Presidential Memoir

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Former president Lee Myung-bak has revealed some never-before-disclosed stories from his time in office in a memoir slated for release next month. One such story already gaining traction: how the former president rejected North Korean proposals for an inter-Korean summit due to Pyongyang’s demands for money and aid amounting to more than ten billion dollars.

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In his memoir slated for release on February 2nd, former president Lee Myung-bak has disclosed in detail how talks about an inter-Korean summit took place during his time in office. He wrote that the first time North Korea made contact about a summit was when the then-Secretary of the North Korean Workers' Party, Kim Ki-nam visited Cheong Wa Dae as part of the North's delegation to late President Kim Dae-jung's funeral in August 2009. That was when the former president received a message from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, saying that he wanted an inter-Korean summit. Pyongyang made another proposal for a summit five days later, but no progress was made, because the North had demanded rice and fertilizer aids in return. President Lee also revealed that a high-ranking official from South Korea's National Intelligence Service visited North Korea to continue the discussion on the summit in July 2010, after the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan was torpedoed. But the North Korean regime demanded 500,000 tons of rice in return for an apology for torpedoing and sinking the South Korean ship and a promise to prevent such recurrence. Lee wrote that he could not accept North Korea's demand because Pyongyang had insisted on taking a third-party stance publicly on the naval sinking.

2. Taming High Prices

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While consumer prices have stabilized to some degree, public sentiment shows people still think they’re too high. The government has embarked on an effort to tame prices on goods used by low-income households.

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Chang Hye-young is a working mother who pays around 46 USD a month for her three-year-old daughter's daycare. But starting next year when her child enters kindergarten, the daycare fees will surpass 270 dollars a month, posing a major financial burden for her.

[Soundbite] Chang Hye-young (Working Mother) : "I heard the overall costs are high, including admission fees, uniform fees and other educational costs. It's quite burdensome."

The government has laid out measures to tame the prices of goods and services used by ordinary people. First off, the government plans to set a limit for raises in daycare fees to prevent their growth rate from exceeding the median inflation rate of the previous three years. It will also induce colleges to either lower or freeze their tuition fees, and strengthen crackdowns on school uniform prices and private tuition costs. In March the government will abolish telecom service subscription fees and offer 12-percent discounts on mobile service fees to users who don't receive subsidies for their phones. The government has also pledged efforts to make consumers feel the effect of lower oil prices. Starting in March the government will announce a list of the five most expensive and five cheapest gas stations in the nation's seven large cities every week, and cut city gas fees and airline fuel surcharges. The government will finalize measures aimed at stabilizing consumer prices ahead of the lunar New Year holiday at a Cabinet meeting next week before announcing them to the public.

3. Culture Day Screening

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President Park Geun-hye screened the latest box office hit, "Ode to My Father," yesterday to mark Culture Day, which falls on the last Wednesday of every month. She applauded the production staff for the movie's contributions to social integration.

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President Park Geun-hye visited a local movie theater to mark the year's first Culture Day. She was joined by the movie's director Yoon Je-kyun and lead actor Hwang Jung-min. Also in the audience were the miners and nurses who went to work in Germany in the 1960s, as well as the separated families whose stories the movie was based on.

[Soundbite] Park Geun-hye (President) : "I prepared lots of handkerchiefs because I heard there were many moving scenes."

The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae reported that President Park had wept several times during the movie and did not leave the theater for a while even after the movie ended. In a meeting with the production staff held before the showing, the president applauded them for making a movie that contributed to social integration.

[Soundbite] "I heard that the film helped the young people understand and communicate with the older generations."

[Soundbite] Hwang Jung-min (Lead Actor, “Ode to My Father”) : "Although young people didn't know about these historical facts, they understood the emotions and cried and laughed with us. I found that connection very rewarding."

President Park then said that quality cultural contents could boost people's pride and energize their lives, and emphasized that an environment must be created so that filmmakers can feel rewarded for their work.

4. Hit and Run

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The National Forensic Service has announced the results of surveillance camera footage analysis with regard to a deadly hit-and-run accident that killed a young man out to buy bread for his pregnant wife. However, finding the culprit will be a challenge because there are no decisive clues.

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Late at night on January 10, a 29-year-old man was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Cheongju. He was on his way home after work when the tragedy occurred. He had purchased bread for his pregnant wife, who has been studying for a state exam. Finding the perpetrator has proven to be difficult, because there were no clues such as broken pieces of the car at the scene. Police and the victim's bereaved family are promising compensation to witnesses or those who help find the culprit, but they have received no decisive evidence so far. This tragic story about the death of a man who was to become a father in just a few months has touched the hearts of many internet users. Some of them have even started looking for the perpetrator. Meanwhile, the National Forensic Service has released the results of its analysis of surveillance camera footage containing the scene of the accident. The perpetrator's car is presumed to be one of four models - a BMW, Lexus LS, New Genesis or K7. But due to the poor picture quality, identifying the exact car model and its license plate number is impossible. In a rare move, police have even set up a task force to investigate the accident. But they are facing numerous difficulties in apprehending the culprit, as even the National Forensic Service was unable to provide any clues.

5. Dangerous Car Chase

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A man in his 50s was arrested after leading the police on a dangerous car chase. He was driving his car under the influence of methamphetamines, leaving officers injured in his wake. Here’s more.

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Near the Giheung rest stop on the Gyeongbu Expressway on January 19th an imported luxury sedan races along the highway, weaving in and out of the lanes. The chase had ensued after the driver called the police to say that he had a knife and wanted to kill himself. He came to a stop only after four police cars blocked his path. But he refused to open the car door. So the police officers started to break the windshield with their batons. Even while this was happening, the driver attempted to flee the scene by moving his car back and forth and ramming the police vehicles. The incident left three officers injured.

[Soundbite] Kim Jeong-ryeol (Witness) : "There was something like a gunshot mark on the car's windshield. I wondered if there was a shooting in Korea."

The police arrested the driver, who turned out to be a 54-year-old office worker, identified by his surname, Park. He apparently took methamphetamine and was showing signs of hallucination. He was driving while intoxicated, and called the police himself, babbling nonsense.

[Soundbite] Police Officer (Voice Modified) : "He had many drug-related records. When we tried to arrest him, he rammed into police cars that were trying to arrest him."

The police have arrested Park for taking drugs and obstructing the execution of special public duty.

6. Winter Sports Experience

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Young people from countries that typically don’t experience winter and rarely see snow have gone to Pyeongchang to enjoy winter sports. Here's more.

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Walking on snow for the first time ever seems to be a challenging task. It's hard to maintain balance, but these young people refuse to give up. 26 teenagers with disabilities have a go at skiing using special equipment.

[Soundbite] (Visitor from Vietnam) : "We don't have snow in Vietnam. This slippery feeling is a very unique experience for me."

The visitors also skate with extra care on slippery ice, but it turns out to be harder than they thought.

[Soundbite] "Visitor from Nigeria"

This program inviting visitors from other countries was launched in 2004 as part of Pyeongchang's campaign pledge for the Winter Olympics bid. Over the past 12 years, 1,405 people from 68 countries have visited Pyeongchang. Among them, 156 visitors became national athletes of their home countries and were able to make their dreams come true by competing internationally.

[Soundbite] (Visitor from Mongolia) : "I want to practice hard with my trainer and classmates when I go back, so I can compete in the Pyeongchang Olympic Games."

The guests will tour Pyeongchang's Olympic facilities and sample Korean culture until February 6.
They are expected to act as civilian PR ambassadors of the Pyeongchang Olympic Games.

7. High School Films

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Here’s the story of a group of high school students who got some hands-on experience in film production by directing several short films. For a fresh cinematic perspective, take a look.

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A funny-looking fairy appears in front of the teenagers. He puts a lollipop in the mouth of a boy who is smoking. With a swish of a wand, the alcohol turns into soft drinks. This is a six-minute comic film encouraging teenagers not to mimic adults and grow up too early.

[Soundbite] "Camera rolls in. Scene number 3-1-2."

All members on the production team are high school students. They do all the jobs from directing to filming as well as editing. Some 40 high school students produced seven short films in three weeks. As teenagers, they are bold in their expression. A film contains a scene letting viewers imagine why a pack of tissue is on the floor of a restroom. Some movies dealt with pending education issues facing students, like the college entrance exam and school bullying.

[Soundbite] Jin Seung-wan (Student, Korea Animation High School) : "Adults calculate and measure everything beforehand. But we just shoot and film, so our movies are fresh and new."

The seven short films will be screened at the 2015 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in July.

8. Entertainment News

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The well-known children's story "Leafie, A Hen into the Wild" has been produced as a musical. This and more coming up in today's entertainment news.

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South Korean film "Leafie, A Hen into the Wild," was based on a children's story and became a major hit, attracting two million moviegoers. The movie is about a hen who leaves the chicken farm and hatches an abandoned duck's egg. Audiences were moved by the hen's unconditional love for the duckling. The children's story now has been adapted into a musical. Actors present a spectacle with their vivid descriptions of various animals, including a chicken, a weasel and a dog. The Kim Chang-wan Band, led by the former vocalist of the rock band "Sanulrim," will release their third album on February 5. Entitled "Forgiveness," the new album contains a song dedicated to the victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy. The band's agency said that the album delivers a message of hope and communication. Kim Chang-wan said that among the albums the band has released, this new one will deliver the most powerful social message. Following a 4 year absence, "Live club day" will be resumed in the Hongik University district in Seoul, a hub of indie music. Club day is a music festival allowing fans to enjoy multiple concerts with a single ticket. It was previously held 117 times from 2001 to early 2011, but was halted due to disputes over profit shares.

9. Winter Strawberries

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Strawberries have been in high demand in winter in recent years. They taste their best in the winter and come in all kinds of varieties and sizes. Here's more.

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Despite the subzero temperatures outside, dishes made with strawberries are easy to find at cafes and buffets these days. Ice sherbet, waffles, cakes - you can enjoy all kinds of deserts made with strawberries. Last winter, demand for strawberries even surpassed the demand for tangerines, a traditional seasonal fruit in winter.

[Soundbite] Choi Mi-ae (Customer) : "In the past strawberries were mostly available in spring, when winter was over. But nowadays we can buy strawberries at the start of winter."

The most popular strawberry varieties among middle-aged and elderly people in Korea are the "red pearl" and "Akihime." Such Korean varieties as the "seolhyang," which holds a 70-plus percent market share, and the "maehyang," which is known for its solid texture, are also very popular in the nation. A test on the sweetness levels of these varieties showed that Korean varieties were sweeter than the Japanese ones.

[Soundbite] Kim Hyun-sook (S. Chungcheong Agri. Research & Extension Services) : "Maehyang strawberries are the best in terms of sweetness and acidity levels. Seolhyang strawberries are juicy and have a refreshing flavor because their acidity levels are higher than their sweetness."

Here's how to choose good strawberries.

[Soundbite] Lee Hyun-jae (Strawberry Farmer) : "Sweet and tasty strawberries have fresh and ripe calyxes and are glossy."

Do not cut off the leaves before washing strawberries, because they will become less sweet while their Vitamin C levels will plunge. Strawberries are also rich in nutrients.

[Soundbite] Dr. Lee Seung-nam (Family Medicine Specialist) : "Studies show that a cup of strawberries a week helps delay the onset of cognitive disabilities such as dementia."

Strawberries are especially good for pregnant women and developing babies.

[Soundbite] Lee Mi-kyung (Culinary Expert) : "Strawberries help alleviate morning sickness at the early state of pregnancy because they are rich in organic acid, which gives them a sour taste."

Strawberries are known to prevent congenital defects caused by folic acid deficiency in babies developing in the womb. But people who have kidney stones should take extra caution as strawberries contain calcium, which goes to show there's no cure-all fruit on the market. Still, it's hard to beat a sweet strawberry in winter.