Intersecting Lines

[Anchor Lead]

Beijing has denied Seoul’s request that it revise its air defense identification zone so it won’t overlap with South Korea’s. Meanwhile Seoul has expanded its own identification zone to include Ieo Island.

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In a meeting held yesterday at the Yeouido Institute in Seoul, Cheong Wa Dae, the government and the ruling Saenuri Party agreed to extend Korea's air defense identification zone farther down south. In an earlier meeting of Korean and Chinese defense vice ministers, China's unilateral designation of the air defense identification zone was one of the top agendas. Korea demanded China redraw its air defense zone, expressing regret for not having consulted with them though portions of China's zone coincided with Korea's, including Ieo Island. But Chinese defense officials made it clear that they would not revise the demarcation lines. In response, Korean officials notified their Chinese counterparts that their own zone would be extended to include Ieo Island and the surrounding waters.

[Soundbite] Kim Min-seok(Spokesman, Ministry of National Defense) : "We’re reviewing whether to extend Korea's air defense identification zone to protect Korea's interests."

In light of recent developments, Korea is poised to make the first change to its air defense identification zone since it was drawn back in 1951.

2. NIS Tweets

[Anchor Lead]

The National Intelligence Service election meddling scandal continues. Prosecutors have widened their arraignment of former chief Won Sei-hoon to include the 1.2 million tweets posted by NIS employees.

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The Seoul Central District Court investigating an alleged interference in last year's presidential election by the National Intelligence Service says it will allow another change to the written arraignment as requested by prosecutors. Former NIS head Won Sei-hoon will see another charge added to his indictment concerning 1.2 million Twitter messages believed to have been written by NIS employees. His lawyers say prosecutors are abusing their indictment rights by adding the charge but their call was not accepted. They also objected to altering the written arraignment saying the prosecution did not specify who posted each and every one of the 1.2 million posts. But the court said that point is not deemed necessary to prevent a change to the arraignment. The court said future deliberations will not focus on the 1.2 million posts but rather just 26-thousand of them that were the first to be posted on Twitter. Deliberations will try to determine if each posting constitutes interference in politics or the election and whether the person tweeting the messages was an NIS employee. The NIS argues that among the 1.2 million additional counts, 1.1 million tweets do not concern politics or the election and that only some 590 were posted by NIS employees. The court will resume trial on Monday to find out who the actual users of some 380 Twitter accounts are that were used to post the messages.

3. New Party

[Anchor Lead]

At a time when partisan politics couldn’t be more divided, independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has shaken the conversation with plans to create his own political party. Here’s the fallout so far.

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Independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has strongly blasted the established politics and stressed the need for a new type of power. He said concerns over the people's lives were completely abandoned in Korean politics where only extreme conflicts rage on.

[Soundbite] Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo(Independent Lawmaker) : "An old frame can’t hold anything. I reached the conclusion that a new political force must come forward."

Ahn said, the first step to launching a new party would be to set up a steering committee on new politics. He stressed the values of a fair and just welfare nation, a peaceful Korean unification and the politics of unity.

[Soundbite] "Forces of industrialization and democratization are not enemies but should respect one another."

He said he will take responsibility by participating in the provincial elections next June and stressed the need to overhaul Korean politics. Next week he will most likely announce those to be in the committee. It's believed he is contacting moderate members of both conservative and liberal camps to join in on his vision. The ruling Saenuri Party blasted Ahn's action as a mere step to merge with the Democratic Party while the DP welcomed Ahn's plans. But the competition in the opposition camp to secure hegemony is also heating up.

4. Spill Compensation

[Anchor Lead]

It’s been years since the ecologically devastating oil spill in South Chungcheong Province, but Samsung has finally reached agreement with local residents on a compensation deal.

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Black oil gushes out of an oil tanker. The blue sparkling sea turns into a sea of death in an instant. Six years later, debates about how much the responsible party Samsung should pay for restitution finally come to an end. A special parliamentary committee passed a compensation plan amounting to nearly 340 million U.S. dollars. The meeting was attended by both Samsung and local residents of Taean. Samsung will make a lump sum payment of almost 274 million U.S. dollars by the end of January 2014. Out of the remaining 66 million dollars, 47 million was paid immediately after the oil spill accident. The final 19 million dollars will be paid by Samsung affiliates over the next two years to support local projects.

[Soundbite] Park Dae-yeong(CEO, Samsung Heavy Industries) : "As a corporation, we’ll try our best to heal the wounds of the local residents."

But local residents are dissatisfied with the agreed amount. They were demanding almost 472 million dollars in damage compensation.

[Soundbite] Guk Eung-bok(Head, Local Oil Spill Compensation Committee) : "We still have to deal with many issues until all our demands are met."

Also, the government is reluctant to manage Samsung's contribution. There is an urgent need to set up some legal grounds to safely manage the fund. More troubles loom ahead as six cities and counties in South Chungcheong and North Jeolla Provinces, which were the areas devastated by the oil spill, try to divide the money fairly.

5. Nuclear Issues

[Anchor Lead]

The International Atomic Energy Agency says that North Korea may have restarted nuclear facilities in Yongbyon. Meanwhile, the international nuclear watchdog is stepping up inspections in Iran.

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This is a satellite image of the nuclear reactor in Yongbyon, taken two months ago. A white stream of water is seen on the upper right side of the photo. It seems to be the warm water used to cool the nuclear reactor. This may prove that the reactor is back in operation. In fact, North Korea had announced earlier this year that it would reopen the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon. South Korea's National Intelligence Agency also concluded that North Korea is testing the five-megawatt nuclear reactor in Yongbyon. The International Atomic Agency stated that it would not exclude the possibility that the North has restored the Yongbyong nuclear facilities and started operating them again.

[Soundbite] Yukiya Amano(Secretary-General, International Atomic Energy Agency) : "We have observed activities at Yongbyon that point to possible testing of the five megawatt reactors. This includes the release of steam from two vents in the turbine building."

Meanwhile, follow-up measures are being taken in Iran, where a nuclear agreement has been concluded. Iran has asked the IAEA to inspect the Arak nuclear plant in central Iran. The Arak heavy-water plant has been suspected of reprocessing plutonium to make nuclear weapons. Now that Iran has decided to comply with international practices and disclose its nuclear facilities, the international community will turn its watchful eyes toward North Korea.

6. Poetry Readings

[Anchor Lead]

Who actually reads poetry aloud anymore? What we found might surprise you: a group of poetry enthusiasts who still meet up for poetry readings.

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A 96-year-old poet holding onto a cane recites a poem.

[Soundbite] Hwang Geum-chan(Poet) : "Hometown folks circle around a tiny candle that can be extinguished at any time, and they grow poorer each year. Like an old violin, windy days are sadder for my hometown."

He reads the poem in a rhythmical manner, as if he were singing a song.

[Soundbite] Im Bo(Poet) : "The sea subsides in the fog. "

The audience eagerly listening to the elderly poet are members of a poetry reading group called "Space." They hold recitals once a month, and this month, it's their 400th meeting. Some one thousand poets have recited before this small group of people over the past 34 years. Back in the day, attendees were so many that loud speakers were installed for those out on the street. But the group grew smaller over the years as people's interest in poetry wanes in modern times. But the meetings have never stopped.

[Soundbite] Park Hui-jin(Poet) : "If there were no love for poetry, we couldn't have made it for a decade, much less 34 years. Love means continuation."

The elder poets' love for poetry enabled the group to endure a 34 year long history.

7. Public Policy

[Anchor Lead]

Public officials often come under fire for failing to reflect the real needs of the public they serve. The Seoul City government has an innovative method of collecting public opinion to form policy.

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Starting today, customers who buy alcohol at convenience stores will hear this voice command.

[Soundbite] Voice Command at Convenience Store : "Are you getting alcohol? Please show me your ID."

This is done to prevent the sale of alcohol to the underaged. The idea came from two high school students. It was selected at a contest aimed at preventing underage alcohol consumption.

[Soundbite] Park Jin-u(Student) : "I felt rewarded for having made something that teenagers want."

This municipal hospital maximizes patients' convenience by issuing custom-made prescriptions. This idea was also suggested by citizens. The prescription features instructions and images of the prescribed medicines so patients know exactly how to take them. This sign is intended for women at an early stage of pregnancy. So far it could be only receive at public health centers. But starting next year it can be received at Ob/gyn clinics as well. This was also idea ordinary citizen.

[Soundbite] Ryu Jae-han(Proponent) : "Public officials mostly think about administrative aspects. But citizens can change that by offering their own ideas."

Last year more than 70,000 ideas were received from Seoul citizens. Of those, 164 were reflected in the Seoul City government's policies to make people's lives better.

8. Entertainment News

[Anchor Lead]

In entertainment news, G-Dragon of Big Bang is enjoying enormous success in Japan, with his new album “Coup d’Etat” reaching number two on the Oricon chart.

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The popularity of G-Dragon, a member of boy band Big Bang, is skyrocketing. His solo debut album "Coup d'Etat" took the number two spot on the Oricon music chart on the day of its release in Japan. The album contains tracks from G-Dragon's same-titled second studio album, which was released in Korea in September. It also has songs from the singer's solo albums that were released in 2009 and last year, only this time they were recorded in Japanese. The Seoul Independent Film festival has kicked off, bringing together the best Korean independent films that opened this year. The festival showcases 110 short and features films. The opening film is "Romance in Seoul," which is about trivial happenings occurring in the big city of Seoul. Other noteworthy films include the documentary "Non-fiction Diary," which depicts major events that happened between 1994 and 1997, and "Run, Run, as Fast as You Can," which shows the desperate attempts by college students to earn credentials amid the prolonged economic downturn and high unemployment.

9. Baby Face Boom

[Anchor Lead]

It's only natural for people to want to look younger than their age. Here's a look at how to keep your appearance young and vibrant.

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This homemaker recently placed first in a baby face contest. It's hard to believe she's 46 years old from her appearance. What's her secret to looking so young? Number one, she says she drinks more than eight glasses of water per day. Secondly, she keeps her face well-cleansed, washing more than five times a day after removing her makeup. She has also had a unique sleeping habit for the last 26 years.

[Soundbite] Kim Myeong-gi(Baby Face Contest Winner) : "When I was 20, I had an acne problem. When I couldn't change my pillowcases every day, I put a new towel on the pillow. Since then I haven't had any pimples."

Using a flatter pillow is good for preventing neck wrinkles. So what's the condition of her skin now?

[Soundbite] "Her skin is very clean and there are no wrinkles and almost no visible pores."

Let's learn more about her special wrinkle care regiment, which takes just 10 minutes a day. For those crow's feet around your eyes, place your index and middle fingers at the ends of your eyes and open and close them repeatedly. Here's how you can prevent lines around your mouth. Place your forefingers on the wrinkles around the tip of your nose and open your mouth to say "Ah." Then draw in your lips over your teeth, keep them there for three seconds, and repeat.

[Soundbite] Kim Hye-yeon(Skincare Specialist) : "You can delay the onset of wrinkles with steady daily care. Getting massages often is also good."

Men are not free from the desire to look young. Last year Korean men's spending on cosmetics ranked the highest in the world. Driven by the baby face boom, the market for anti-wrinkle and other functional cosmetics grew more than four times over the last ten years. How should you use skincare products to get that smooth, fresh look? Sunscreen is the most important to block out the sun's ultraviolet radiation, the main cause of aging. As appearances play an increasing role in developing careers and social relations, a larger number of men are investing more money and time on professional skin care.

[Soundbite] Dr. Yu Jong-ho(Dermatology) : "People used to get treated for acne, scars, or balding, but recently more men come for aggressive cosmetic laser treatments for pore reduction, elasticity enhancement, anti-wrinkling, and hair removal."

Recently yoga studios are seeing more male students as well. The hottest program is "face yoga," which reduces wrinkles with facial stretching.

[Soundbite] Choe Beom-ju(Yoga Student) : "My body feels lighter and it's easier to move after a session. I feel younger."

Why not invest 10 minutes of your day on face yoga? This is how you remove your double chin. Make loose fists and gently press along the chin line. Rubbing the fists against the cheeks also helps release the facial muscles. To prevent the cheeks and jawline from sagging, puff up your cheeks like a balloon and let the air out repeatedly. After letting out the air from your cheeks, try to pucker your lips as much as possible and then release the tension. Try these simple steps at home to make yourself look younger and healthier.