Turnover Postponed

[Anchor Lead]

We begin with a report that South Korea and the United States have agreed to postpone the transfer of wartime operational control until the Korean military is ready to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats on its own. The two sides will decide on the matter again in the mid-2020s.

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The South Korean and American defense ministers have concluded a memorandum of understanding. This agrees to postpone the transfer of wartime operational control to the Korean military authority. Subsequently, the bilateral agreement, which set December 1st of 2015 as the date of transfer, has been made null and void. This time the two allies have not fixed a specific date for the transfer. Instead they said the transfer would take place when the conditions are ready. South Korea and the U.S. stated that the first condition for the transfer would be for the Korean military to have the critical military capabilities to lead joint defense efforts. They also agreed that South Korean armed forces should be able to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats in the early stages of provocations or war. The two parties have set the mid-2020s as the time when the South Korean military would be ready to respond to North Korea on its own. A specific date of transfer would be decided again at that time. Meanwhile, the South Korean and American military authorities have decided not to disclose the latest MOU and auxiliary documents.

2. No Relocation

[Anchor Lead]

After years of discussions about relocating, South Korea and the United States have agreed to keep the U.S. 210th Fires Brigade and the headquarters of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command in their current locations for now.

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The 210th Fires Brigade of the U.S. forces stationed in Korea is responsible for neutralizing North Korean long-range firearms in times of war. The brigade operates multiple rockets and the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). The national defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States have agreed to keep the brigade in its current location - Camp Casey in Dongducheon. They said that if the brigade were to be relocated to Pyeongtaek, its response in times of war would be too delayed and unable to discourage the North Korean army early on. However, the other camps located in Dongducheon, such as Camp Hovey and Camp Mobile, as well as the headquarters of the 2nd Infantry Division based in Uijeongbu, will be relocated to Pyeongtaek by 2016 as scheduled. Seoul and Washington also agreed to keep the headquarters of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command in Yongsan. As was already agreed upon in 2004, the U.S. Embassy to Korea, the Dragon Hill Hotel, a helicopter station and the command headquarters in the area of the Main Post will remain in their current locations. An official from the Ministry of National Defense said the U.S. forces stationed in Korea will most likely continue to use about 10 percent of their current area in Yongsan. The decision is expected to draw opposition from local governments that planned to use the former sites of U.S. army bases in Yongsan and Dongducheon.

3. Pension Reform Bill

[Anchor Lead]

Chairman Kim Moo-sung of the ruling Saenuri Party has decided to table a bill to reform the public employee pension system and a task force held its first meeting to restart the legislative process. Meanwhile, the opposition camp will start its discussions of the pension reform issue after parliamentary inspections are over.

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Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung has decided to table a bill that calls for the reform of the Public Officials Pension Act . All the party and floor leaders have agreed to sign the bill. The solidarity among the party leadership indicates their strong resolve to push forth the reform plan and intention to squash any rumors of conflict between the ruling party and the presidential office.

[Soundbite] Rep. KIM MOO-SUNG (Chairman, Saenuri Party) : "This is not done by the party alone, but also by the Park Geun-hye administration. That's how you should see it."

The ruling party has also launched a task force to devise a reform plan. In order to pass the reform bill by the end of this year as planned, the Saenuri Party's task force will have to speed up efforts to present the bill by next month. The team will review two plans. The one by the Korean Pension Association entails pension subscribers paying up to 43% more premiums and receiving 34% less. On the other hand, the government proposes freezing the pension amount of top recipients for ten years. The guiding principles would be to save fiscal costs and maintain equity with the nation's pension system, as well as to give more to low-paid recipients and less to high-paid ones. But the biggest challenges are persuading the public employees union and negotiating with the main opposition party. The New Politics Alliance for Democracy said that it is reviewing what they call the "pay more, receive less" plan, but hasn't decided on a collective party opinion. The NPAD will discuss the pension reform issue immediately after the parliamentary inspection is over. Negotiations over pension reform between the two sides are likely to be rough, given that the main opposition party has said it needs time to assess public opinion.

4. Meeting Standard

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Police investigating the deadly accident in Pangyo are trying to figure out if the collapsed ventilation grate at the performance venue met safety standards. The issue was also discussed in the ongoing parliamentary inspection.

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Police are investigating the entire manufacturing process of the collapsed ventilation grate - from its design to completion. They are zeroing in on whether the ventilation grate was installed in line with safety standards. Police are analyzing documents seized from the companies that installed the grate and provided materials for its construction. They have also summoned people who were responsible for designing, supervising and installing the grate. The investigation is focusing on the manufacturing and installation processes rather than on the result because there are no regulations in place in Korea on how to make ventilation grates. Those responsible for the accident can only be charged with negligence if there is evidence that the grate was manufactured differently from its original design or made with substandard materials. The National Assembly's Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee also questioned safety issues regarding ventilation grates during the state audit of the Gyeonggi provincial government.

[Soundbite] Rep. LEE UN-JU (Nat’l Assembly's Land Infrastructure & Transport Committee) : "It's hard to determine whether the ventilation grate was designed in line with safety standards or not based only on the results of construction supervision."

[Soundbite] Rep. HWANG YOUNG-CHEUL (Nat’l Assembly's Land Infrastructure & Transport Committee) : "This means that in fact there are no regulations on the safety of ventilation grates."

Police will decide whether to press criminal charges regarding the shabby construction of the ventilation grate after the National Forensic Service announces the results of its investigation tomorrow.

5. R&D Facility

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The nation's largest research and development facility is ready for construction at Magok Industrial Complex in southwestern Seoul. President Park Geun-hye attended its groundbreaking ceremony and asked private corporations to make aggressive and bold investments.

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LG Science Park, once it's built in Seoul's Magok Industrial Complex, will be the country's largest R&D facility. The park is to house research facilities for ten LG affiliate companies, including LG Electronics and LG Chemical. Their main tasks would be to conduct integrated technology studies and develop source technologies. LG expects the industrial facilities to create 90,000 jobs annually, and generate more than 22.6 billion U.S. dollars from it's production. President Park Geun-hye attended the groundbreaking ceremony and stressed that private companies should make bold investments at difficult times, like now.

[Soundbite] PARK GEUN-HYE (President) : "Whenever the Korean economy faced difficulties in the past, businesses, armed with their entrepreneurial spirit, turned a crisis into an opportunity by making aggressive investments and facing challenges."

She said that economic reform is possible only when the private sector shows eager participation and effort. The president also stressed that new markets, as well as new jobs, could be created only when corporate innovations take place. She also asked large conglomerates and smaller venture firms to work together, so that they can grow together as a center of creative economy innovation in their respective regions.

[Soundbite] "If a large conglomerate's R&D center is to become the center of R&D cooperation between large and smaller businesses for the creative economy, the ecosystem for joint growth would further thrive."

President Park emphasized that Korea could perform another "Miracle on the Han River" through entrepreneurs' innovative technological developments, vigorous corporate investments and government support.

6. Sent Back Home

[Anchor Lead]

Two Guinean nationals who arrived in Incheon International Airport to attend an international conference were turned away at immigration control, sent back to their country over Ebola virus concerns six and a half hours later.

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The two Guinea nationals arrived in Korea at 5:17 p.m. yesterday. They came to represent Guinea in the International Telecommunication Union plenipotentiary conference. Guinea initially notified Korea that its delegation would not attend the conference because Guinea is among the countries hit by Ebola.

[Soundbite] LEE GEUN-JAE (Spokesman, ICT & Future Planning Minister) : "They didn't know they were not supposed to attend the conference when they arrived. We confirmed that."

The two representatives had to return to Guinea at 11:55 p.m. yesterday after receiving notification from the government saying they were not supposed to attend the conference. Officials from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they examined the two passengers at the airport but found no abnormal symptoms.

[Soundbite] YANG BYEONG-GUK (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) : "Their body temperature was 36 degrees, which is absolutely normal. After the checkup they voluntarily returned to their home country."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it didn't examine other passengers who arrived on the same flight because the two Guinea nationals didn't have any suspicious symptoms, such as a high fever.

[Soundbite] Quarantine Official (Voice Modified) : "Only the two passengers were examined. There were no other passengers. They all left."

Of the 24 people who arrived in Korea from Ebola-hit nations since last August, 19 were confirmed to have shown so signs of Ebola during the incubation period of the disease, while the remaining five are still being monitored.

7. HD Development

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High definition and clarity: the standard pursued by ever-developing visual media. In cinema the competition is getting fiercer for higher definition. The industry is moving quickly to deliver the best screen quality possible.

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This movie theater just opened this month. It has one of the largest movie screens in the world. The picture quality here is at least two times clearer than in existing cinemas.

[Soundbite] KANG SA-RANG (Visitor) : "The screen was large and bright, I could thoroughly see the actors' facial expressions."

The secret lies in the equipment and method of projection. There are four cine projectors installed here, double that of other theaters. The projectors are also twice as advanced as ones regularly found elsewhere.

[Soundbite] CHOI MOOK (Business Planning Team, Lotte Cinema) : "The picture becomes clearer as four projectors shoot the same scene consecutively."

This theater is also becoming known as a beloved venue for fans of IMAX. There are only two projectors installed, but they've been specially designed. Also, the seats have been angled so that films can clearly be seen from anywhere in the theater. Films screened here are in their initial production stages and will be made to fit this theater system. Thus, the movies will be able to deliver double the picture quality than elsewhere in the country.

[Soundbite] LEE HAN-SOL (Manager, CGV Wangsimni) : "While regular films have an advanced ticket reservation rate of 40-50%, IMAX movies boast 80-90% of reservations."

The cinemas have taken on a battle in high definition. And this can only turn out well for moviegoers.

8. Entertainment News

[Anchor Lead]

Singer Seong Si-gyeong, known for his sweet, mellow ballads, will hold a nationwide tour after a long time away from the stage. Ticket sales began Thursday and news is they sold out immediately. Here's more in our culture news roundup.

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The prince of ballads, singer Seong Si-gyeong will hold his first nationwide tour in two years. He remains as popular as ever, as ticket sales that began Thursday sold out almost immediately. His concert tour will begin December 5. The girl group Crayon Pop's hit song "Bar Bar Bar" was featured in a U.S. TV series. The group's management agency announced that the song was featured in the ABC network's comedy series "Selfie." "Bar Bar Bar" was played for about 20 seconds in the show while a lead actor even showcased the Korean girl group's signature dance move. A domestic music portal site will unveil via streaming songs of John Lennon, a member of the legendary Beatles. The songs are from a digitally remastered John Lennon album collection. The album was released by his widow Yoko Ono in 2010 to celebrate Lennon's 70th birthday.

9. Massage Devices

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Massaging devices come in great variety these days. Today we're taking a look at the effects of various massagers and how to choose the right one.

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After driving long distances, traveling or entertaining visitors at home many people feel tired and even develop body aches.

[Soundbite] YANG MYUNG-RYE (Resident) : "I have pain in my back and arms and my whole body after cooking for so long. I use hot packs at home."

[Soundbite] JEON JIN-GU (Resident) : "I had back pain after driving, so I applied plasters. My wife massaged my back."

The first thing that often comes to mind as a way to relieve fatigue is a massager. Consumers these days can choose from a wide variety of massagers - from massaging chairs to wearable massagers and those specially designed for legs and feet. Leg massagers are especially popular among women.

[Soundbite] Dr. LEE KYU-SEOK (Neurologist) : "Massagers help improve circulation by pressing on stiff muscles, which hamper blood circulation."

We compared changes in the body temperature before and after using a shoulder massager for 20 minutes. The difference is obvious.

[Soundbite] "The red parts mean that blood is circulating well now. Before the use of the massager, circulation was poor, but after use it's better."

It's also important to massage the right body part to get rid of pain. If you have pain and tight muscles in the back, it's important to massage the protruding area where your back meets the hips.

[Soundbite] "It's done diagonally from the farthest protruding part."

To relieve stiff muscles in the shoulders, massage the protruding cervical vertebrae. When massaging the calves, use upward and downward movements.

[Soundbite] "Massaging the muscles along this line helps relieve tension."

People who have certain health problems should take extra caution when using a massager.

[Soundbite] Dr. LEE KYU-SEOK (Neurologist) : "In some cases, spinal discs herniation may occur due to outside pressure. People who have been diagnosed with disc-related diseases should be especially careful when using massagers. If you experience more pain or develop new symptoms after a massage, that means that the massage is not effective for you. In that case, reduce the intensity and massage duration."

When using a massager, follow the directions accurately. Start using it once or twice a day with low vibration, and increase it gradually. Do not use it for more than 20 minutes at a time. Also, avoid using a massager on bare skin, as it can cause irritation. Wrap the massaged body part in a blanket to reduce electromagnetic waves. Using the right massager, you can easily relieve fatigue and pain.