness leaves much to be desired, which is why experts are calling for the promotion of the use of personal pensions and retirement funds.



5. Electric Shock



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A large number of electrocution accidents have been occurring during this year’s monsoon season, and the government has issued a warning.



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This is a printing factory in Seoul. Bundles of thick electric wires can be seen amid continuously operating machines. It isn’t dangerous in normal conditions, but large accidents can take place when the wires become soaked with rainwater.



In fact, on Jul. 3, a subway staff was severely injured due to an electric shock while inspecting electricity facilities in Seoul’s Sinnonhyeon Station. In late June, a technician also suffered electrocution while working on an electrical pole. Such accidents occur frequently every year during the monsoon season. In the last three years, about half of the deaths due to electrocution in workplaces such as construction sites happened during the rainy seasons in July and August. This is about 30 percent of total electrical accidents. Due to the monsoon season’s high humidity, one can suffer electric shocks even without direct contact by stepping onto a wet floor.



[Soundbite] Choe Sang-won (Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency): “When repairing electrical machinery or entering flooded areas, you must always check to see if the power is cut off.”



The government has issued a warning on electrical shocks and advises installing leakage breakers in all facilities and to create detours around flooded areas.



6. Finding Kids



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Police have begun a fingerprint registration system to speed up the search process when children go missing.



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Children have their fingerprints taken. Pictures of their faces are also taken with a camera. The personal information of children and their caregivers is registered in a database so that police can contact the family faster in the event the child is missing. Anyone can have their children’s fingerprints registered at a nearby police station. When a lost child is brought to the police, the officers can swiftly find out his or her personal information through the records. The number of children under the age of 14 who went missing jumped from some 9,200 in 2009 to over 11,000 last year, with the figures continuing to rise. The authorities came up with the fingerprint measure because the issue of lost children has become a serious social problem.



[Soundbite] Ins. Jang Seon-mi (National Police Agency): “We can check personal information using the registered data, and the procedure for filing reports will be easier.”



In a joint effort with the nation’s three telecom providers, the police will also begin tracing the location of missing children by using their cellphone signals. The police are also planning to expand the registration of fingerprints and the use of location tracking of mobile phones to people with mental disabilities and dementia patients.



7. Library Campaign



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The Seoul city government will build more small libraries in neighborhoods to encourage locals to read more books.



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This subway station in Seoul houses a small library financed by a business and operated by volunteers. An increasing number of subway users stop by at the library to read and borrow books.



Seoul citizens will soon see more libraries in their neighborhoods within a ten-minutes walking distance. The Seoul metropolitan government will double the current budget for establishing neighborhood libraries by 2015. 500 more neighborhood small libraries will be built by 2030. The libraries will increase their holdings of books by 900,000 every year and raise the average number of books for each citizen by two, which is the OECD average. Libraries in districts will also establish a network to lend books to each other.



[Soundbite] Park Won-soon (Seoul Mayor): “We’ll establish small but good, substantial and professional libraries for a great number of citizens will use.”



By running a variety of cultural programs the libraries will also serve as community centers for residents in neighborhoods.



8. Student Aid



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Although their summer vacation just started, students from a university in North Jeolla Province are lending a helping hand to a fishing village. Their volunteer work has brought great changes to the rural town.



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A mural is being painted on an 800-meter long seawall along the shore. University students are creating the mural as part of their volunteer work at a small fishing village. The students also are helping out the villagers by digging up clams in the mud.



[Soundbite] “Doing work like this is difficult for elderly people. I hope we’ll maintain a good relationship and have more chances to help them.”



They also help clean the fishing equipment as well as the village. The volunteers even present a show to entertain the villagers. The villagers are grateful for all the hard work that the students did on their behalf. Despite the tedious work under the hot, summer sun, the students are learning a lot about life’s hardships from those they are trying to help.



9. Healthy Teeth



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A trip to buy a toothbrush or toothpaste can be overwhelming, with the extensive array of products now available. Dental experts say that when you’re choosing your tooth care gear, you need get the right stuff for you.



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We asked people what toothpaste they use.



[Soundbite] “I like toothpaste that makes my mouth feel cool and refreshed.”



[Soundbite] “I consider the prices when buying.”



But dental experts advise that you need to pick the right toothpaste for you. Each member of this family uses a different toothpaste that they think is good for their teeth.



[Soundbite] “My mother-in-law uses a propolis toothpaste. My husband has bad gums. He needs to have a dental implant, so he uses a toothpaste that’s good for his gums. I use one that is just cheap and smells good.”



We wanted to find out if the experts think they made the right choice. The family visited a dental clinic to get a professional opinion. The husband was diagnosed with periodontitis. The wife believed that her teeth were in good shape. But she was told that her gums are much less well off than she thought.



[Soundbite] “These are toothpastes we use. Please check them out.”



The dentist examines the ingredients of the toothpastes they brought.



[Soundbite] “Your mother-in-law uses a toothpaste containing little SMFP and xylitol. The toothpastes with these substances are more focused on preventing cavities.”



You need to pick the right toothpaste for your teeth.



[Soundbite] Dr. Im Se-ung (Dentist): “It’s important to choose a paste that’s right for a patient’s oral conditions. For example, if a patient whose teeth have been worn down uses a toothpaste containing a high level of abrasive, the symptom will worsen.”



And you should choose a different toothpaste if you have cavities or periodontal diseases. It is better for people with decayed teeth to use a toothpaste containing sodium monofluorophosphate. A toothpaste with strontium chloride is good for people who have teeth that are sensitive to cold. A toothpaste with sodium pyrophosphate is recommended if you have tartar problems. And for plaque, you need some silicon dioxide.



Once you’ve got your toothpaste, it’s time to pick the brush that best suits the conditions of your teeth. Using the right toothbrush is important in maintaining dental health. But few people examine the shape and functions of toothbrushes before making a purchase. It’s a good idea to have a dental checkup before buying a toothbrush. You should take into consideration the size of the brush head and handle. The brush head should be as big as the combined size of two molars. And a brush with a non-slip grip is recommended.



One more thing to keep in mind is that soft brushes are good for people with periodontal diseases, and harder brushes should be used by people with fillings.



[Soundbite] Choe Eun-yeong (Director, Inst. of Oral Healthy Life): “Choosing the right toothbrush is the best way to remove plaque from your teeth. You should choose the right one based on your oral conditions.”



A more careful choice of dental products will help you keep your teeth healthier.