U.S. Sanctions

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The U.S. government has extended its list of sanctioned individuals and organizations involved in illegal transactions of minerals and weapons with North Korea. U.S. President Barack Obama has issued a new executive order to begin the implementation of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act, which was recently passed by Congress.

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The U.S. Department of Treasury has placed on the list of sanctioned individuals two officials from North Korea's State Security Department who are currently active in Syria and Egypt. The updated list also includes 15 organizations such as North Korean shipbuilding companies and banks, as well as 20 North Korean ships. A diplomatic source in Washington has reported that the newly sanctioned individuals are presumed to be involved in illegal transactions of minerals and weapons with the North, but they were not as high-profile as previously sanctioned figures. The source said the U.S. updated the list of sanctioned figures to demonstrate its strong determination to follow through with the sanctions rather than to have the sanctions produce an immediate effect. The new executive order on North Korea sanctions issued by U.S. President Barack Obama earlier includes comprehensive stipulations banning mineral transactions in the North, human rights violations, cyber terror, exports of goods to the North and investment. The latest measures also include so-called "secondary boycott" stipulations on blocking wages for North Korean workers earning money overseas, which is the major source of income for North Korea, as well as sanctioning businesses and banks from third countries that have transactions with the North.

2. Joint Military Drills

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As part of their ongoing Foal Eagle drill, the militaries of South Korea and the U.S. have conducted a joint river-crossing exercise simulating a maneuvering unit's infiltration into enemy territory. Having carried out a landing exercise last weekend, South Korean and U.S. marines have begun the final drill aimed at securing an inland target facility.

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A line of domestic anti-air guided weapons named "Cheonma" and armored vehicles cross a makeshift bridge built over water. The bridge remains solid and unshakable despite the crossing of equipment weighing tens of tons. This is a joint river-crossing exercise to smoothly aid a maneuvering unit's infiltration operation in case of emergency. It focused on verifying if U.S. gear can immediately replace the South Korean military's river-crossing equipment that has gone wrong.

[Soundbite] Kim Kwan-soo(Commander, River-crossing Unit, 7th Engineer Brigade) : "The exercise was meaningful, as we obtained operational flexibility by integrating and operating representative river-crossing assets owned by both militaries."

As part of their "ssangryong" or "double dragon" exercise, South Korean and U.S. marines entered the final operation phase aimed at securing an inland strategic base after landing. Tanks, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles advanced some 50 kilometers inland. The U.S.' Stryker Brigade specializing in street battles will continue to conduct a variety of penetration exercises until next month.

3. North Korean Bluster

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In what appears to be an angry response to the joint military drills, North Korea says it will launch a preemptive strike even at the slightest sign of provocation. Pyongyang has stepped up its threat by saying it will deploy all of its weapons including atomic bombs.

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Pyongyang says it will immediately launch a preemptive strike even at the slightest sign of provocation from the South. The threat comes in response to the latest joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises that targeted the North's key bases. Pyongyang has issued a special statement from its government, political party and organizations to harshly criticize the inland infiltration operations that were included in the exercise. The North called the operations targeting its leader, Kim Jong-un, "unacceptable" and threatened to deploy all of its military capabilities to launch a preemptive strike.

[Soundbite] Korea Central TV(N. Korea) : "This shows that the reckless acts of invaders targeting our dignified leader have reached the extreme point where they cannot be tolerated anymore."

Pyongyang stepped up its threat by saying it's ready to attack the South anytime with its more compact, precise and diversified nuclear warheads.

4. NK Restaurant Closings

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The South Korean government's request for South Koreans to refrain from using North Korean restaurants overseas has lead to closedowns of those diners in China. Our next report dives into whether this signals a tangible outcome of sanctions on the North.

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North Korean restaurants once thrived with swarms of South Korean customers. However, diners are rarely seen here, since the South Korean government issued a request for South Koreans to refrain from using the restaurants, calling them a financial source for the Kim Jong-un regime's weapons of mass destruction. A Foreign Ministry official said that some of the North Korean restaurants have closed down or changed into other stores, as Chinese people as well as South Koreans avoid them. This is the first time closedowns of North Korean restaurants have been reported since the government placed its own sanctions on North Korea. In particular, there are approximately 100 North Korean restaurants in China. Therefore, it is likely that more North Korean restaurants will close down if the sanctions further expand. Announcing its own sanctions on March 8th, the government explained that a considerable amount of the ten million U.S. dollars annually earned by North Korean restaurants overseas is funneled into Kim Jong-un's funds account. There are 20,000 North Korean workers in China, including restaurant employees. Some of them have been reportedly expelled, as China has toughened crackdowns on workers without proper visas.

5. New Allergy Treatment

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Many children suffer from food-related allergies. Korean researchers have discovered that Bifidobacteria found in the intestines of newborns can be effective in treating allergy symptoms.

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This childcare center has 170 children. The center has to take extra caution in preparing meals because one out of every ten children attending it has allergy symptoms caused by food.

[Soundbite] Park Soo-kyung(Director, Daycare Center) : "We face difficulties in dealing with the individual needs of each child, such as allergies."

About seven percent of Korean infants and young children are allergic to eggs, peanuts and other foods that can cause skin rashes and diarrhea. Researchers from the Rural Development Administration have discovered Bifidobacterium KACC 91563 in the intestines of Korean newborn babies. The bacterium is known to help reduce allergic reactions. After feeding allergic lab mice the Bifidobacterium for one month, the researchers found that allergy symptoms mostly disappeared in 35 percent of the mice, and improved in the remaining ones. The recovery rate was as high as 40 percent when the bacterium was administered through injections. The Rural Development Administration plans to supply the Bifidobacteria to dairy farms and food manufacturers. The researchers plan to further study the bacterium, which is presumed to be also effective in preventing aging using its antioxidant properties and lowering blood pressure.

6. Gwangju Auto Factory

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A Chinese carmaker has announced a plan to build a factory with an annual production capability of 100,000 units in the South Korean city of Gwangju in Jeolla Province. It appears that the Chinese automaker is making this move to capitalize on Korea's advanced technology. With this opportunity, Gwangju is taking aim at becoming the nation's largest car producer.

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A Chinese car factory with an annual production capacity of 100,000 units will be built in the South Korean city of Gwangju, home to a Kia Motors plant. The Chinese carmaker will invest a total of over 210 million U.S. dollars in the new factory, which will be completed by 2020.

[Soundbite] (Joylong Automobile Vice President) : "We will produce three key parts, such as batteries and engines, in Gwangju through close cooperation."

In particular, the factory will mass-produce 2,000 electric vans starting in 2017. It will eventually churn out 20,000 electric cars a year. Analysts say that the Chinese automaker's decision is to advance into the South Korean and global markets, based on the automobile production infrastructure and technology in Gwangju. The Chinese automaker has unveiled a plan to test consumers' taste by bringing in 500 cars in half-finished form and assembling them at a contractor in Gwangju. The Chinese factory is expected to boost the car parts industry in Gwangju, as it will use South Korean products for 70 percent of the components in cars manufactured in the South Korean city.

7. Critical Novel

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The French translation of a novel criticizing the North Korean regime has been published. Surprisingly, this novel was penned by a writer currently working in North Korea.

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This collection of novels is titled “Denunciation." Reportedly written by a North Korean author working under the penname "Bandi," the manuscript was smuggled out of North Korea by a refugee. Just two years after the collection of stories was published in South Korea, its French translation has been published in France for the first time in the western world. Since North Korean provocations have been covered widely in the news lately, local media have introduced the work in various ways. French historian Pierre Rigoulot, who wrote the book's epilogue, assessed that North Korea is changing slowly. Information flowing into the country from China and South Korea is making the regime's propaganda and agitation attempts futile.

[Soundbite] Pierre Rigoulot(Director, Inst. of Social History) : "The North Korean government can no longer advertise to its people that South Koreans are starving in hell and that North Korea is heaven."

He also said that the changes in North Koreans are caused by the black markets in North Korea and smuggling from China. Professor Rigoulot pointed out the contradictory duplicity of the North Korean regime, which uses a Disney character to portray Kim Jong-un while ruthlessly purging Kim's uncle Jang Song-thaek.

8. Entertainment News

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The life story of a freedom fighter who sacrificed his life in the name of his beliefs is hitting theaters this week. Here's a look at some of the movies opening in Korea on today’s show biz segment.

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Reverend Joo Gi-cheol refused to follow the Japanese imperial regime's order to pay tribute to a war shrine despite 7 years of incarceration and horrifying torture. Joo's life, which ended in prison after a long resistance, went beyond religion and represented the Korean people's national movement. Dramatic elements and rare recordings have been added to the documentary film produced by KBS. 27-year-old Irish man Bobby Sands goes on a 66-day hunger strike while incarcerated. The film depicts his physical struggle to defend his beliefs. Michael Fassbender lost 14 kilograms in order to vividly portray the Irish hero Bobby Sands. A 70-something grandpa, full of energy, takes his grandson on a trip. The grandfather starts giving eccentric yet ingenious life lessons to his stubborn grandson, whose sole objective in life is to succeed.

[Soundbite] Zac Efron(Lead Actor)

A man loses his life's partner in an accident late in his life. Lost without a purpose in life, Franny finds his last hope when Olivia, a girl he had loved like his own daughter since childhood, comes to visit him. The film shows how a man heals his wounds hidden behind the facade of a splendid life.

9. Stretching Your Spine

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If you don't feel like you’ve had a good, restful night's sleep waking up in the morning, this may be a red flag concerning your spinal health. What's called the McKenzie Method or a back extension exercise is gaining popularity as a solution to spinal issues. Today we look at what this is and its effects.

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People practice the McKenzie exercise in the office. What all they're doing is bending their necks back and looking up.

[Soundbite] Choi Seong-gyeong(Jongno District, Seoul) : "We watch the computer monitor all day which hurts our neck and waist. All the employees try to do the McKenzie exercise together from time to time."

Let's learn the motions with this man suffering chronic neck pain. Try this out every 15 minutes while sitting. First straighten your waist. Then gather your shoulder blade bones on your back and fling back your shoulders. Then raise your head and look up for five seconds.

[Soundbite] Prof. Jeong Seon-geun(Seoul Nat'l Univ. Hospital) : "There should be no radiating pain from the shoulder joint toward the arm when bending back your neck. If you feel pain at any moment, immediately stop the bending."

This time we stand up. Part your legs a little wider than your shoulders. Place your hands on the back of your waist, breathe in with your nose and gradually pull back your upper body. Keep this posture for five to ten seconds after which you start breathing out and slowly rise up. The McKenzie Method helps in maintaining an overall healthy spine. If you have pain in your waist, an exercise move lying face down will help.

[Soundbite] Seong Gwan-sik(Physical Therapist, Seoul Nat'l Univ. Hospital) : "Breathe in through your nose and breathe out twice longer with your mouth. It's important to breath out slowly for a complete relaxation exercise."

Then place your two fists vertically under your jaw. If you feel no pain, try to further lift up your body while your arms beneath the elbows remain on the ground. If there's still no pain, push yourself further and completely straighten your arms. You can practice this motion five minutes each in the morning and evening.

[Soundbite] "After briefly trying the McKenzie exercise, my waist and neck pains have considerably lessened. I should practice the moves more frequently from now on."

Make the McKenzie exercise a daily routine and keep your neck and spine, the pillars of the body, in top notch condition.