Political Tweets

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Prosecutors say that employees of the National Intelligence Service posted political posts across over 2,000 Twitter accounts. The defense is trying to argue those accounts are protected by the Personal Information Protection Act.

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In June last year during a meeting of department chiefs at the NIS, measures were called for regarding the naval base construction in Jeju Island. A few days later, a tweet appeared criticizing one presidential candidate who opposed the construction. Prosecutors say the NIS employees were behind this Twitter account in posting the message. During a trial over the election scandal, prosecutors said the employees used some 26-hundred Twitter accounts to sway public opinion at that time. They say the officials posted one tweet and then copied this to multiple other accounts using an automatic duplication program. Investigators also secured circumstantial evidence from employees' email messages that the accounts were shared and other affiliates that helped also received instructions. But the lawyers contended that accounts and tweets are personal information and using them for an investigation without the owner's consent is illegal. They also argue that since individual employees of each Twitter account aren't specified, it shouldn't be used as evidence. The court asked the prosecution to submit data on the number of followers for each account and assess how much impact the tweets had. It also said the information will not be immediately excluded from the evidence pile despite aspects of its illegality.

2. Information Leak

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The leak of private information about a prosecutor who was investigating the presidential office over last year’s election scandal has set off tempers at the National Assembly.

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The Democratic Party is accusing a former Cheong Wa Dae administrative official of intentionally leaking personal information about former Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook allegedly fathering an illegitimate son. The party says that the scandal over Chae's alleged illegitimate son was masterminded by the government to cover up the government's interference in the last-year presidential election. Chae was apparently investigating the spy agency's meddling in the election. The Democratic Party even mentioned the possibility of an independent counsel probe because Cheong Wa Dae's recent announcement was simply intended to give guidelines to prosecutors investigating the case. It said the administrative official looked up Chae's information at another person's request.

[Soundbite] Rep. Jun Byung-hun (Floor Leader, Democratic Party) : "Prosecutors must investigate this case closely and strictly so that we don't have to conduct an independent probe."

The ruling party didn't comment much on the matter and just said that it will wait for the results of the investigation. It also blamed the opposition for trying to blow this personal incident out of proportion for the sake of political gains.

[Soundbite] Rep. Jun Byung-hun (Floor Leader, Democratic Party) : "Prosecutors must investigate this case closely and strictly so that we don't have to conduct an independent probe."

The Saenuri Party says the ulterior motive behind the Democratic Party's demand for an independent probe into Chae's personal matter stems from his investigation into the suspicions surrounding the National Intelligence Service's meddling in last-year's presidential election.

3. Trillion Dollar Trade

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Korean trade volume, including imports and exports, is to surpass the one-trillion-dollar mark today. This milestone comes just half a century after the nation’s exports first exceeded 100 million dollars.

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This is the only pier in Korea that exports cars. Some 3,000 cars of them are shipped overseas from it each day, which adds up to 760,000 cars a year. If all those vehicles were to be lined up, their overall length would be more than four times the round-trip distance between Seoul and Busan. This year Korea's auto exports reached 40 billion U.S dollars. Thanks to the boom in exports of popular items, such as cars, Korea's overall exports have hit an all-time high of 560 billion dollars. The nation's overall trade volume including imports is to surpass the one-trillion-dollar mark today for the third consecutive year, while its trade surplus is also the largest ever, standing at 43 billion dollars. In other words, Korea has achieved the so-called trade triple crown. Such an export boom can be largely attributed to semiconductors and smartphones, which helped avert the stagnation in the steel and petroleum sectors.

[Soundbite] Kim Seon-beom (Chief, Samsung Electronics) : "As the market for smartphones and tablet PCs expands, exports of semiconductors for mobile gadgets are also growing."

For the first time Korea beat Japan in terms of exports to China.

[Soundbite] Park Geun-hye (President) : "We’ll overcome new challenges and become an even larger trading power to achieve economic prosperity."

President Park Geun-hye has set the nation's 2020 trade goal at two trillion dollars in volume and joining the ranks of the world's five largest trading nations.

4. Dangerous Dust

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Minute dust particles clouding the entire Seoul sky have been found to contain high levels of pollutants. Nitrate and sulfate, substances known to cause lung cancer, are unfortunately in the mix.

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Thick smog has covered the sky above the Korean Peninsula. What does the smog consist of? At just one 40th the width of a person's hair, it's hard to see with the naked eye. Magnified 80 times, dust particles that resemble cigarette ash can be clearly seen. Even shiny metallic substances are detected. The dust that is coming in from China contains six times more nitrate and double the amount of sulfate than normal times. These are air pollutants that can cause lung cancer. In an October survey, heavy metals such as lead and arsenic were found in the air as much as eight times their normal levels. Chrome, which is rarely seen, was also detected in considerable amounts.

[Soundbite] An Jun-yeong (National Institute of Environmental Research) : "Nitrate and sulfate are the two leading pollutants that travel long distance. They're being found in higher levels. Observations of the incoming air currents confirm that a good amount is coming in from China."

KBS examined the flow of pollutants from the ground up to one kilometer high in the atmosphere. Thick dust particles carried by air currents traveled from China's Tianjin industrial zone and Beijing to Korea's Baengnyeong Island and all the way to metropolitan Seoul. This atmospheric trend is forecast to continue for the next two months or so and minute dusts blowing in from China is expected to occur frequently for the time being.

5. Solar Disruption

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The eruption of sunspots in outer space can affect and disrupt communications here on Earth. Korean researchers have developed technology to forecast solar activity and mitigate the damage.

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Sunspots explode releasing enormous amounts of energy. This powerful electromagnetic field can at times damage the earth's communication system and power supplies. Korean researchers have developed a program to analyze solar activities on a real time basis. Through the sun's image, its various activities are captured. Then the program compares the data with the statistics of the last 40 years and automatically analyzes future solar trends. Compared to existing manual-type analysis, the developed program is advanced in objectivity and accuracy. The technology was provided to NASA on Sunday. The service is also online so that experts, students and even citizens can use it.

[Soundbite] Hong Sun-hak (Researcher, Korea Space Weather Center) : "Korea is a latecomer to the field of space environment. But it has developed a globally recognized model acknowledged by NASA in a very short time."

The Korean-developed program will allow people to familiarize themselves with the expertise of solar activity analysis.

6. UNESCO List

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Korea’s kimchi-making season, or kimjang, has been inscribed to the UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. That brings Korea to an impressive total of 16 items on the list.

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The UNESCO Cultural Heritage Committee decided to add Korean kimjang to its Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. The decision comes a year and nine months after a request for inscription was submitted. UNESCO lauded kimjang for its spirit of sharing and long tradition. It also said that kimjang helps Koreans bond and strengthen their national identity. Kimjang became the sixth food-related item to be added to the world cultural heritage list after French and Mediterranean cuisines.

[Soundbite] Park Sang-mi (Member, Cultural Heritage Committee) : "This will boost the Koreans' pride in their cultural legacy and publicize the profound social and cultural meaning of kimjang overseas."

Kimjang's inscription is expected to further boost kimchi's international status as a healthy food. It will also help end the controversy over the origin of kimchi, as some people in other countries see it as a Japanese food.

7. Mountain Wildlife

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The city of Gwangju’s Mt. Mudeung attracts nearly 10 million visitors per year, ranking it second only to Mt. Bukhan in Seoul. Mt. Mudeung is home to roughly 20 rare species of wildlife. Let’s have a look.

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At a basin in Mt. Mudeung, an otter pokes its head into a fish trap. It soon preys on a fish stuck inside. A flock of eagles scans the ground for prey from above. Korea's natural monument, the rainbow-colored pitta, can be seen between the branches. An endangered spotted wildcat goes out hunting in the dark of the night. The sable, known as the top predator in Korea's ecosystem, and other rarely seen animals have been caught on camera. Thirteen endangered species and nine natural monuments were discovered, including this butterfly seen living in the southern regions for the first time. Such biological diversity proves that Mt. Mudeung has retained its ecological integrity despite its proximity to a large city.

[Soundbite] Nam Tae-han (Mt. Mudeung National Park Official) : "These rare wild animals and plants indicate that Mt. Mudeung is very valuable."

The Korea National Park Research Institute plans to wrap up the natural resources survey on Mt. Mudeung by next March and come up with preservation measures.

8. Entertainment News

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In entertainment, K-pop supergroup Girl’s Generation has a song on TIME’s top 10 songs of the year, while Psy’s “Gentleman” music video was named the most viral video of 2013.

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Girls' Generation's "I Got a Boy." U.S. magazine TIME placed it 5th on its list of the year's top 10 songs. Time said the song's addictive refrain boosted the song's huge popularity in Asia. Girls' Generation has never been exposed directly to an American audience. But as the group won a YouTube music award and was included in TIME's top ten list, expectations for their overseas activities are growing.

[Soundbite] Seohyun (Member, Girls’ Generation) : "We realized again that we can communicate through music though our languages and cultures are different."

[Soundbite] Sunny, Seohyun (Member, Girls’ Generation) : "It's Girl's Generation time!"

Meanwhile, Psy's "Gentleman" was selected as TIME magazine's No.1 viral video of 2013. Crayon Pop's jumping dance was used by the Chinese police for one of its traffic safety campaign videos. Nine Chinese police officers delivered messages regarding safety matters while performing Crayon Pop's dance routine.

9. Arid Winter Air

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The dry air of winter weakens the body's immune system, leaving people more vulnerable to disease than usual. Here are some tips to keep the humidity at a healthy level at home.

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A dry weather warning is in effect in many regions with the arrival of winter.

[Soundbite] "A dry weather warning has been in place for ten straight days. You should take extra care to prevent fires. "

Dry indoor air is more serious. The indoor humidity level falls when heaters are on. In severe cases, it can even be hard to breath. That's why so many people suffer colds in the winter.

[Soundbite] Dr. Lee Gwang-gyun (Internal Medicine) : "If the humidity level falls below 40 percent in the winter, the nose, throat and bronchial tubes get dry. In this case, they can’t remove dust, bacteria and germs properly. So people are more likely to suffer from bronchitis or asthma in the winter."

Many people turn to humidifiers to keep their homes from getting so dry. But there are many different kinds of humidifiers out there.

[Soundbite] Kim Min-seo (Homemaker) : "I don't know how different they are. I bought a one that was said to be popular."

Here are some tips on choosing the right humidifier for you. Humidifiers are largely divided into four types, based on the way they run. First, vaporizers boil water and then release steam and moisture into the air. They tend to be healthier and more effective than other types of humidifiers, because they neutralize impurities or microorganisms. However, they do pose the risk of burning young children, and must be kept out of reach. Ultrasonic humidifiers release a large amount of moisture in a cool mist. A combination vaporizer and ultrasonic humidifier is the best choice when it comes to moisturizing the air and removing microorganisms. However, they are expensive and difficult to clean. A type known as an "air washer" is gaining popularity recently. It produces moisture and operates on the principle of natural evaporation, like drying wet towels out. However, they have a fatal flaw: they're noisy.

[Soundbite] Han Sang-jin (Home Appliance Seller) : "Air washers operate by cleaning the air with water. They release clean air afar. They release ultra-fine moisture into the air to raise the humidity level. They’re popular these days. However, air washers are large and expensive."

Natural ways to humidify your home are also good. Setting out a big jar of water is the easiest way. It is also good to set out plants. Plants are as effective as humidifiers,keeping rooms moist without electric bills and cleaning work. But an excessive level of moisture may be harmful to the human body. For families with babies, the humidity level should be kept to 50 to 60 percent. It is good to keep the humidity level at 40 to 50 percent when you live with elderly people.

[Soundbite] "If your humidity level is too high, dust mites and mold can grow. It is crucial to maintain proper humidity."

You should change water in the humidifier every day, and frequently clean and sterilize them if you have respiratory or skin diseases. You should avoid operating humidifiers near bedding or electronic appliances. It is recommended to air your room after the humidifier has been on for a long time. Keeping up the proper moisture level in your room is a short-cut to protecting your health during the winter season.