Campsite Crime

[Anchor Lead]

Many people go camping with their families and friends during the summer, but vacationers need to watch out as incidents of campsite theft have been on the rise.

[Pkg]

This camping ground in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province has several warning signs on theft. The owner of the camping site placed the warning banners as many of his customers fell victim to theft in recent days.

[Soundbite] “Honestly, I'm worried. I try to put anything important inside the tent when we sleep. I've become very alert.”

The stolen items are mostly those used outside of tents, including barbecue grills, shades and lanterns.

[Soundbite] Kim Si-gyeong (Gapyeong County Official): “They occur at night and during the wee hours when people are sleeping. We plan to install CCTVs soon.”

While some camping sites have strengthened patrol, a significant number still don't have surveillance cameras. Crimes targeting novice campers are also rampant. A growing number of customers buying second-hand camping equipment on Web sites are falling victim to fraud. Some have wired thousands of dollars but never received their purchased items. Campers are advised to take extra caution during the camping season as targeted fraud continues to get worse.

2. Olympic Snacks

[Anchor Lead]

As most Olympic events are aired in the hours before dawn in Korea because of the time difference, increased demand for beer and late night snacks has super-markets reaping the benefits.

[Pkg]

This is the beer section at a large supermarket. Just after they're stacked up, the products fly off the shelves.

[Soundbite] “Since the Olympics are (on TV) these days, I go for a drink while the Korean team is playing.”

Snack sales at large supermarkets have increased rapidly since the opening of the London Olympics as more and more Koreans want something to nibble on while watching the games, which are mostly aired after midnight Korea time. In the case of a large supermarket, sales of beer increased four-fold, sales of snacks that go with alcoholic beverages, such as dried and seasoned squid, increased five times, and sales of deep-fried foods shot up by ten times. This convenience store located in a residential district has also seen a big increase in sales as more customers are coming into the shop even after 11 p.m. Sales of beer increased the most at 36 percent, beer snacks at 30 percent and instant noodles and snacks, like chips, at 25 percent.

[Soundbite] Baek Seong-min (Staff Member, Convenience Store): “Since the Olympics began, we’ve seen a 20-30% increase in customers between 10 pm to 2 am next day.”

Thanks to the late night Olympic viewers, businesses are enjoying the increase in sales with the late night snacks.

3. Launch pad

[Anchor Lead]

Korean firms are taking advantage of the Olympics to make inroads into the European market.

[Pkg]

Stalls are set up at one of the largest supermarkets in the UK offering samples of Korean foods to customers. The traditional Korean way of eating bulgogi wrapped in lettuce with the soybean paste sauce called ssamjang has become a hit with the locals. Some ask about the ingredients and how it's made.

[Soundbite] Sally (English Consumer)

This food expo was prepared to globalize Korean food and promote products of small- and mid-sized Korean firms for the European market. Popular items include the well-known Korean dish kimchi, dried laver and various sauces. Around 140 kinds of Korean food products are being introduced by 25 manufacturers. The UK's leading department store Harrods is also being dominated by Korea products. Cutting edge IT products such as an educational talking robot, an electronic bike and Korean-style outdoor clothing, are displayed.

[Soundbite] Guy Cheston (Harrods Official)

Korea's entrance into the European market seems closer each day with the showcase of Korean products in the UK, the current host of the Olympic Games.

4. NK Memorial

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea has accepted a proposal by South Korean firm Hyundai Asan to hold a memorial service for the Hyundai Group chairman at North Korea's Mount Kumgang resort.

[Pkg]

A group of 14 Hyundai Asan officials will visit Mount Kumgang in North Korea on Friday. Hyundai Asan had contacted North Korea earlier, expressing hope to hold a memorial service for the company’s late chairman Chung Mong-hun. Pyongyang gave the request a green light in a notice to the firm on Saturday. The delegation will make a one-day trip, arriving in the North in the morning and returning home in the afternoon. Family members of the late chairman, including his wife Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, will not be joining the trip. This is the first visit to the mountain resort by Hyundai Asan officials in eight months. The last time when company officials were there was in November 2011 to attend an event marking the 13th anniversary of the launch of South Korean tours to the scenic area. As to who will greet the Hyundai Asan delegation in North Korea is not yet known, so it's difficult to predict if talks will be held between the two sides. Hyundai Asan says it doesn't expect any immediate results from the trip. But considering that this is the first time that North Korea granted a South Korean visit to Kumgang since Kim Jong-un came to power, experts say that with the trip, they can get a glimpse into the North's expectations on the inter-Korean tourism business.

[Soundbite] Prof. Yang Mu-jin (University of North Korean Studies): “Their approval signals its future plans for projects with Hyundai, including the Mt. Kumgang tours.”

The South Korean government maintains its prudent stance on cross-border ties, saying it will continue to observe the recent developments while staying open to all possibilities.

5. Suicide Watch

[Anchor Lead]

Suicide is a serious social issue in Korea, and during the past year, well over a thousand people have attempted to take their lives by jumping into the Han River. Now, measures are being taken on the river’s bridges to try to turn the tide.

[Pkg]

Riverside safety agents rescue a citizen who jumped into the Han River.

During the past year, a total of around 1,300 people had jumped into the river to commit suicide. An average of 3.5 people have tried to take their lives every day.

To prevent such suicide accidents, a project is underway to make bridges of Han River into bridges of life that can heal the hearts of people, giving them hope. Among the 31 bridges crossing the Han River, suicide attempts have occurred most frequently on the Mapo Bridge. Sensors will be installed on the bridge to keep watch for suicidal pedestrians 24 hours. Voice messages will also be installed and turned on reminding people of happy moments and how valuable their lives are. The Seoul city government says physical measures such as suicide-proof walls and SOS phones are limited and are adopting new methods appealing to the emotions.

[Soundbite] Kim Byeong-ha (Seoul Metropolitan Official): “Instead of physical, fixed facilities, we're to focus on things that appeal to people's emotions and hearts.”

Seoul is planning to test the new system for a year and expanding it to all the bridges of Han River if found effective in preventing suicide.

6. Coming Home

[Anchor Lead]

A number of traditional Korean instruments were shipped to France for an international exposition in 1900. Now, they have finally made their way home.

[Pkg]

Eleven traditional Korean musical instruments that were kept in France for 112 years are finally back in their home country. Musicians herald their arrival by performing the "daechuita," which is a genre of traditional Korean music consisting of military music. The Korean Empire sent the instruments to an international exposition in France in 1900. They were collected from various parts of the nation, and the shipment included the geomungo, the haegeum and the daegeum, as well as other royal items and porcelain. At that time, the Korean Empire wanted to publicize its cultural advancement to the world. Although experts have yet to figure out when the geomungo exactly dates back to, its artistic value is without a doubt high enough as it features a rare gold crane pattern. The haegeum, for its part, is presumed to be the oldest of the existing haegeum to date. After the French expo, the Korean Empire could not afford to pay the transportation costs to bring the instruments back home.

[Soundbite] Ju Jae-geun (Researcher, National Gugak Center): “In those days, it costed 200,000 francs, which is probably hundreds of millions of won by current standards. Korea didn’t have that kind of money.”

The priceless traditional instruments have finally returned to Korea, but only for a short two month long display. Afterward the showing, they must be taken back to France, because the instruments were officially registered as the Korean Empire's donations to France.

7. Light Tech

[Anchor Lead]

Korean researchers have developed a groundbreaking way of diagnosing patients using lasers.

[Pkg]

Computed tomography is performed on patients prior to surgery or during regular checkups. Patients are injected with a contrast agent before a CT exam making their body cells and tissues visible on the screen. But sometimes these agents can cause side effects.

[Soundbite] Jeong Min-ja (Nurse): “Vomiting, a rash and dizziness can occur.”

Korean researchers have developed a technology that is expected to enable doctors to diagnose patients by injecting laser deep into their bodies without using contrast agents. The researchers rotated a red light checking the changes in its shape, and found the patterns where the light penetration rate was at its highest.

[Soundbite] Kim Moon-seok (Researcher, Korea University): “We were able to verify that it goes up significantly. When compared with an ordinary case, it surged by fourfold.”

The discovery is expected to pave the way for injecting laser deeper into the body without risking burns and even removing cancerous tumors.

[Soundbite] Prof. Baek Seung-kuk (Korea University Anam Hospital): “The technology of directing low-energy laser into the deeper tissues can be used to diagnose or treat cancer.”

The results of the research have been published in the scientific journal "Nature Photonics."

8. Mosquito War

[Anchor Lead]

It’s not only the heat that’s keeping people up these days, it’s also the mosquitos. Here are some tips on how to keep those pesky insects away using plants and even smartphone apps.

[Pkg]

Mosquitoes are unwelcomed guests during the summer. They're especially rampant after the monsoon season.

[Soundbite] “There are too many mosquitoes in summer. I'm busy catching them all night.”

This floral farm has been growing a plant called "yaraehyang," or "night scented jasmine," since last year. The plant only blossoms at night and has an excellent property that chases away mosquitoes. That's why many people want to buy it.

[Soundbite] Jeong Won-suk (Flower Wholesaler): “The scent is very nice and it keeps them away. Those who have tried it come again to buy more; it’s in short supply.”

Geraniums are also known to repel mosquitoes. They are also popular because they bloom all year. And another tool that young people prefer to use in keeping mosquitoes away is their smartphones. Although there are dozens of apps available these days that reportedly keep the mosquitoes at bay, they all share the same principle as to how it works.

[Soundbite] Prof. Jo Byeong-rok (Sunchon National University): “They use the frequency bandwidth and produce sounds that mosquitoes hate.”

People these days use all kinds of methods to get rid of the pesky mosquitoes, from plants with specific scents to high tech smartphones.

9. *closeup* Secret Spots

[Anchor Lead]

Picking the right destination for a summer vacation is not easy these days because all the hot spots are packed with tourists. So today, we’ll take you to a few hidden corners that have yet to be discovered by the crowds.

[Pkg]

This scenic spot deep in the mountains boasts 12 waterfalls, as reflected in its name, "Sibi Pokpo.”This is the hottest part of the Korean summer and the heat can be a bit oppressive, but the crystal-clear water flowing from the mountaintop takes career of that. Local residents say they have a favorite among the falls.

[Soundbite] “There's a cool spot over there.”

The village chief takes us there. A plastic bag that he has brought with him becomes a sled. This is where the locals like to water-sled in the summer. It’s a great spot to cool off and relax. Three of the falls are good for water sledding, and each have a unique slope.

[Soundbite] “I come here often to slide and swim in the cold water; it's an ideal place.”

Here's another popular spot that stays cool in the summer. The locals head off somewhere.

[Soundbite] “(Where are you going?) To a hidden getaway.”

It's a cave that only the locals know about. They come here to escape the scorching heat.

[Soundbite] “It's cool inside. I was sweating but now my sweat is all gone.”

Seven years ago, this place used to be a stone pit, but a young man named Choe Bong-o transformed it into a cave. It took him three years to finish it.

[Soundbite] Choe Bong-o (Cave Owner): “I started digging it to make a warehouse, but it was very cool, so I kept digging it more. All villagers like to come here to escape the heat.”

The cave also serves as a warehouse for fermenting and storing kimchi, maesil sirup and even wine. The cave is also open to visitors.

[Soundbite] “We don't need to travel far. And people from big cities come here to cool down.”

Pyeongchang, which is known for its clean air and water, is also home to a famous spot. It can be reached by crossing this bridge called "Ttamttigyo," where "ttamtti" means "heat rash." The name of the spot is "Ttamttisaem," or "heat rash stream." Since ancient times, the water in this stream has been thought to help with that particular affliction. Even when the weather is steaming hot, the water remains freezing. Right now, the temperature outside is above 30 degrees Celsius, but the water in the stream is icy cold.

[Soundbite] “The temperature here never changes. If you have a heat rash, wash your body with this water two or three times and it’ll be gone. The temperature of this water is the same in summer and winter.”

Even during severe droughts, this stream never dries up. Its water level always remains the same. This place has become popular for its healing properties and natural swimming pool.

[Soundbite] “I don't need to travel anywhere. This is my vacation destination.”

At a time of year where most places you go in Korea are likely to be swarming with holiday goers, having a few secret spots up your sleeve can make all the difference.