Hints of Hackers

[Anchor Lead]

A recent series of cyberattacks have taken a serious toll on the networks of broadcasters and banks, but the hackers remain unidentified. In China, KBS has secured a clue indicating North Korean involvement.

[Pkg]

A Korean-Chinese man rented his duplex apartment in the Chinese border city of Hunchun to three young North Korean men for a month last February. They offered to pay rents five times higher than normal. They didn't use the first floor and instead crammed themselves in the attic of the second floor, working on computers.

[Soundbite] Landlord (Voice Modified) : "There were at least five computers. There was a really long antenna that was connected to a round object. I don't think they were used often."

The antenna is believed to be a high-performing Internet communication device that blocks being tracked down.

[Soundbite] Sin Dong-hui (Information Security Expert) : "It’s highly likely that they would have stolen other people's passwords. It’ not easy to track down the IPs in question."

The North Korean men are presumed to be hackers. They disappeared on March 20th, the day when the Web sites of South Korean broadcasters and banks were hacked. Around the time, North Korean hackers' unusual movements were detected in the Chinese city of Shenyang, one of their major Chinese bases. A North Korean escapee who trained such cyber war agents said that immediately before the attack on South Korean institutions, he had heard that there would be a special operation from a North Korean hacker.

[Soundbite] NK Defector (Voice Modified) : "The person said the hacking preparations were finished. He tried hacking back then, but stopped, and then did so again this time around."

The code name "hastati" appeared on the monitors of the hacked computers. No one still knows its meaning. However, clues pointing to North Korean hackers' involvement are being discovered one after another.

2. Cyber Rewarded

[Anchor Lead]

The adoption of a reward system for catching cyberterrorists is being considered. Experts say it will help track down hackers quickly and prevent cybercrimes.

[Pkg]

Early last year, an insurance company asked this security firm to try hacking into its computer network. Four members of the security firm’s staff surprised the insurance company by stealing the personal information of hundreds of thousands of its clients in just two months.

[Soundbite] Fmr. Hacker (Voice Modified) : "Can we hack into banks, the finance institutions and government bodies? I think so, if we set our minds to it."

It's impossible for government employed security experts to track down hackers alone. Accordingly, some are suggesting a rewards system that offers incentives to those who help identify hackers, like those given by the police for those who help catch other criminals. The job will be given to civilian hacking experts.

[Soundbite] Park Chi-min (CEO, Information Security Company) : "They're afraid of eventually getting traced and arrested. So I think it’ll be very effective in preventing crimes."

Cyber terrorism has become a national security threat. However, most of the hackers are getting away with their crimes and are not getting caught. There is a strong, convincing push to adopt such a reward system to help track down these criminals.

3. Cherry Blossoms

[Anchor Lead]

Spring cherry blossoms have begun to bloom across the Korean peninsula. The annual Jinhae Gunhangje Festival began today. Let's take a look.

[Pkg]

Pale pink blossoms form a tunnel. Flower petals flutter in the spring breeze and their fragrance spreads in the air. Despite the traffic congestion and waves of people flocking in, everyone seems to be having a good time enjoying the sight of the spring cherry blossoms.

[Soundbite] Victor (Russian Tourist)

The eve ceremony of the Jinhae Gunhangje takes place. The festival's theme for this year is "the cherry blossom lady meets the military band gentleman." The navy band heralds the opening of the festival.

[Soundbite] "The flowers fluttering in the air looked so pretty. We took pictures and enjoyed the performance."

Events for this upcoming weekend include the Jinhae Military Band and Honor Guard Festival and a parade of more than 1,000 participants commemorating Joseon Dynasty’s admiral Yi Sun-sin's victory over the Japanese army. Laser shows will be held at Yeojwa Stream each night during the festival, and fireworks on the shores of Jinhae.

4. Octopus Season

[Anchor Lead]

Webfoot octopus called "jukkumi" in Korean is now in high season. But prices are expected to surge this year because of the poor catch.

[Pkg]

Fishermen catch webfoot octopuses, which are now in season. Plump octopuses come out of turban shells that hang from the rope. Webfoot octopuses are caught using turban shells because they tend to hide ahead of their spawning period. It is during this time of year that they taste their best and contain the most nutrients.

[Soundbite] Gwon Dong-ja (Fisherman) : "They’re having eggs now. They're in season. It's the time when they taste the best."

But this year’s catch is 40 percent smaller than those seen in previous years. That's because the seawater is still cold after the unusually cold winter. The number of webfoot octopuses has also dwindled because fishermen flock to the west coast year round to catch them. The auction price for webfoot octopus has surged from 22 dollars per kilogram last year to about 30 dollars this year. The organizers of festivals dedicated to webfoot octopuses on the west coast of Korea are having a hard time finding it due to its scarcity.

[Soundbite] Kim Jin-man (Organizer, Camellia & Jukkumi Festival) : "I believe that once the sea becomes warmer, there will be more jukkumi. We hope many people will come and enjoy the delicious and nutritious octopuses."

The webfoot octopus will likely become a rare delicacy this year because of the season’s poor catch.

5. Weekend Headlines

[Anchor Lead]

Here’s a look at incidents big and small that took place across the country over the weekend, including a CCTV-dodging cat burglar and a taxi crash.

[Pkg]

A man climbs up a building wall and turns the surveillance camera downwards. The burglar, who was in his fifties, was caught by police for breaking into homes after adjusting cameras to face different directions. Police arrested the man on charges of breaking into homes that had their lights turned off and for burglary. Since November 2012, he broke into homes in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul 19 times and stole valuables which were altogether worth around 38,500 U.S. dollars. The taxi's front bumper is crushed. On Sunday night at around 11:30 p.m., two taxi cabs collided at a junction near an elementary school in Guro-dong, Seoul. A passenger and one of the taxi drivers were injured. Police are investigating the drivers to find the cause of the accident, assumed to be due to the violation of traffic signals. On the same night at around 11:50 p.m., a two-story restaurant in Muan County, South Jeolla Province caught on fire and took more than three hours to extinguish. The first floor was completely damaged and the second floor was partially burnt. The local fire station estimates damages to amount to around 55,500 U.S. dollars. Police are investigating the cause of the fire based on the restaurant owner's testimony that the blaze rose up from the front door.

6. Acid Reflux

[Anchor Lead]

The number of cases of reflux esophagitis, which is caused by acid reflux, has been increasing in the country each year. Making changes to your lifestyle is the key to fixing the problem.

[Pkg]

This man in his 30s has had an endoscopy for acid reflux. He is diagnosed with reflux esophagitis.

[Soundbite] Choe Jae-yun (Reflux Esophagitis Patient) : "I have irregular eating habits. I often work overtime and have a lot of stress. I started to feel the symptoms then."

Reflux esophagitis occurs when the stomach acid contents backs up into the esophagus, causing inflammation and damage to the lining of the tube. Three-point-36 million people were diagnosed with reflux esophagitis last year, up 69 percent over the past four years. The surge is attributable to a westernized diet and an increase in the number of obese people.

[Soundbite] Dr. Hong Seong-su (Gastroenterologist) : "Fatty foods loosen the muscles between the stomach and esophagus and cause stomach acid to come up. Excessive abdominal fat pressures the stomach, making acid flow back up into the throat."

Eighty percent of reflux esophagitis patients see a relapse of the medical condition even after they were treated. So, the best way to prevent a reoccurrence of the problem is to change one’s life habits. Avoiding fatty foods and getting rid of one’s belly fat are a couple of critical things one can do to avoid the condition. It is also good to lower the pressure placed on the stomach by wearing loose fitting clothes. Doctors also advise people to avoid lying down within the first hour after consuming food.

7. School Sports Clubs

[Anchor Lead]

Physical education hours are lacking in Korea’s schools, and many kids aren’t getting enough exercise. As such, more schools are setting up sports clubs tailored to students’ interests and needs.

[Pkg]

Students at this high school climb up an artificial wall with ropes. In less than two minutes they reach the top, located 10 meters above the ground. The students practice rock climbing two hours a day.

[Soundbite] Paeng Cheol-ho (Student, Dukwon High School): "While climbing, my arms get tired and it’s hard, but when I reach the top heading for my goal, I feel like I can make it."

The school also offers cardio exercises for students who are physically weak. They usually train on their way to school or during lunchtime. All these activities are provided by the school's sports clubs. They have many members, as they provide custom-made training. Last year, of some 6.3 million students, excluding first graders, 84 percent participated in such clubs. That's a fivefold increase from five years ago.

[Soundbite] Park Yun-hyeok (Ministry of Education) : 'We’ve a laid a foundation for continuous after-school sports activities that they can choose. This will help them exercise throughout their lives."

This year the government has decided to invest over eight million U.S. dollars in three thousand schools to support their sports clubs activities.

8. Community Ceremony

[Anchor Lead]

The student council of one university in North Chungcheong Province is drawing attention for its opening ceremony, which brought different generations together.

[Pkg]

The exciting tunes of a folk song make the audience applaud and move to the rhythm. This event looks like a banquet for the elderly, but in fact, it's the launching ceremony of a local university's student council.

[Soundbite] "I like it because this event was for the elderly."

Rather than pursuing a short-lived hype by inviting celebrities, the students of this university chose to contribute to the local community by connecting with the older generation.

[Soundbite] Jin Jae-gwon (Student Union President, Chungbuk Nat’l Univ.) : "We came up with this event since we wanted to contribute to the local community and get in touch in a special way."

The Cheongju City government willingly donated a high-quality performance at the students' request. About a hundred senior citizens who couldn't make it to the event received free packed lunches. These students have set a good example of how the youth can give back to their communities instead of just competing for good grades and prestigious careers.

9. Container Ideas

[Anchor Lead]

Shipping containers used for transporting cargo are being transformed into impressive structures that save on both money and space. Take a look.

[Pkg]

A unique structure catches the eye in the Gangnam area in southern Seoul alongside neighboring buildings. It's a multiplex building made with 28 shipment containers for transporting military supplies. It took just three months to build.

[Soundbite] Baek Ji-won (Designer of Platoon Kunsthalle) : "We were able to build it quickly because the containers were easy to stack."

This is a temporary lodging facility for the residents living in destitute neighborhoods. It was made from 20 old containers and it has 36 rooms. There's even a nearby convenience facility. This structure features a unique design and looks attractive. It’s comprised of five containers placed in different directions. They act as observatories where visitors can view Incheon Bridge, the Yellow Sea and the western skyline. It's simple yet aesthetic and practical. The downside of these structures is their vulnerability to the cold and the heat. But they can come in handy for public uses as they are inexpensive and easy to build.

10. Movie Tech

[Anchor Lead]

In the hit movie “Avatar,” which has the box office record for ticket sales in Korea and elsewhere, the explosions were created using a technology developed by an Academy Award-winning Korean-American scientist. Let’s meet him.

[Pkg]

Giant flames rise after an explosion... In another movie, the dusty cloud in this scene could not look any more real. These scenes were all made with the use of computer graphics. Thousands of graphics were made with the use of math formulas to create the high-definition special effects of smoke and explosions. The key technology was developed by a second generation Korean-American scientist named Theodore Kim.

[Soundbite] Prof. Theodore Kim (UC Santa Barbara)

Kim developed the technology back in 2008, and since then, the technology was used in 26 Hollywood movies. This was possible because Kim provided the technology for free.

[Soundbite] Prof. Theodore Kim (UC Santa Barbara)

Kim received this year's Academy Award for Technical Achievement. He now plans to develop special effects technology for depicting liquid-related scenes, such as sea waves and tsunamis.