NK Rocket Footage

[Anchor Lead]

Thirteen hours after North Korea shocked the world by launching a long-range rocket, footage of the event was released via its TV station and the American media.

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Thirteen hours after launching a long-range rocket, Pyongyang broadcast the footage of the launch. This image shows the take-off of the Unha-3 rocket via a large monitor in the control room. The North also disclosed the images of the earth captured on cameras that were mounted onto the satellites Kwangmyong-3 and Kwangmyong-2 of the rocket. Pyongyang also broadcast patriotic songs that were transmitted by the satellites. A North Korean scientist, who allegedly participated in the rocket development, says the latest rocket take-off deserves a perfect score because even nations that have dedicated a long time to space development often fail to launch their satellites. The scientist pointed out that North Korea launched its rocket in the winter, which is regarded as the most difficult season for long-range rockets to take off. Pyongyang disclosed the footage of the rocket’s liftoff on December 12 after 10 p.m. Korean time, and at 8 a.m. Washington time. This was just three hours before the U.N. Security Council meeting. The footage was broadcast by North Korea's Central News Agency and the New-York-based APTN. Experts say the North chose the time and media for disclosing the footage with extra care to show the world that the rocket was not a long-range missile but a rocket with an artificial satellite.

2. Intelligence Failure

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The South Korean government has come under fire for intelligence failures that made the rocket launch a surprise.

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On December 5th, it was clear that North Korea had installed a three-stage rocket on its launch pad. Since then, the South Korean government has closely monitored the North Korean rocket launch pad and was updating its intelligence every hour. The South Korean military raised its five staged North Korea vigilance posture, known as Watch Condition or WATCHCON, to level two. On December 11th, the South Korean government fell for images of the North dismantling the rocket. It assumed that North Korea was trying to repair the rocket’s technological glitches, which is why the South believed the North had announced an extension to the rocket launch dates. Seoul predicted that North Korea would be able to fire the rocket after South Korea's presidential election on December 19th, saying that the North would need more time to reassemble the rocket and to fill it with fuel. After North Korea announced the delay of the launch, the Defense Ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff lowered the rank of officials in charge of a crisis management team and reduced the number of officials on duty. But the South Korean government mistook North Korea's final-stage preparation for the launch as repair work. Seoul also failed to identify whether fuel was injected into the rocket. In response to the criticism, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin explained that the military has remained on high vigilance since it confirmed North Korea's installation of a rocket on the launch pad on December 11th. He added that the military had never confirmed any media reports saying North Korea was dismantling the rocket.

3. Election Coutdown

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Now, with only six days until the presidential election, we give you the latest on the campaigns.

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Ruling Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye visited the North Gyeongsang regions, the conservative party's stronghold, to ask local voters for their support. Park stressed that Korea needed a leadership that possessed a clear vision for the nation and national security. Park also criticized the opposition Democratic United Party for neglecting the people's livelihoods while distributing false information on the Internet alleging that she cheated during the recent televised debate. Park showed the bag that she took with her during the debate. The female conservative contender also urged for support from the labor industry pledging to discuss issues with labor unions if she is elected. More groups declared their support for Park including the state veterans' council composed of former national assembly chairmen and prime ministers and a group of former journalists. However, former National Assembly chairman Lee Man-seop stated he would not support any particular candidate and remain politically neutral. Opposition candidate Moon-Jae-in of the Democratic United Party visited the Chungcheong regions and stressed the need for a change in administration. Moon stated that the people will not tolerate an extension of the Saenuri Party's rule and denounced Park as the hostess of the incumbent government. Moon stated the December 19 presidential election was a battle between a people’s solidarity for their own livelihoods and a solidarity of the privileged who made life harder for the people. Groups that also declared their support for the opposition contender included those of the arts and culture such as writer Hwang Sok-young and former leader of the Creative Korea Party Moon Kook-hyun, who ran in the 2007 presidential election. Meanwhile, former independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo visited the Gangwon regions to urge people to vote.

4. Voting at Sea

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Sailors who rarely get the opportunity to take part in elections are being given the chance the cast their votes at sea.

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This passenger ship sets sail from Busan Port and heads towards Osaka, Japan. Some twenty crew members are gathered at the steering house to cast their votes for the December 19 presidential election. This is the first time that absentee voting on ships is being conducted in Korea. The crewmen look deeply moved to be finally able to practice their political rights as a South Korean citizen.

[Soundbite] Gang Jeong-uk(Crewman) : "I'm happy to vote on-board, which is something I've never done before during my 36 years at sea."

The ballot is sent through a shield fax that is installed aboard the vessel, and the vote is sent confidentially to the election commissions of the cities or districts where they hold residence. The absentee voting on ships will take place until December 14th, and of the roughly 10,900 out at sea, 7,060 of them are registered to be absentee voters. Meanwhile, the National Election Commission is concentrating on preventing errors and problems with the satellite-based transmission system. Attention is being drawn to whether this method for absentee voting on ships, which is being used for the first time ever, will be a success.

5. Tough Job Market

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The employment market has been growing ever harsher during the prolonged economic slump. The unemployment rate of people in their 20s has been rising for seven straight months. And things are expected to remain tough for young job seekers next year.

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A 25-year-old university student has taken a year off from school to make preparations to get a job. An increasing number of college students are taking time off from school, since it’s not easy for them to get jobs right after graduating. The number of those in their 20s getting hired dropped by 79,000 at last month. The number has been sliding for seven consecutive months since May. According to statistics, the unemployment rate among people in their 20s stands at 6.7 percent. But their actual unemployment rate is far greater because the number of non-economically active people, including those preparing to get jobs has been growing since August; they were excluded from the statistics. The employment rate of those in their late 20s stands at 68 percent, a two-year-low. Analysts attribute the sluggish employment rate among job seekers in their 20s to the increasing employment of high school graduates and employers' preference for experienced workers. Prospects for the job market are to be grimmer next year. The change of the number those being employed which stood at more than the 400,000 mark each month, decreased by around 300,000 in October and November. The labor market is predicted to remain tight next year.

[Soundbite] Lee Geun-tae(LG Economic Research Institute) : "The construction and financial industries are continuing to be restructured, which will cause harm the job market."

The growth of the number of total employees is expected to slow down, as the number of self-employed people has drastically dropped amid a prolonged economic slump.

6. Drowsy Driving

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Driving tired can seem harmless, but is actually extremely dangerous. Here are the dangers of drowsy driving and some tips for staying alert on the road.

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A passenger getting off of a bus is hit by a passing car that is speeding. In each of these video clips, a car swerves in and out of the lanes and eventually crashes into another car. All of these accidents are due to drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. In a survey, 26 percent of drivers said that they have experienced dozing off while they were driving. A KBS news team tested how quick a driver’s reaction is when wide awake and when tired. Having not slept for 24 hours, the driver reacted slower to obstacles. The tired driver drives 2.3 meters more before hitting the brakes than an alert driver.

[Soundbite] Jo Jun-han(Korea Transportation Safety Authority) : "Drowsy driving apparently deteriorates the driver's cognitive abilities and reaction speed, and increases the probability of fatal car accidents."

Over the last two years, around 490 people were killed in car accidents that took place on expressways. 40 percent of those accidents were caused by drivers who fell asleep behind the wheel. Experts advise drivers to open the car windows to ventilate the air when feeling sleepy or to pull over at a rest stop or the road’s shoulder to take a nap.

7. Silkworm Potential

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Silkworms, which are widely used for making health foods and cosmetics, are now being used in the medical field. Take a look.

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The long and thin silk thread produced by silkworms that live on mulberry leaves is mainly composed of silk protein, which is known for not harming the human body and not rotting easily. Based on its characteristics, artificial silk eardrums were developed and recently commercialized in Korea. The thickness and sturdiness are similar to that of the human eardrum and the smooth surface prevents bacteria or molds from forming. In clinical tests conducted on 50 patients with damaged eardrums, the eardrums were restored within two weeks after using the artificial ones in more than 70 percent of the patients and showed no side effects such as inflammation.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Jin(Inje Univ. Ilsan Paik Hospital) : "Because its form doesn’t change from the temperature or humidity, perforated eardrums can be stably restored."

This procedure is much cheaper and has a higher rate of success than former eardrum restoration surgery methods that use paper or the patient's muscle membrane. The artificial silk eardrums are to be used for the restoration surgery starting next year. The Rural Development Administration is planning to continue finding ways to harness the silkworm thread in making high value medical materials such as artificial bones, skins and endocraniums.

8. Paik in Amerca

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A special exhibition of works by late video artist Paik Nam-june is now open at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington.

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Various plants and monitors form a work known as "TV Garden." This piece by video artist Paik Nam-june represents a world that has become a global village thanks to the development and advancement of media technology. The work entitled "Moon Projection," which has been rarely made public, is a great example of how Asian beauty and modern art come together. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is hosting this special exhibition, in which 60 works by the late video artist are being displayed, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of his birth.

[Soundbite] John Hanhardt(Senior Curator) : "The title to our exhibition is ‘Nam June Paik, Global Visionary,’ and that speaks to his global presence and his influence around the world in which is a part of an extraordinary story."

The museum also put on display some 140 pieces and memorabilia on the life and art philosophy of Paik. The special exhibition will run through July next year with the sponsorship of the Korea Foundation and ten U.S.-based art organizations. Paik Nam-june's unique imagination and passion for combining media technology with art are appealing to art fans of all age groups everywhere.

9. Winter Getaway

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Where you stay is one of the most important aspects of any trip. So today we’re going to show you some great spots for winter getaways that all offer a little something extra.

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This is a guesthouse in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province. Visitors here have to make sure they show up with an empty stomach.

[Soundbite] "I heard it’s all you can eat here so I didn’t bring anything with me."

The food and drinks here are all included, so the barbeques are proper feasts.

[Soundbite] Park Jin-gyeong(Owner, Guest House) : "Even though it’s all you can eat, the food isn’t low quality. We serve the best quality foods."

Guests can choose from a variety of meats to grill up, including the all-time Korean favorite for any kind of special occasion, samgyeopsal, which is pork belly. You need to have a group of eight for the all-you-can-eat deal. The owner’s profit strategy is based on a low-price high-volume policy.

[Soundbite] "Eating lots while spending less; it feels like I earned money. I'm very happy."

This next place has a special way of luring in female customers. The first thing that the ladies who visit here notice is the beautiful scenery; the water and the air are both crystal clear.

[Soundbite] "This place has a special event that appeals more to women."

She’s talking about this guesthouse’s bonus service. The front lawn here doubles as a hair salon.

[Soundbite] Go Geum-suk(Owner, Guest House) : "I worked as a hairdresser for 20 years in Seoul. After moving here I do my guests’ hair for my guests because I think it's a waste not to use the skills I've learned."

When you stay here, you’re also treated to a perm and a dye job.

[Soundbite] "I've been to several guest houses but it's the first time I’ve seen a place that had a hairdo service."

While waiting for their perm to set, guests can relax in a clay sauna called a bulgama. The ladies leave feeling relaxed and beautiful.

[Soundbite] "I can rest with my family and get a makeover too. It's really like killing two birds with a stone. I think I'll come again when my curls die."

The last place we visited attracts people that like to let loose on their vacation.

[Soundbite] "The hot spring pool is great to enjoy with the whole family but at night I heard there's a special event for adults and I'm excited about it."

Finally, night falls and it's time for the party to get started.

[Soundbite] "At 10 at night, there's a special event. It's fun and they have great prizes."

The disco lights go on, the music goes up and the guesthouse turns into a dance club. And at the party, the lower you can go, the better your chances of winning a prize.

[Soundbite] "Now we’ll begin the limbo contest. The prize for the main event is plane tickets to Jeju."

Everyone tries to get as low as they can to win the trip. The party goes down every Saturday night here, and anyone staying at the guesthouse is invited. And, the lucky winner receives the grand prize.

[Soundbite] "I’m thinking I'd like to go to Jeju Island together before our first wedding anniversary and remember how we felt on our wedding day."

Guesthouses are doing all they can to stand out from the crowd, making weekend getaways all the more memorable.