Denying Allegations

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Let’s begin with the brewing political scandal entangling the nation’s top office. Former presidential aide Jeong Yun-hoe has undergone a 16-hour interrogation at the prosecutors' office. There, Jeong repeatedly denied allegations that he met with former presidential secretaries on a regular basis to meddle in state affairs.

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Prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office finished interrogating Jeong Yun-hoe at 1:40 a.m. Thursday. Jeong first appeared at the prosecutors' office on Wednesday morning and underwent 16 hours of questioning.

[Soundbite] "Who do you think "played with fire?" You will find out from the probe results."

Prior to the interrogation, Jeong told journalists that hopefully the investigation will reveal who leaked the memo and who tried to benefit from the scandal. Jeong's interrogation focused on whether Jeong and other presidential aides mentioned in the leaked memo did indeed hold secret meetings. According to sources, Jeong not only denied having held regular meetings with Cheong Wa Dae officials, but said that he hadn't been keeping in touch with them for a long time. The prosecutors reportedly cross-examined Jeong and Police Superintendent Park Kwan-cheon, who wrote the leaked memo, to find out if Park compiled the memo at the order of a superior authority, as Jeong had testified. The prosecutors have also searched the house and office of a person identified only as Park, who allegedly provided information to the police superintendent, who later recorded it in the memo. The prosecutors will identify the person based on the seized materials.

2. Lotte Aquarium Leaks

[Anchor Lead]

A government inspection team made an emergency on-site check of leaks at the brand-new aquarium at the second Lotte World amusement park. Lotte initially reported only one leak. But investigations found two more in the beluga whale zone. With public anxiety already high over safety at the new complex, there are concerns that the situation might be worse than expected.

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The aquarium at the second Lotte World was first found to be leaking on December 3rd. Repairs have been under way for more than a week, but water droplets are still forming at the leak. A government-led joint inspection team has found two more faults at the beluga whale tank, in addition to the main tank that was first found to be leaking. Inspectors expressed concern over the leaks growing larger. If water flows down to the underground high-voltage substation directly below, it could cause a serious safety issue.

[Soundbite] Kim Chan-Oh (Head, Gov't Joint Inspection Team) : "The leaks are considered serious because a high-voltage substation is located underneath the aquarium, raising concerns over a major disaster."

However, Lotte refuted the inspection team's criticisms, arguing that leaks are common at aquariums easily repairable.

[Soundbite] Tony Park (Field Manager, Water Tank Provider)

Based on the results of two on-site investigations conducted by 11 experts, the inspection team will announce its decision on whether to halt operation of the aquarium at the government complex in Seoul.

3. Abnormal Military Drills

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Earlier and more intense. The North Korean military is reportedly breaking norms over its winter drills, which come a month earlier than usual. The South Korean military has responded by beefing up its own preparations for possible provocations.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who declared 2015 as the year of national reunification, recently visited the North's Korean People's Army Unit 1313 to oversee its winter drills and encourage the soldiers.

[Soundbite] Korean Central TV (Dec. 5) : "He said that soldiers must exert all-out efforts to prepare for war like there is no tomorrow."

The North Korean military has stepped up training for its special forces as well. Sources say an estimated 10,000 special operations forces are participating in parachuting drills on the AN-2 utility aircraft to be used in an invasion of the South. That's about 20 times more than in previous years. The South Korean military said that North Korea kicked-off its winter military drills a month earlier than usual and that it's the largest to take place in the past decade. At a meeting of the top South Korean military commanders on Wednesday, specific measures to prepare for any possible provocations were discussed.

[Soundbite] Kim Min-seok (Spokesman, Min. of Nat’l Defense) : "We are monitoring the situation around the clock in cooperation with US forces at the combined intelligence center. So far there have been no signs of an imminent war."

The South Korean military also plans to deploy a combined fire operation system jointly with the army, navy and air force to prepare for any possible missile and long-range artillery attacks from the North.

4. Vietnam Trade Pact

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South Korea and Vietnam finalize their free trade pact making it the nation’s the 15th trading partner with a free trade deal. And it marks the fifth FTA secured by the incumbent government. We have more on how this agreement will help Korea reach the great growth potential of the Vietnamese market.

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South Korea and Vietnam have struck a free trade agreement two years and four months after they initiated negotiations. The heads of the two countries reached the trade agreement, covering 17 categories including products, services and e-commerce, in a summit on Wednesday. Vietnam will open its market for 89 percent of its products and 92 percent of its imports. South Korea has agreed to open its markets for 95 percent of its products and imports. Vietnam will open to South Korea its markets of cars, cosmetics and home appliances, which were not included in the South Korean-ASEAN FTA. The trade pact with Vietnam will guarantee greater protection of Korea's cultural contents, as it covers intellectual property rights. With a population of 90 million and an annual growth rate of five to six percent, Vietnam is South Korea's largest investment destination and second largest trading partner among ASEAN member countries.

[Soundbite] Park Geun-hye (President) : "The South Korea-Vietnam FTA will serve as a crucial foundation for better relations between the two nations."

Prior to announcing the trade agreement with Vietnam, President Park Geun-hye held a bilateral summit with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. The two leaders agreed to boost cooperation in the construction, infrastructure and nuclear energy sectors.

5. SNU Sexual Harassment

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A Seoul National University professor was arrested recently for sexual harassment for the first time in the university's history. And now another professor from the nation’s top college is also undergoing a police investigation for sexually harassing a student.

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The Seoul Seocho Police Station says it will soon investigate a professor from Seoul National University's School of Dentistry on the charge of sexually harassing a female student. The professor allegedly kissed the student against her will when he was escorting her home after having dinner with her and other students in the Gangnam Station area in southern Seoul on November 17. Sources say the student testified that the professor had been repeatedly harassing her at dinner gatherings since the start of the year by touching her hips and hands. The student had to receive psychiatric treatment to overcome the shock. Last month, she submitted her complaint to the police and reported the act of sexual harassment to her university's human rights center.

[Soundbite] Police Officer (Voice Modified) : "We have been investigating the matter after receiving the complaint. We'll soon pick the date for summoning."

Seoul National University says it has been investigating the incident based on the student's complaint and will handle the matter according to the regulations.

6. Subway Merger

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Get ready for Seoul’s highly regarded subway system to get even better. Seoul City will merge its two subway operators and conduct massive organizational reforms to boost efficiency. And it will also allow subway labor unions to participate in management.

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Some 170 people were injured in an accident at Sangwangshimni subway station in May. The news was immediately reported to stations on lines 1 to 4, but lines 5 to 8 received the report much later, leading to inconveniences for passengers. It was because Seoul Metro is in charge of lines 1 to 4, while the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation operates lines 5 to 8, and they were unable to share information in real time. The Seoul city government announced measures to reform the operation of subway lines. At the heart of the reform is a merger of the two subway operators. In addition to management and planning, station staff and technical personnel of the two organizations will also be combined. Control systems will be unified to boost the capability to deal with emergencies. The city government expects that the subway operators will be able to reduce debts which currently exceed 3.6 billion U.S. dollars through more efficient management.

[Soundbite] Park Won-soon (Seoul Mayor) : "We will be able to comprehensively rearrange passenger routes and passages at all transfer stations."

Measures will also be introduced to guarantee the participation of subway labor unions in management. Labor unions will be allowed to select some of the directors on the board and reflect their opinions in the decision-making process. The Seoul city government will devise a detailed merger plan next year and complete the integration by 2016.

7. Ancient Pompeii Display

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The city of Pompeii was wiped out two thousand years ago by the fiery ashes of a volcanic eruption. Now a grand exhibition is taking place in Korea to show the ancient relics from the city that was tragically destroyed.

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Pompeii was one of the most vibrant port cities in the Roman Empire. But a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D. destroyed the entire city and its populace of 20,000 with hot ash and lava. About two thousand years later, the city was excavated from its tomb buried under six meters of ash and pumice. The entire city was eerily preserved, as if it was kept in a time capsule. The crouching man covers his nose and mouth with his hands. This is what he looked like at the moment when the volcanic ashes poured down on the city. One can almost hear the cries of despair coming from the models of long-dead Pompeiians. These casts were made by pouring plaster into the cavities in the ash, created when the bodies decomposed.

[Soundbite] Park Seon-yeong (Moviegoer) : "Each moment feels like it's actually happening."

The gold bracelets and accessories seem like they were just recently crafted by an artisan. The exhibition also features a variety of craftwork, and carbonized bread and grains from that time and murals from the homes of wealthy trading merchants from the Roman era. Many of the remains from the heyday of the Roman civilization are on display for the museum visitors. The excavation of the ancient site of Pompeii has been ongoing for more than 250 years, but half of the relics are still buried with two millennia old secrets waiting to be unearthed.

8. Girls' Generation Concert

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Girl group Girls’ Generation held its first concert after one of its members went solo. 50,000 fans attended the show in Japan, demonstrating that the act remains popular as ever. We have this and much more on today’s entertainment news.

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The first solo concert of Girl's Generation at the Tokyo Dome sold out its 50,000 available seats. Four years have passed since the group's debut in Japan, and Girl's Generation wowed the fans with 27 songs in a show lasting three hours. The group has been one member short since Jessica left the team three months ago, but the recent successful concert by the eight-member configuration of Girl's Generation has proven that K-pop in Japan is as hot as ever. Jazz singer Malo has released a new album with songs commemorating the victims of the tragic Sewol ferry accident in April. Her first new album in seven years contains two commemorative songs - "Don't Forget" and "To Where You Were." Malo will hold a series of concerts with fellow jazz artists Chun Je-duk and Park Ju-won starting on December 26th. Gayageum master Hwang Byung-ki has released an album of gayageum sanjo or free-style solo that took him three decades to complete. The sanjo, composed of eight movements with a performing time of 70 minutes, is the longest among all the gayageum sanjo pieces. The acclaimed traditional musician said his sanjo music should be enjoyed in a fully absorbed and contemplative manner, such as one might adopt when listening to the works of Bach.

9. Celebrity Injections

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A visit to the hospital these days unveils a world of aesthetic or medicinal shots named after celebrities. Imagine getting the Beyonce injection. The American singer has reportedly taken it to help brighten her complexion. Today we have the scoop on various types of aesthetic injections, their efficacy and precautions.

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Many workplaces and businesses are concentrated in the Gangnam area in Seoul. From a few years back, the area has also been known as the place to go for a wide range of aesthetic and medicinal injections such as vitamin or cocktail shots.

[Soundbite] Yu Seon-jin (Gangnam District, Seoul) : "I heard a lot of women get these shots because they help relieve fatigue and better your skin."

There are also what's called the Cinderella injection, good for preventing aging, the anti-fatigue garlic injection and the Beyonce injection known for its skin brightening effects. The shots are very popular among office workers and mothers. Kim Ji-eun decided to try out the whitening and Cinderella treatments as she worried about her sagging and darkening skin as the years passed. She didn't expect much going into it but came out very happy.

[Soundbite] Kim Ji-eun (Gangnam District, Seoul (Voice Modified)) : "As far as I see it, my skin has brightened and gained more vitality. I definitely feel the improvement."

With no major side effects, she says her skin has noticeably improved. However, a thorough diagnosis of your skin condition must precede any injection. We visited a hospital providing these procedures and talked with an official.

[Soundbite] Hospital "A" Official : "The Cinderella injection is similar to vitamins but not quite so. Simply put, its efficacy is 400 times more than the effects of vitamin."

At some clinics, patients are advised to receive two or more injections at the same time.

[Soundbite] "Are there no side effects?"

[Soundbite] Hospital "B" Official : "No, there aren't. It's much better than taking vitamins but no side effects."

But there is a reaction against a reckless spread of aesthetic injections. Some dispute whether they are worth the cost.

[Soundbite] Jo Ae-gyeong ("Home Care" Physician) : "If patients were medically assisted on skin or obesity concerns that resulted from bad habits, they must know improving their daily habits has short term and lasting effects over receiving injections."

It's better not to expect a dramatic makeover from a single injection, but to rely on managing daily habits and consider other medical solutions. This may be the key to staying young.