Missing Teen in Turkey

[Anchor Lead]

A South Korean teenager who went missing near the Turkey-Syria border may have crossed into Syria to join armed Islamic militants of ISIS. The 18-year-old Korean has been missing for more than a week.

[Pkg]

The southern Turkish city of Kilis is situated near the border with Syria. KBS team visited the hotel in which 18-year-old Korean teenager who went missing on January 10th, last stayed. According to the hotel manager, the boy identified only by his family name Kim, checked in on January 9th and hurriedly left the following morning with his luggage.

[Soundbite] (Hotel Manager) : "He left the hotel via the restaurant where we serve breakfast."

Kim presumably went to meet his local friend named Hasan. The hotel staff said that Kim had covered his face with clothes and a mask but had greeted them in fluent Arabic. They added that he looked somewhat jittery. A Turkish police official left a memo for journalists saying that Kim crossed the Turkey-Syria border at 8 a.m. that day. The city of Kilis is located just ten kilometers from northern Syria, which has been seized by ISIS. It serves as the primary route for Islamic Jihadists of foreign nationalities, who secretly cross the border to join ISIS. However, the South Korean Foreign Ministry is leaving the door open for any possibility, including Kim's abduction, as there's no material evidence that the boy actually went to Syria.

2. U.S. Base Redevelopment

[Anchor Lead]

The government plans to ease regulations allow large construction projects for redeveloping the site of the U.S. military base in Seoul. It also signed off on two casino resorts and four new duty free shops.

[Pkg]

Redevelopment of the U.S. military base site in Yongsan, which hit a snag over different stances between the Defense Ministry and the Seoul city government, will be carried out in stages. Plans to redevelop the site of the UN Command are to be finalized by April, and investments will be made possible this year. A floor area ratio of over 800 percent will be applied for the Camp Kim site to enable the construction of high-rise buildings. The government will streamline the approval process that typically takes two to three years for a construction project on the Korea Electric Power Corporation site in Samsung-dong, which was purchased by the Hyundai Motor Company. Ground will be broken next year for the construction. The government will also expand facilities to attract and accommodate foreign tourists. Two casino resorts will be developed additionally, and the share ratio for foreign investors abolished, to allow major domestic companies to participate in the projects as the largest shareholders.

[Soundbite] Park Min-kwon (Policy Manager, MCST) : "Can Hyundai or Samsung also participate? Yes, anyone can. Any company can participate if chosen through fair competition."

Over 920 million U.S. dollars will be injected to build 5,000 new moderately-priced hotel rooms. Four additional duty free shops will also open - three in Seoul and one in Jeju. The government expects that should the new investment stimulation plan succeed, it will generate economic effects exceeding 20 billion U.S. dollars.

3. Fake Korean Cosmetics

[Anchor Lead]

Korean cosmetics are in high demand in Thailand thanks to the popularity of Korean culture. But counterfeit Korean cosmetics are also rampant with some even featuring the images of the South Korean flag.

[Pkg]

This large discount store in Bangkok sells all kinds of facial masks, cleansers and creams. The labels on snail creams say that these products were made with snakes. Some even say that the products contain bee venom. And some of the products advertise the famous Korean destination of Nami Island, which has nothing to do with cosmetics. Images of the South Korean flag can be seen on the packaging.

[Soundbite] (Salesperson) : "Most of our customers like these products. They are popular because they're much cheaper than Korean ones."

Counterfeit Korean cosmetics are sold not only at large discount stores, but also at a convenience store chain with some 8,000 branches nationwide. Companies that import authentic Korean products have suffered a blow due to the rampant counterfeits.

[Soundbite] Jeong Sung-hoon (VP, Cosmetics Firm) : "Low quality products lead to low satisfaction, affecting the public perception of Korean cosmetics and causing sales to plunge."

But there are no regulations in place to crackdown on fake cosmetics. Measures to fight counterfeit products are urgently needed as Thailand's imports of South Korean cosmetics surpass 72 million U.S. dollars annually, and are projected to grow on the popularity of Korean culture.

4. Illegal Dumping

[Anchor Lead]

Piles of litter are often spotted near utility poles or unoccupied land in residential areas. Old surveillance cameras had their limits curbing illegal trash dumping but a smarter way has been developed to discourage people from illegally throwing out their garbage.

[Pkg]

A woman dumps her garbage near a utility pole and disappears. The trash is in an ordinary plastic bag, not in a standard one. This is a clear case of illegal dumping. Areas near utility poles are constantly littered with trash. Surveillance cameras are installed as preventive measures, but they are not enough to curb the problem, since they can only be effective after the act.

[Soundbite] (Automatic CCTV Message) : "Surveillance camera is on. Please take away any garbage, as it cannot be thrown away here."

A warning message comes on when a person approaches. An automatic sensor detects approaching pedestrians to prevent illegal garbage dumping beforehand, instead of requiring officials to keep an eye on monitors as before. The need to link the cameras to a control center is eliminated. This small chip is capable of recording surveillance around the clock, and the installation costs are low.

[Soundbite] Cho Hyeon-woo (Jung District Office, Seoul) : "Former CCTV cameras cost roughly between USD 5,550-9,230 per unit, but this automatic model costs only about 1,665 dollars."

Smart, high-tech methods are transforming the fight against illegal garbage dumping.

5. NK Traffic Police

[Anchor Lead]

Female traffic police officers are regarded as a street attraction in Pyongyang and the most coveted job among young women in North Korea. The North Korean media have selected a female traffic officer from Pyongyang as the most popular woman in the country. Here's more.

[Pkg]

Pyongyang's streets are having more traffic these days. A female traffic police officer, donning a blue suit, busily gives directions to drivers and keeps order on the city's streets. This 26-year-old officer was picked as the first most popular woman in the country in 2015 by the Choson Sinbo newspaper.

[Soundbite] Ryoo Jong-hee (Pyongyang Traffic Policewoman) : "I passed the exam and became a traffic officer. Everybody envies me."

Traffic policewomen have much authority. They crackdown on speeding and overloaded vehicles, and even have the right to seize vehicles that make serious violations. Traffic officers serve for around five years, which is two years shorter than in the military. They also receive extra points when joining North Korea's ruling political party or when applying to colleges. As many young women aspire to become traffic officers, they are selected according to strict criteria. Potential traffic policewomen must be 17 to 26 years of age, single and stand at least 160 centimeters tall. They must also have a high school diploma or higher, as well as a good family background. North Korean female traffic officers have also drawn the attention of China's state broadcaster CCTV, which even produced a special program about them.

6. Restaurant Industry Shift

[Anchor Lead]

The restaurant industry has been experiencing huge changes. The popularity of family restaurants has declined. By contrast, Korean buffets are growing popular.

[Pkg]

This is a Korean cuisine buffet in Gyeonggi Province. With the tables full, many customers wait in line to be seated. But the number of visitors shows no signs of dropping.

[Soundbite] Shin Hye-sim (Customer) : "They mainly serve vegetables and greens. They feel fresh so I like these dishes."

A Korean buffet in Seoul is likewise packed with diners. Reservations for lunch are full until next month. The concept of the restaurant is to offer healthy Korean meals made with leafy vegetables and fresh ingredients. It's popular among family diners, and elderly people in particular. Attracted by the unexpected, explosive popularity, large corporations are also making inroads into the Korean buffet market. In contrast, many western-style family restaurants have reduced their stores or even withdrawn from Korea altogether.

[Soundbite] Song Hee-eun (Korean Buffet Manager) : "Elderly people tend to prefer our Korean buffet over western-style restaurants. They may feel nostalgic, or are concerned about their health."

Diners' interests in health and thrifty spending have brought Korean food buffets to the forefront of the ever-transforming restaurant industry.

7. Traveling Doctor

[Anchor Lead]

It's not easy for senior citizens in rural communities to visit the doctor because it's hard for them to move around and get a ride. One doctor of Korean traditional medicine travels to remote villages to treat the elderly and, at the same time, offers them warm memories.

[Pkg]

A seldom-seen smile spreads across the deeply wrinkled face.

[Soundbite] "Smile. You have to smile. I don't know how."

This seemingly awkward photographer is actually Shin Byeong-hee, a public health doctor of Korean traditional medicine. He is here today to check up on an elderly woman. Having realized that senior citizens only had pictures of their children and grandchildren displayed in their unheated rooms, the young public health doctor decided to take up his camera and give the elderly a gift of memories.

[Soundbite] Shin Byeong-hee (Public Health Doctor) : "When my grandmother passed away a few years ago, I realized that there were no pictures of us together, except for those taken when I was a baby."

The elderly, who were reluctant to pose for the photos at first, came around at his sincerity and thoughtfulness.

[Soundbite] "Remember the picture you took with me? I came to give it to you. Do you like it? Yes, I like it."

Known as the "picture-taking doctor", Shin will long be featured in the photos as the grandson of 15 elderly villagers.

[Soundbite] "I think of the elderly men and women I treat here as my own grandfathers and grandmothers. It's not that hard to do."

The young doctor and his photos are healing not only the aching bodies of the villagers, but also their lonely hearts.

8. Entertainment News

[Anchor Lead]

Acclaimed singer Kwon In-ha has returned to TV to reignite his music career. Plus, teenage actor Yeo Jin-gu made a surprise appearance on Gag Concert to flaunt his hidden sense of humor. Here's more in today’s entertainment news.

[Pkg]

Known for his powerful vocals, singer Kwon In-ha kick-started the second phase of his music career through the variety show "Immortal Songs." Kwon competed against younger singers in an episode featuring the songs of Korea's legendary folk singer Lee Jang-hee. The highly acclaimed singer said that he had hoped to overcome the youthful vigor with his experience and maturity. This popular skit titled "Chicken High School" decorates the finale of the comedy show Gag Concert every week. Yesterday's surprise guest was teenage actor Yeo Jin-goo, the hottest rising star in the Korean film scene. The 17-year-old actor won a rousing response from the audience with his uncanny comic timing, which amazed even seasoned comedians. Lady Gaga is the first pop diva that comes to mind these days when it comes to icons of eccentricity. Her magical makeovers are drawing attention on the internet. Looking fresh and innocent without her makeup, she transforms into a completely different person after a makeover session. She surely earns her title as "the master of make-up."

9. National Singing Contest

[Anchor Lead]

KBS' long standing Sunday program, the National Singing Contest, is in its 35th year. Today we look into the secret behind the longevity of the show beloved by men and women and the young and old alike.

[Soundbite] "National singing contest!"

[Pkg]

Everyone recognizes the program by this famous jingle alone. It is the KBS National Singing Contest, one of the country's longest running and most popular shows.

[Soundbite] "We laugh a lot watching the show Sunday morning."

[Soundbite] "I've seen it so much since I was young."

First airing on November 9th 1980, the show is in its 35th year. Naturally, the contest has produced a multitude of stars over the years, including singer Park Sang-cheol and entertainers Hong Seok-cheon and Jo Yeong-gu to name a few. Trot singer Kim Hye-yeon had also appeared on the show.

[Soundbite] Kim Hye-yeon (Trot Singer) : "I received the popularity prize. It was the threshold for me to realize my dream as a singer."

Today, KBS crew took to the site of preliminaries held for the contest. Elderly seniors are also taking part, giving their best.

[Soundbite] Min Oh-yeong (Participant) : "How old are you, sir? 83. I'm nervous."

Some contestants never give up, in their ceaseless, dogged challenges. 350 people are competing in the preliminary round. Their passion deserves kudos. Some contestants show off a rhythmical dance while foreigners are also spotted rendering Korean songs in all sincerity. Unique costumes are also a sight to behold.

[Soundbite] Won Jong-jae (Producer, Nat’l Singing Contest) : "Only 15 teams make it to the main round but those who don't make the cut are not poor singers or anything of the kind. Some feel sorry but others bring home good memories by just taking part in the preliminary."

And there's one other reason for the show's longevity, MC Song Hae, who's led the show for 26 years.

[Soundbite] Song Hae (MC, Nat'l Singing Contest) : "There's no high or low status among any contestant, no rich no poor. Everyone's the same. Many say they join the contest to show off their talent and create memories."

Over its 30 year span, some 60-thousand contestants have appeared on the show in three decades.

[Soundbite] "I hope viewers continue to love our show, provide pointers for improvement, and enjoy good performances as much as possible."

Here's hopes this KBS program continues for even more decades to come as it captures the heartfelt, passionate singing of the Korean public.