NK Rocket Launch

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea launched its Unha-3 long-range rocket today, sending shockwaves throughout the international community.

[Pkg]

Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a morning briefing that North Korea fired its Unha-3 rocket from a launch site at Dongchang-ri, Cheolsan County, North Pyongan Province at 9:51am today. The radar of a South Korean Aegis destroyer detected the rocket within a minute after its launch in the Yellow Sea. After a minute into the launch, the first stage of the rocket was detached. Another minute later, it was confirmed that the rocket had passed over the skies of Baekryeong Island. By 9:58am, the rocket surpassed Okinawa, Japan going beyond the South Korean Navy’s range of radar detection. Japan’s government also traced the rocket’s trajectory and announced its second stage was separated 230 kilometers southwest and fell into the East China Sea while its third stage fell in the waters near the Philippines. North Korea announced in its official broadcast to the nation that on December 12 at 11:20am the Unha-3 long-range rocket was launched successfully. The South Korean government says that the North’s prediction of where the rocket would fall before its launch was analyzed and that the probability of a successful launch was high. The Navy claims that it is in the process of retrieving the remains of the rocket from the Yellow Sea. Cheong Wa Dae held a national security council where it condemned the North for its clear violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1874, which bans the firing of any type of ballistic missile. The UN along with the South Korean government, the US, China, and Japan as well as other nations are consulting each other closely to seek measures against North Korea’s actions accordingly.

2. Park Presses On

[Anchor Lead]

With the election now just a week away, Saenuri presidential candidate Park Geun-hye continued her campaigning on December 11 in Seoul and Jeju.

[Pkg]

Ruling Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye returned to Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. This is where she announced her candidacy back in July. She asked for the people’s support pledging to resolve family debt issues and to increase the middle class population to 70 percent.

[Soundbite] Park Geun-hye(Saenuri Party Presidential Candidate) : "I promise to apply politics that prioritizes the people's livelihoods and their happiness, Previously, the conservative female contender visited Jeju Island. Park criticized Moon for already contemplating forming a new party if he is elected president."

[Soundbite] "Just as the former Democratic Party once turned into the Uri Party, he is trying to do the same thing that the Roh Moo-hyun administration did. I really can’t understand it."

To appeal to local voters, Park promised to build a new airport on the island and establish a day to commemorate victims of the Jeju Uprising that broke out on April 3, 1948. Regarding military policies, Park pledged to double the salary of soldiers and to count military service as work experience. The ruling Saenuri Party stressed that all of Park's pledges for improving the people's livelihood were drawn up within an affordable budget range based on tax revenues of around US$125.5 billion and an expenditure of around US$122 billion. Ruling party executives including leader Hwang Woo-yea and chair of the party's unity committee Han Kwang-ok visited the birthplace of late former president Kim Dae-jung on Ha-eui Island, Sinan County, South Jeolla Province and urged for the harmony and integration of the peninsula's western and eastern regions. Meanwhile, 18 Korean traditional ssireum wrestlers including Lee Bong-geol and a group of former ambassadors declared their support for Park.

3. Moon Rallies

[Anchor Lead]

Meanwhile, opposition DUP hopeful Moon Jae-in is working hard to gain ground, holding rallies in seven areas in metropolitan Seoul.

[Pkg]

Opposition presidential hopeful Moon Jae-in held rallies in seven different areas in the Seoul metropolitan area, a key battle ground in the upcoming election. He appealed to moderate voters by vowing to create a unified civic government that would transcend conservative and liberal lines.

[Soundbite] Moon Jae-in(DUP Presidential Candidate) : "I’ll create a unified cabinet and launch a civic administration. I’ll establish a government in which citizens will own politics."

He said the election is a competition between the public alliance that will revive the economy and the alliance of vested interests, which has failed the economy. He urged the people to vote by all means.

[Soundbite] "What happens if the turnout tops 77 percent? New politics and a new era will unfold."

He vowed to boost the local economies through promises of developments, such as the opening of a high-tech industrial cluster and expansion of transportation networks. This includes the construction of a regional rail that would connect the eastern and western parts of Gyeonggi Province. Earlier Moon Jae-in announced pledges for changes in the military. He said he will cut the mandatory military service period by three months and double the enlisted soldiers’ monthly wage. However, he is now pledging to advance the troops into a more elite force by increasing the percentage of noncommissioned officers from 12 to 20 percent. He's also received more endorsements, including those by conservative leaning former prime ministers Chung Un-chan and Lee Soo-sung. Ahn Cheol-soo who dropped out of the race and gave his support to Moon also campaigned in the five major university neighborhoods in downtown Seoul. He called on the students to go to the polls to exercise their right to vote.

4. Energy Plunge

[Anchor Lead]

Korea's energy reserves have plunged over the past few days because of the severe cold and the resulting spike in electricity usage.

[Pkg]

An energy alert was issued on the morning of December 11.

[Soundbite] "Korea Power Exchange (Dec. 11): Power alert issued at 8:36 am."

At one point, the nation's energy reserves plunged below 3.5 million kilowatts because of a sudden spike in electricity usage. Authorities barely avoided a crisis by using 4.4 million kilowatts including 2 million kilowatts for industrial use. This paper factory, which produces 1000 tons of paper for industrial use each day, had to stop its operations three times this month alone. The factory had signed a deal with the government to suspend its operations at the government’s request in return for subsidies. On December 11 alone, the government had to pay over US$8 million to industrial sites in the form of subsidies. The combined amount for this month has already exceeded US$23.1 million, as energy reserves remains low. Back in 2009, the annual amount of subsidies stood at US$46 million, but this year it has already surpassed US$242 million. This is because the authorities are trying to avert the crisis caused by the loopholes in nuclear power plant management by utilizing public taxes.

[Soundbite] Jo Jong-man(Korea Power Exchange) : "It’s a system where we provide compensation for the amount of electricity used."

The energy authorities say the energy crisis will continue for the time being due to the cold weather.

5. Cold Batteries

[Anchor Lead]

The cold is making it tough to get your car started in the morning and calls for help are pouring in to insurance companies.

[Pkg]

This car parked at an outdoor parking lot was completely fine until yesterday. Now, the engine will not start. Even though the car is only two years old, its battery discharged in the minus ten degree temperatures. With the cold wave continuing for days, insurance firms are flooded with requests for services regarding battery related problems. In the case of this firm, an average of 20 to 30 emergency assistance calls come in a day, but now the number of calls coming in have surged eight fold. Car batteries cannot operate properly when the temperatures fall below ten degrees, performing at 20 to 30 percent less than its optimal level. This is why it is better to park a car in the underground parking lots during the winter. It is also important to check the performance gauge of old batteries and replace them in advanced if deemed necessary.

[Soundbite] Prof. Lee Ho-geun(Daeduk College) : "If the panel shows black or white, the car will still start in the summer or fall, but the engine won’t start up during the winter."

Another way to help replenish the battery’s power and prevent discharge is by keeping the motor running for ten minutes before shutting down the engine.

6. Renovation Troubles

[Anchor Lead]

Seoul’s traditional marketplaces have been undergoing renovations to bring them up to modern standards, but many vendors are getting left out in the cold.

[Pkg]

This 20-story facility consists of three linked buildings. It was built on the site of a 40-year-old traditional market as part of efforts to renovate the aged marketplace. But the new facility is deserted, while none of the 100 merchants who used to work here have returned.

[Soundbite] Merchant(Voice Modified) : "Nobody returned to this area since the rent is so high. There's no way to run a business here. Plus, the business district has yet to be established so no one can enter here."

Hwigyeong Market, which is over 50 years old, is also getting a makeover All of its merchants are gone. They must come up with ways of making a living on their own since they aren’t receiving support during the renovation process. Only around five percent of merchants from eight markets in Seoul have come back to their old workplaces after market renovations. The renovation of traditional markets entails a larger floor area and tax benefits. But existing merchants are not entitled to these benefits, which explain why only large supermarkets move into new facilities once the revamp is completed.

[Soundbite] Gang Hui-yong(Seoul Metropolitan Council) : "Local governments need to devise measures to protect existing merchants, but actually, none seem to be underway."

The Seoul City Government has decided to work towards amending the law so that it reflects the opinions of existing merchants from the initial stages of market renovation.

7. Giving Health

[Anchor Lead]

The nation's first health care charity has been providing medical services to people who can’t afford it thanks to the joint support of welfare organizations, hospitals and corporations.

[Pkg]

This three-year-old child from a poor family was born with a disability. He needs to seek medical help three times a week. For each of his visits, his parents have to shell out dozens of dollars, which adds up to a hefty sum for the family. But in this clinic, he can receive treatments free of charge. Called the "Healthy Neighbor Center," this place was set up at the Seoul Red Cross Hospital to provide free health care services to those who cannot afford them.

[Soundbite] Prof. Seo Sang-ryeol(Director, Seoul Red Cross Hospital) : "We target patients like migrant workers and their families, multicultural families and low-income Korean citizens who can’t afford health care."

This center is a project created through the efforts of a number of parties. The Korea Red Cross provided the center with the physical space, Seoul National University Hospital with its medical staff, and the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation funded the project. Some 1900 patients have received medical services at the clinic since it opened just five months ago. The combined amount of the services provided to date exceeds 240,000 U.S. dollars. Last month, the second "Healthy Neighbor Center" opened at Incheon Red Cross Hospital.

8. Staying Warm

[Anchor Lead]

Korea is in the grips of a cold snap right now, and many families are struggling with their heating costs. But today we’re going to meet some people who are staying cozy without having to worry about the bill.

[Pkg]

Hongcheon in Gangwon Province is famous for its cold weather in winter. We visited a family that lives here and has no worries about the heating bill when the mercury drops, despite the fact that they live in a mountain forest. The temperature hovers around 20 degrees Celsius in the house all through the year.

[Soundbite] Lee Dae-cheol(Owner) : "When we store hot coffee in a thermos, the beverage is kept warm. Although the outside temperature drops to minus 20 (degrees Celsius) in the winter, this house is like a giant thermos."

The house is set up to be able to store heat. The secret is that it faces south and is filled with sunlight during the day. Good insulation keeps the heat from escaping.

[Soundbite] "The walls store heat during the daytime. They automatically emit the stored heat when the temperature drops at night. They can be seen as a low-temperature heater."

Wooden shutters fend off cold winds and the heat from home appliances is reused to heat the rooms. The savings are considerable.

[Soundbite] "I save a considerable amount of energy. It can’t be calculated in money."

The next home we visited keeps heating costs down by generating its own heat.

[Soundbite] Kim Dong-ha(Owner) : "This house has two rooms with gudle heating systems."

It looks ordinary enough at first glance, but it’s been set up with a traditional Korean underfloor heating system called a gudle.

[Soundbite] "My butt is too hot."

The floor is a scorching 50 degrees Celsius. That heat keeps the room at a balmy 25 degrees.

[Soundbite] "I can heat the room without burning a drop of oil."

He gets the firewood from the mountains or nearby construction sites. The gudle is also used to roast some savory winter snacks.

[Soundbite] "First, it’s good for your health. Second, it's economical. Third, it's really warm."

Next up is another home that also stays warm thanks to a wood-burning stove.

[Soundbite] Kim Gu-han(Owner) : "I got some ideas from soil. I can heat my house without worrying about heating bills. I pay nearly nothing for it."

The stove looks simple enough, but it’s actually a quite inventive work of art. It was built with kiln-fired bricks.

[Soundbite] "The soot is burned under the gudle and the temperature gap inside the kiln let bricks have an enormous capability to store heat."

Just a few pieces of firewood can heat the whole room all day long. The heater's high far-infrared radiation and negative ion levels have been proven and certified.

[Soundbite] "It's possible to heat the room with a stove. It’s good for your health. I hope more people will use stoves."

These people have taken their winter climate control into their own hands, and are saving money while they’re at it.