Reform Priorities

[Anchor Lead]

At a cabinet meeting this week, President Park Geun-hye vowed to push for structural reforms in four key sectors as the top priority goal in state affairs for the second half of the year. She stressed that labor reform is essential to the nation's survival.

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President Park Geun-hye has said that structural reforms in public, labor, finance and education sectors are aimed at improving bad practices and strengthening the Korean economy's fundamentals. She said the reforms cannot succeed only through government willpower and asked for cooperation from the public and lawmakers.

[Soundbite] Park Geun-hye (President) : "Without reform, our nation's future is bleak. We will also pass on a debt too heavy for future generations, repeating the cycle of pain."

She especially stressed urgency in labor market reform, calling it a vital strategy for survival and a mission of our times to promote coexistence of different generations. She noted that if the wage peak system is not properly settled by next year when the retirement age is extended, youth employment will become an even bigger concern. Labor market reform is surely expected to be a key issue in state governance in the remainder of the year as the president has stressed its importance, following a similar appeal by ruling Saenuri Party chairman Kim Moo-sung. The president also urged Cabinet members to lay down all their personal tasks and solely focus on the national economy and reform.

2. Pension Management

[Anchor Lead]

The government has proposed setting up a public corporation out of the Fund Management Center of the National Pension Service in a bid to improve management of pension funds. The move does have its critics.

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The national pension was established 27 years ago to guarantee financial stability for Korean citizens after retirement. Its funds now amount to approximately 435 billion U.S. dollars. The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs has proposed a plan to overhaul the National Pension Service at the request of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The plan seeks to enhance the professionalism and profitability of the national pension fund. The salient point of the plan is to separate the Fund Management Center from the National Pension Service and establish it as a separate corporation. Under the plan, the new corporation will act as a financial investment entity managed by experts in order to maximize its profitability. However, some civic groups are opposing the move because of the dubious credentials of its potential members and the compromised safety of pension funds.

[Soundbite] Lee Chan-jin (Chairman, PSPD) : "I would like to point out public concerns over the possibility of high-risk speculation involving the national pension fund."

The government will draw a final decision on whether or not to restructure the National Pension Service after discussing the issue with the relevant departments and holding public hearings, but clashes are expected during parliamentary discussions.

3. North Korean Election

[Anchor Lead]

A voter turnout of 99.97 percent and approval rating of 100 percent is the outcome of the first provincial elections held in North Korea under the Kim Jong-un regime. Of course, the result is nothing new, but what is unusual is the level of criticism coming from the international community.

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North Koreans stood in long lines for a chance to elect deputies to their local assemblies. People were seen dropping their ballots into to the ballot box without filling them out in any particular way. This is the way North Korean people express their approval for the single party-appointed candidates running for election in each constituency.

[Soundbite] (N. Korean Resident) : "I voted for approval. It made me think a great deal seeing ordinary women like myself as delegates of the local assemblies."

The outcome was a turnout of 99.97 percent and approval rating of 100 percent. The numbers are exactly the same as recorded from the national assembly elections last year and the local assembly elections held four years ago. Foreign media, such as BBC and CNN, strongly criticized North Korea for mobilizing the public for the pre-determined elections, seen as a ploy to justify the legitimacy of the regime.

[Soundbite] CNN Reporter : "The U.S. State Department also blasted the North's elections in connection with the country's human rights condition. The British government said they didn't, at the very least, hold a secret ballot, adding that the process was a far cry from democracy."

4. Wetland Safety

[Anchor Lead]

Every summer drowning accidents occur in the wetlands of the west coast caused by the high tide. Here's how to stay safe.

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A family perched precariously on a rock grab hold of a rope and swim to the shore. They became stranded when the tide started coming in while they were digging for clams.

[Soundbite] "Don't be afraid, jump in the water. Just jump."

Engrossed in their clam-digging, these people failed to notice that the seawater was rising.

[Soundbite] Kim (Voice altered) : "We didn't know the tide times. It was dark all around. We realized it was too late to go back."

The speed of a high tide can range from 7 to 15 kilometers an hour. That's two to three times faster than the walking speed of an adult, and therefore does not allow enough time to evacuate. Early this month, a couple drowned in the ocean waters off Ansan after becoming stranded during a high tide. More than 530 cases of stranding accidents occurred in the nation over the past three years, killing nine people. To prevent such a tragedy, it's essential to check the tide charts using a smartphone app before entering a wetland. Travelers are also advised to refrain from entering a wetland alone, because when one's feet become stuck in the mud, it becomes difficult to escape even for adults. To save time in case of emergency, victims should turn on the GPS signal on their smartphone before calling rescue services.

5. Revenge Driving Crackdown

[Anchor Lead]

The police are cracking down on what's called revenge driving. Any threats made on the road by someone operating a vehicle can lead to terrible incidents. We have more on this alarming trend of revenge driving.

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An express bus slightly goes over the lane on a curvy road and the one-ton cargo truck that was running beside it is startled. And then the truck begins to retaliate. The truck passes ahead of the bus and halts to a sudden stop. The bus, trying to avoid a collision, veers to the outside lane.

[Soundbite] (Express Bus Driver) : "This is a major incident that could have led to death. How can I drive as a living if there are those who mess with public transportation?"

Meanwhile, this car blocks a bus on the middle of a highway in retaliation over getting cut-off earlier. Here, a passenger car drives in a threatening manner after wrangling with a motorcyclist. Still fuming, he eventually gets out of his car and picks a verbal fight.

[Soundbite] "Have you been drinking? Call the police to find out."

Revenge driving, accidentally triggered by trifling quarrels, can lead to large scale, horrendous accidents. The North Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency said it rounded up three suspects following its crackdown that began July 10.

6. Organic Adhesive

[Anchor Lead]

Korean researchers have developed a new adhesive using the structure of the adhesive protein found in mussels. The finding is expected to be of great help in medicine because the material does not trigger a rejection response from the body and it doesn’t leave any scars.

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A newly developed protein adhesive is applied to a wound on a lab mouse. After being exposed to light for about ten seconds, the wound closes. This animal test demonstrates the effectiveness of the protein adhesive developed by a team of researchers led by Pohang University of Science and Technology's Chemical Engineering Department Professor Cha Hyung-joon. The new adhesive can be used to stitch up wounds, including surgical ones.

[Soundbite] Prof. Cha Hyung-joon (POSTECH) : "This finding is meaningful because this protein adhesive is the first that can be used on the human body."

The researchers developed the adhesive using the structure of the natural adhesive protein found in mussels. Thanks to its natural properties, the adhesive has a low rejection rate and leaves almost no visible scarring compared to existing surgical stitches. The researchers expect the adhesive to be particularly effective in preventing excessive bleeding during surgeries because it can close a wound in just ten seconds of exposure to light. The researchers plan to commercialize their findings within two years after conducting clinical trials.

7. Korean Tour Destinations

[Anchor Lead]

With the summer vacation season coming into full swing, many people are looking for good domestic tourist destinations. Today, we will introduce special vacation options that are available in the capitals of Korea's ancient kingdoms Silla and Baekje. Let's take a look.

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These are the Donggung Pavilion and Wolji Lake in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the site of a palace during the Unified Silla period. Centuries-old buildings are set in a serene landscape, which is rarely found in busy and crowded urban areas. As the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom, Gyeongju is like a museum with historical sites scattered all over the entire city. The house of the Choi family in Gyeongju is a site that teaches living lessons about sharing and kindness. Known for its wealth, the Choi family lived up to the tradition of helping those in need without hesitation.

[Soundbite] Kim Tae-hyung (Visitor) : "The Choi family fulfilled the responsibility of "noblesse oblige." I think my children will learn a lot from them."

[Soundbite] "Hello? Hello"

Rare birds and plants greet visitors who are returning from a travel back in time, adding some spice to their vacations. These are historic areas from the Baekje Kingdom, which were recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Families pay a visit during the summer vacation to catch glimpses of the culture of the ancient kingdom. More and more families are choosing ancient capitals and historical sites as vacation destinations to learn about the nation's traditional culture and history.

8. Entertainment News

[Anchor Lead]

Idol boy group TVXQ member U-Know Yunho has joined the military. Another South Korean boy group, Beast, has a new song that has topped a Chinese music chart. This and more coming up in today's entertainment news.

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Boy band TVXQ member U-Know Yunho entered boot camp in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday to begin his 21-month mandatory military service. The star said through his agency that he wanted his entry into the service to be a low-profile affair, but his fans from Korea, Japan and other Asian nations gathered en masse to bid him farewell. TVXQ will halt their activities for the time being, as another member, Max Changmin, will enlist as a conscripted policeman later this year. Idol boy band Beast's latest song "Gotta Go to Work" has topped China's largest music chart, the YinYueTai V. With heartfelt lyrics, the song describes the longing a man feels upon having to leave a loved one behind to go to work. Returning as a four-member band, girl group the Wonder Girls have released the first video featuring their instrumental performance. Amid a mysterious atmosphere, the sounds of a bass guitar played by Sunmi captivate the viewer's eyes and ears. The Wonder Girls will release the title track of their third regular album with a music video on August 3.

9. Ramie Fabric Focus

[Anchor Lead]

Many people think that clothes made with ramie fabric are mostly worn by old people, but a growing number of products made with this cooling fabric are designed for younger consumers. Here's more on this unique fabric that helps people stay cool throughout the summer.

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This farm in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province grows the famous "hansan ramie." This area has ideal climactic conditions for growing ramie thanks to high humidity brought on by sea winds and the fertile soil.

[Soundbite] Cho Han-shik (Ramie Farmer) : "Ramie grows well in humid and hot areas. Ramie grown in such conditions is steadier and taller, which makes it ideal for producing fabric."

The fabric is made with ramie stems after removing the leaves. To weave clothing fabric, thick raw ramie must be made first. The outer skin is removed with a saw blade until only the soft part is left. The inner skin is dried in the sun and soaked in water several times. Now the thick raw ramie is ready.

[Soundbite] Bang Yeon-ok (Master of Hansan Ramie Weaving) : "The skin is peeled off and the thick raw ramie is torn into thin parts by hand before it's woven into a fabric."

Next, the raw ramie is split into thinner parts. This is done with the mouth. During this process the thickness of ramie is determined. The next step is connecting the threads. Ramie is placed on the knees to keep the plies intact and then rubbed with the hands. Only after all these steps can the weaving process finally begin. This is done by interlacing the warp yarn with the woof yarn on a loom. Everything is exclusively done by hand. Ramie is used not only as a fabric but also as a cooking ingredient. But it should be boiled or steamed to make it softer. Rice cakes made with ramie are a popular snack in Korea. People of all ages like its light and neat taste. Knife-cut noodles made with ramie are also popular. First chop the ramie leaves, grind them in a blender to extract their juices and mix with flour dough. You can use ramie powder instead, but if you want your noodles to have a distinct color and taste better, use raw ramie leaves. Lightweight clothes and nutritious food made with ramie will keep you cool during the summer heat.