MERS Outbreak Over

[Anchor Lead]

The last patient to have tested positive for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus has been ruled negative at last. As the country's last remaining MERS patient has been cured of the disease, Korea plans to officially declare an end to the MERS outbreak on October 29th.

[Pkg]

Out of 186 MERS-confirmed patients in Korea, the last person to receive the final negative test result was a 35-year-old male. Genetic tests were conducted twice, on September 30th and October 1st, and no MERS viruses were detected. This patient in his 30s became infected when he was staying at Samsung Medical Center's emergency room at the end of May. He is cured of the disease after 116 days, since he was confirmed of having MERS on June 7th. He is recorded as the patient who had MERS for the longest time in Korea and the world. Doctors explain that it took a long time for him to recover completely because his immune system had been compromised due to his chronic health problems. As the last remaining MERS patient has been cured completely, the Korean government plans to officially declare an end to the MERS outbreak on October 29th. The World Health Organization stipulated that an outbreak's end can be declared 28 days after the last MERS-negative result is confirmed. Korea has finally beaten the disease 163 days after patient zero was diagnosed on May 20th. No new MERS case has been reported for 89 days now.

2. Korea’s Black Friday

[Anchor Lead]
Korea’s Black Friday, the largest discount event in the nation, began on Thursday with some 26,000 stores participating. Consumers flocked to stores to get the best deals, some offered at up to 70 percent off the regular price, raising hopes for a revival of consumption amid the economic recession.

[Pkg]

As the doors open, scores of consumers who had been waiting outside rush in. The department store becomes packed with shoppers in no time.

[Soundbite] "We don't have this anymore. It's sold out. There's one more here."

It doesn't take long for stocks of popular items to sell out.

[Soundbite] Nam Kyeong-joo (Visitor) : "I want to find a few items. Is there anything you want to buy here? Yes, I'm trying to pick something up here."

More than 700 consumers flocked to this department store even before its opening hours upon hearing that it would offer discounts of up to 70 percent. On the first day of the Black Friday event the department store's sales recorded a 20 percent surge compared to the first days of regular discount events. Some 26,000 supermarket chains, traditional markets, convenience stores and online shops are participating in the Korean version of Black Friday. Movie theaters, amusement parks and franchise stores are also offering large discounts to alleviate consumers' financial burdens. The Korea Black Friday event was launched for the first time in hopes of reviving consumption, which suffered a blow due to the MERS outbreak. The largest-ever discount event will last for two weeks with the aim of encouraging consumers to open their wallets.

3. Armed Forces Day

[Anchor Lead]

At a ceremony marking the nation's 67th Armed Forces Day on Thursday, President Park Geun-hye urged North Korea to immediately halt its nuclear development and come to the dialogue table. She also emphasized that she will support the military's core strategic capacities by increasing next year's defense budget.

[Pkg]

President Park Geun-hye stressed that if North Korea insists on developing its nuclear arsenal, its isolation from the global community will only worsen and its path to economic growth will remain closed.

[Soundbite] Park Geun-hye (President) : "The North must immediately stop its development of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles, which are jeopardizing the fate of the Korean people and impeding world peace."

However, she said that if the North seeks to engage in dialogue, the South will enthusiastically help with economic reconstruction, and repeatedly urged Pyongyang to give up its nuclear development and accept the offer of cooperation. President Park also stressed that South Korea's best weapons are the troops' staunch patriotic spirit and people's unified resolve for national security. She asked for a strengthened integrated defensive posture in order to respond to security threats, such as cyber terrorism and massive infectious disease outbreaks. President Park further encouraged the nation's armed forces saying the well-being of the South Korean people was assured because its soldiers are armed with true spirit and patriotism.

4. Dangerous Joyride

[Anchor Lead]

Police have apprehended a man in his 20s who stole a van and took off with it for about 40 minutes. The perpetrator had no driver's license, but said he learned to drive playing video games and was looking for speed.

[Pkg]

A police car chases a white van speeding down the motorway in the early morning hours. When the officers order the driver to pull over, he accelerates even more. He continues speeding, ignoring traffic lights and crossing lanes, and eventually enters a highway. A highway patrol car attempts to assist by making the driver pull over, but when they try to detain him, he begins to drive into oncoming traffic to escape. Only after the perpetrator was surrounded by four police cars did he finally come to a stop. The 21-year-old driver surnamed Park has 20 counts on his criminal record and a mental disability. He learned to drive by playing video games but didn't have a driver's license.

[Soundbite] Detained Driver (Voice altered) : "I wanted to enjoy the sensation of speed while driving. It was fun but it also made me upset."

Luckily, no one was hurt during the 40-minute chase, which spanned 17 kilometers.

[Soundbite] Pol. Kim Min-joon (Seongnam Sujeong Police Dept.) : "Detaining him safely was our priority so we took risks while chasing him."

Police have arrested the driver on charges of larceny.

5. New Smartphones

[Anchor Lead]

World-leading Korean smartphone manufacturers have rolled out new products. LG Electronics unveiled its premium smartphone model with an emphasis on performance, while Samsung Electronics introduced its first round-faced smartwatch focusing on utility.

[Pkg]

This is the V10, LG Electronics' ambitious new smartphone developed to take on the Apple iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy. LG has upgraded the phone's video recording feature with a professional photographer mode that allows a user to adjust the focus and shutter speed. Two cameras are built into the front of the device so that up to eight people can be captured in a single frame without using a selfie stick. The V10 also features the world's first second screen, which is an auxiliary screen that shows time or text messages without the need to turn on the main display. Competition in the smartwatch arena is also intensifying. This smartwatch allows a user to answer a call or send a text even without a smartphone nearby. It's capable of making simple payments and the user can choose different functions by turning the wheel around the watch face. LG Electronics also joined the race with its own smartwatch featuring an LTE-grade communication capability. The smartphone contest is heating up as the world watches whether the Korean electronics manufacturers' new releases emphasizing performance and utility can stop Apple's dominance.

6. Seniors & IT Assistance

[Anchor Lead]

The number of seniors living alone in Korea is on the rise, with one in every five elderly people living without the companionship of any of their family members. Recently IT services that help to look after seniors living alone and those suffering from Alzheimer's have been developed.

[Pkg]

This elderly woman lives alone, but her wrist band sends out a signal whenever she's not feeling well. An emergency bell rings in the situation room of her local ward office. Officials on duty request the managers of the woman's apartment building to check on her.

[Soundbite] Kim Hye-won (Official, Eunpyeong District Office, Seoul) : "Is that the management office? There is an emergency at the first rest area. Please check."

The Eunpyeong District office introduced this "safety band" service to help senior residents.

[Soundbite] Kim Mal-lye (Senior Living Alone) : "I feel safe because I can press the bell whenever I feel sick or get hurt. Otherwise, there's no one around to help me."

The whereabouts of elderly residents can be accurately traced using wireless communication technologies. When they travel too far from their homes, the alarm goes off right away.

[Soundbite] "Help me! Help me!"

Officials can also make calls to the elderly using this device.

[Soundbite] Kim Woo-young (Mayor, Eunpyeong District, Seoul) : "When there is an emergency, we can mobilize our officials immediately to save precious lives. That's the biggest advantage of this system.

In aging societies like Korea, IT services are evolving quickly to help senior citizens spend the remainder of their lives in a safe and healthy way.

7. BIFF Opening Ceremony

[Anchor Lead]

The Busan International Film Festival launched in 1996 and has come of age, turning 20 years old this year. Follow us to the dazzling opening ceremony.

[Pkg]

Film stars strut the red carpet as the Busan International Film Festival kicks off. The opening ceremony hosted by Korean actor Song Kang-ho and Afghan actress Marina Golbahari was attended by 4,000 people including some 300 film industry figures from home and abroad. For the first time this year for the festival's 20th anniversary, a "royal procession" featuring the traditional Korean music "gugak" marked the opening of the film gala.

[Soundbite] Suh Byung-soo (Chairman, BIFF Organizing Cmte.) : "I declare the opening of the Busan International Film Festival!"

The festival this year showcases over 300 films from 75 countries including 27 world premieres. The films will be screened at six theaters in the downtown Nampodong and Haeundae areas in the southern port city of Busan.

[Soundbite] (Festival Visitor) : "I'll make time to see independent films in particular and attend events with film stars held on Busan beaches."

Silver screen stars and famed directors from home and abroad are also in Busan to meet with audiences. The list includes French actress Sophie Marceau, Chinese actress Tang Wei and Korean actor Yoo Ah-in. Numerous other events will also take place on the sidelines during the festival period, such as the Asian Film Market, the largest film market event in Asia, which marks its 10th year. This year, they'll hold castings to recruit new Asian actors and actresses.

8. Entertainment News

[Anchor Lead]

The Korean film "The Throne" is a continuing success at the box office. It has drawn over 5 million moviegoers in just 16 days. This and more in our culture news roundup.

[Pkg]

Korean period film "The Throne" directed by Lee Joon-ik has attracted over 5 million moviegoers in 16 days. The film portrays the tragic family history surrounding King Yeongjo and his son, Crown Prince Sado. "The Throne" has maintained a steadfast box office lead since its release. The film has also become lead actor Song Kang-ho's 10th film to be watched by over 5 million viewers. The veteran actor played King Yeongjo in the latest film. All four members of girl group Brown Eyed Girls now belong to the same management agency. Apop Entertainment, the management agency of Ga-In, one of the four members, announced that it also signed exclusive contracts with the other three - JeA, Miryo and Narsha. Brown Eyed Girls will release a new album this month. "All That Music," a music show aired by KBS Chuncheon with the aim of promoting indie musicians, will hold an open broadcast in Seoul on October 20 to mark its 200th episode. Singer Kim Soo-cheol and punk band Crying Nut will perform at the open broadcast. Other musicians in the lineup include 10cm, The Barberettes and Daybreak.

9. Bike Riding Tips

[Anchor Lead]

The number of people in Korea riding bicycles, as a hobby or as part of their regular commute, has surpassed 12 million. This means that one in every five Koreans rides a bike. Here are some helpful biking tips.

[Pkg]

You can see a lot of people on bikes over the weekend thanks to the well-established biking paths all over the country. Cycling is known as a popular aerobic exercise. We tested its effectiveness by measuring body heat it produces. Here's how body heat changed after our test subject rode a bike for ten minutes. As you can see, the subject's chest and hands are shown in red.

[Soundbite] Cho Sung-yeon (Sports Medicine Doctor) : "Cycling not only improves cardiovascular endurance and blood circulation, but also helps you lose extra weight. When compared to walking, it burns dowm 1.5 times more calories."

To maximize the effectiveness of cycling, it's important to choose the right bike for your physique and maintain proper riding posture. Female bikers should pick bicycles with wide seats, because women have wider hips.

[Soundbite] Ju Min-hee (Cycling Expert) : "The seat should come up to just below your belt line."

Your knees should remain slightly bent when the pedals reach the bottom. If the seat is too low, your knee joints may be injured. If the seat is too high, it may cause spinal deformities. The ball of your foot should rest on the central axes of the pedal. Wearing safety gear is essential when cycling. Your helmet should be about two centimeters above your eyebrows, while the string should not be too tight. Wearing cycling goggles will protect your eyes from strong winds and foreign substances that may get into the eyes. When it comes to cycling gloves, long ones are better, as they can protect your fingers. Before getting on the bike, don't forget to perform stretching exercises for at least five minutes to prevent injuries. By following these tips you can stay fit and have fun cycling on weekends with your loved ones.