No Arrest Warrants

[Anchor Lead]

A Seoul court has denied arrest warrants for two police officers charged with leaking the presidential document alleging President Park's former aide was meddling in state affairs. The move is expected to hinder the prosecutors' investigation into how the document was leaked.

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A Seoul court has dismissed arrest warrants requested by the prosecution for two police officers at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The court said that considering their crimes are not sufficiently ascertained, it's difficult to recognize the reason and need to detain the two at the present stage. The prosecution made the warrant request on Wednesday. Believing that they copied and leaked the document Police Superintendent Park Kwan-cheon took from the presidential office, and kept at the police agency's intelligence unit. The court's warrant denial may hinder the prosecution's investigation into how the presidential document was leaked. As for now, Prosecutors are expected to again summon former presidential secretary for civil service discipline, Cho Eung-chon, for questioning as early as next week. Additional investigation has become necessary after the presidential office pinpointed Cho as the mastermind behind the drawing up and leakage of the document. The top office argues a so-called "7 member meeting" including Cho is involved in the leak scandal. Cho however, denied the office's claim saying there is no such meeting; all he did was drink soju with presidential office employees on and off. The prosecution has also questioned a reporter at the Korean daily newspaper, Segye Times who first reported the allegations

2. Public Safety Anxiety

[Anchor Lead]

Following the discovery of another leak from the Lotte World Tower aquarium, the government joint inspection team ordered Lotte to carry out a detailed safety check. Adding to the anxiety over public safety government inspectors found a leak from the ceiling of the basement floor in the same building. Take a look.

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Around 9:10 pm on Thursday, water droplets began to fall from the Jamsil Lotte World Mall's first floor basement ceiling, near the central intersection. Upon discovering the leak, Lotte immediately put up fences near the problem area and mopped up the water. The leak was stopped after about 20 minutes. Lotte reported that the latest leak appears to have come from faulty pipes in the ceiling and that it is investigating the exact cause. Earlier in the day, a joint government inspection team had ordered the Lotte World Tower aquarium to conduct a thorough safety check. The order followed the discovery of multiple leaks in the aquarium.

[Soundbite] Kim Chan-Oh (Head, Gov't Joint Inspection Team) : "Lotte's explanation is acceptable if the leak was from the shark tunnel only, but there were others. They are different from routine leaks found in aquariums overseas."

However, the inspection team concluded that there is little likelihood that the water could flood into the electrical substation and cause a major accident. Even if the water overflowed from the aquarium into the substation, flooding would be prevented by two sets of double fire doors and water barriers placed in the passageway. The Ministry of Public Safety and Security plans to take follow-up measures if necessary, after Lotte releases its detailed safety inspection results.

3. Smoking Ban

[Anchor Lead]

If you’re considering a new year’s resolution to quit smoking, here’s something that might help. Starting January 1st, smoking will be banned at all restaurants and coffee shops. No more smoking sections and the grace period for smaller establishments will be over.

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It's lunchtime at this tea house in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo district. And many customers who've gathered there are smoking cigarettes. The room is filled with smoke.

[Soundbite] Teahouse Worker (Voice Modified) : "Customers smoke and drink tea. Many nonsmokers leave because of the cigarette smell."

Smoking will be completely banned at all cafes, bars and restaurants starting January 1. Since 2012, the revised National Health Promotion Act banned smoking at large restaurants, while smaller ones were granted a grace period. But now the time is up, and the ban will be expanded to all of the 750-thousand restaurants nationwide regardless of their size. Some coffee shops that installed separate smoking sections must now take them down. Also, electronic cigarettes will be regulated in the same manner as regular cigarettes. Penalties will be levied if someone is caught taking a puff in a nonsmoking area. The smoker will be fined nearly 91 U.S. dollars, while the restaurant will have to pay over 15-hundred dollars for the infraction. Smokers are increasingly losing ground with the roughly dollar, 80 cent hike in cigarette prices and the full smoking ban coming into effect next month.

4. Sexual Harassment

[Anchor Lead]

There’s growing momentum to stop sexual harassment by professors at Korea’s top universities. And much of the outrage is coming from the students themselves. One group even called for a professor who resigned to be given back his job so that the investigation could continue.

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On December 3rd a math professor surnamed Kang at the prestigious Seoul National University was arrested by prosecutors for sexually harassing several students. Before the uproar died down, yet another SNU professor, this time of the Graduate School of Dentistry, has come under police investigation for trying to kiss a female graduate student. The university remains cautious over the allegation, saying that it will wait for the school's human rights center and the police to conclude their probes.

[Soundbite] "Legislate! Legislate!"

Meanwhile, Korea University students held a press conference on Thursday demanding that the school repeal the resignation of a professor accused of sexual harassment. The students criticized the school for rushing to accept the professor's resignation, thereby stopping the investigation.

[Soundbite] Park Won-ik (KU Grad School Student Body Pres.) : "We believe that rather than resolving this incident properly, the school is trying to cover it up."

Chung-Ang University in Seoul has become involved in a scandal recently for letting a professor continue teaching while being investigated for sexual harassment. The sexual misconduct of professors has become a problematic issue at numerous universities across the nation.

5. Coins for UNICEF

[Anchor Lead]

Not all airline news these days is nuts. Together with UNICEF, another flagship Korean airliner has been gathering foreign coins donated by passengers. And over the past 20 years, they’ve raised over nine million dollars.

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Flight attendants have gathered after a long-distance flight. They're counting foreign coins they received from passengers. The table displays an array of bills and coins from around the world, including a banknote that amounts to as much as 90 U.S. dollars.

[Soundbite] Kim Ye-jin (Flight Attendant) : "It's always meaningful to see how little amounts offered by passengers amount to a large sum."

Asiana Airlines began the in-flight coin collection in joint efforts with the UN Children's Fund, or UNICEF, two decades ago in 1994. About 145-thousand dollars were collected in the very first year. But the figure reached 4.5 million dollars in 2010 and topped nine million this year. One particular passenger donated about 900 dollars in 45 separate occasions since 2007, accumulating a total of over 54-thousand dollars in donations.

[Soundbite] Gu Ja-jun (Director, Asiana Airlines) : "We believe we're fostering a heartwarming donation culture and plan to actively continue the campaign."

The coins and bills collected by Asiana are handed to UNICEF on a weekly basis to be used as relief funds for disadvantaged children around the world.

6. Culture Summit

[Anchor Lead]

There are already countless fans of Korean pop culture in Southeast Asian countries. And to demonstrate the extent of hallyu fandom in Southeast Asia, a wide range of cultural events are being held in Busan where the Korea-ASEAN Commemorative Summit is underway.

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A vivid Myanmar traditional puppet show has grabbed visitors' attention. Students join Malaysian traditional dancers to learn the steps to a lively tune. Mouths water at the sight of unfamiliar yet delicious-looking traditional dishes from Southeast Asia.

[Soundbite] Jin Hae-sook (Visitor) : "I was really curious about the food. I thought they would be different from Korean food, but I actually like them."

[Soundbite] "Sabaidee~~ Hello."

A bus that left Seoul and arrived in Busan on December 3rd is filled with roughly one thousand messages wishing for peace in Korea and Southeast Asian nations. Officials from ASEAN members visiting Busan for the summit are also impressed by Korean culture.

[Soundbite] Nia Niscaya (Ministry of Culture & Tourism, Indonesia)

A showcase of outstanding broadcast content such as dramas and documentaries was held to promote harmony between Korea and ASEAN members. A wide variety of culture and arts programs that feature the distinctive histories and cultures of Southeast Asian nations is available for Korean and foreign visitors to enjoy.

7. Palace Excavation

[Anchor Lead]

Excavation of the ancient Silla royal palace Wolseong has begun in full swing. It’s the first time for such an extensive investigation… which many hope will uncover a bounty of treasures and unravel the mystery of the Silla Kingdom.

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The ancient Silla Kingdom lasted for nearly a thousand years under the reign of a single dynasty, leaving a rich cultural legacy. One of them is the royal palace "Wolseong," which was named as such because of its shape, which was reminiscent of the moon. It was the center of Silla's capital city of Gyeongju. The palace shared the rise and fall of the Silla Kingdom and was burned to ashes during the Mongols' invasion in the Goryeo Dynasty. A radar investigation of the stratum of the palace showed that it was full of piles of various structures. The palace may also contain a large collection of priceless cultural relics of the Silla Kingdom that have never been found before.

[Soundbite] Park Yun-jung (Gyeongju NRICH) : "We assume that the materials used in the structures as well as the tiles were different. Also, the patterns and materials were of superb quality."

The government's Cultural Heritage Administration has launched an excavation project of the 200,000 square-meter palace, with the first stage slated for completion in 2025. Several brief studies were conducted since the end of the Japanese colonial rule, but now, the first full-fledged research on the palace will be carried out. The Cultural Heritage Administration will open the site to the public and set up a PR booth for tourists during the excavation process.

8. Korea's Oldest TV Show

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In today's news from the world of show business we take a look at the oldest TV show in Korea, which marked its 60th anniversary this year.

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The innocent voices of children on this TV show have captivated the hearts of many viewers. The children's singing show "Who is Number One?" was launched in 1954 to help young children overcome the trauma of the Korean War. The show drew tens of thousands of children. What started as a radio show became a television hit that has remained popular for six decades now. Children who appeared on the show decades ago are now grownups. Recently they held a reunion.

[Soundbite] "We are a noisy club!"

Singer Yoon Hyung-joo appeared on the show when he was in second grade. He's a professional singer now, but at the time he was nervous to perform in front of a camera.

[Soundbite] Yoon Hyung-joo (Singer (Appeared on show in 1955)) : "I remember getting the lyrics wrong. The judges told me to come again next time."

Back then, "Who is Number One" was the only show where ordinary kids had a chance to show off their talents. It was like a dream come true for children who were avid singers. World-renowned soprano Sumi Jo, musical actress Kim Seon-kyung and actor Chung Ho-keun all gained recognition after appearing on "Who is Number One?" In an era when children are more familiar with K-pop than with children's songs, "Who is Number One?" continues to inspire nostalgic memories among adults and teach the preciousness of children's songs to young viewers.

9. Coffee Culture

[Anchor Lead]

Coffee culture has become ubiquitous in Korea and so have the number of coffee shops. To compete in this market and to keep taste buds entertained there are ever more inventive cups of coffee. Today let's discover some of the more exotic versions of this fragrant and addictive drink.

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A cup of hot coffee is most appreciated on a cold and windy afternoon like today. It would be even better if the coffee is something unusual and delicious. At this coffee shop customers order something that is almost never offered in a cafe.

[Soundbite] "I would like three clouds. Two clouds, please."

Their orders turn out to resemble large cotton candies. These are called the cotton candy coffee, a coffee topped with cotton candy.

[Soundbite] Kwon Gye-yeong (Coffee Shop Owner) : "We put a cloud on top of the coffee."

It's also called cloud latte, because the cotton candy resembles a cloud. The puffy addition is provided only for the lattes.

[Soundbite] "I was trying to come up with a special coffee and thought of something that will not overwhelm the coffee flavor and is a little sweet, but not too sweet."

Customers can enjoy the cloud latte in any way they want. They can eat the sweet cotton candy first and ease the sweetness with bitter coffee, or melt the cotton candy right into the coffee.

[Soundbite] Moon Bo-ram (Customer) : "The coffee is flavorful and the cotton candy is sweet, so I don't have to order dessert separately. This would do."

A long line of people is waiting in front of this cafe even in the evening hours.

[Soundbite] "It's a coffee I've never imagined before."

What kind of coffee would defy your imagination? The white cream covering the top of this coffee is actually cheese. The unusual combination of coffee and cheese is sparking people's curiosity.

[Soundbite] Kang Hee-jun (Customer) : "I was surprised to taste a bit of saltiness."

What does he mean that he tasted some saltiness in the coffee? The cheese used in this cafe is not your everyday variety.

[Soundbite] Lee Jun-ho (Coffee Shop Owner) : "This is the salt used in "rock salt cheese coffee."

The secret ingredient is the rock salt from the Himalayan mountains. The cheese is made with the rock salt that is less salty yet rich in healthy minerals. The cafe owner makes fresh cheese every morning. Salty creamed cheese is heaped on the coffee to make the cheese coffee that looks intriguing and very inviting. Don't be mistaken by its name cheese coffee to think that it will be too heavy. The cheese and coffee surprisingly go well together.

[Soundbite] Kim Ryun-ah (Customer) : "The cheese is a bit salty, so it tones down the coffee's bitterness. It's really good."

Even a cup of coffee has to have a distinct character in addition to great flavor and aroma to succeed in this country overflowing with coffee shops. If you are tired of ordinary coffee, try these amazing new offerings.