INTENT BEHIND KIM’S ORDERS

INTENT BEHIND KIM'S ORDERS

[Anchor Lead]
Following N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un's declaration to categorize North and South Korea as hostile states, North Korea is rapidly advancing related procedures. This includes dismantling facilities related to unification and inter-Korean cooperation from the Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il eras, and plans to amend its constitution to reflect these changed relations. We have the details.

[Pkg]
A monument in Pyongyang dedicated to national unification that reflects the will of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, and the inter-Korean Gyeongui railway, the product of cross-border exchange under former leader Kim Jong-il. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered the demolition of these facilities.

[Soundbite]
(N. Korean Central Television): We should completely remove the eyesore monument and eliminate concepts such as unification, reconciliation and fellow countrymen.

The North is putting into action a fundamental change to its South Korea strategies including declaring the two Koreas as hostile nations, calling the South the North's primary enemy and getting rid of agencies handling inter-Korean affairs. Even denying past legacy, Pyongyang is instituting changes to cross-border relations through law and regulations.

[Soundbite]
Cheong Seong-chang (Sejong Institute): Kim made it clear to take completely different path from how the North viewed the South and Korea as a whole under the reign of his father and grandfather.

Notably, Pyongyang plans to inscribe South Korea as a belligerent, hostile nation in the North's constitution. Experts believe the regime is sending a message that South Korea is no longer a concerned party in Korean Peninsula affairs and that it will directly deal with the United States, based on the armistice agreement.

[Soundbite]
Hong Min (Korea Institute for Nat'l Unification): N. Korea views the constitution as the most effective means to showcase to the U.S. its long-term policy continuity.

As Kim Jong-un's rejection of the Northern Limit Line has renewed concern of armed maritime provocation, Seoul's defense ministry has vowed to defend the de-facto sea border at all costs.

PUTIN MEETS N. KOREAN FM

[Anchor Lead]
Russian president Vladimir Putin met with North Korean foreign minister Choe Son-hui. The Kremlin reported on its homepage that Putin met with Choe yesterday in Moscow to be briefed about the foreign ministers' meeting held earlier in the day. However, the details of the meeting were not released. In the earlier meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, Choe relayed leader Kim Jong-un's invitation to President Putin to visit North Korea.

"SEVERALFOLD STRONGER RESPONSE"

[Anchor Lead]
As North Korea's provocations escalate, President Yoon Suk Yeol has made his position clear. He sternly warned that any provocations from North Korea will be met with a response several times more powerful, emphasizing that the age-old threats of war or peace will no longer be effective.

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Up until recently President Yoon Suk Yeol had refrained from making public comments on North Korea's successive provocations since the start of the year. But this time it was different. He has called North Korea's acts "a political provocation" aimed at dividing South Korea and causing public anxiety. He stressed that the North's propaganda must be warded off with overwhelming response capabilities.

[Soundbite]
Yoon Suk Yeol (President): If N. Korea conducts a provocation, we will punish them severalfold harder. Their fake peace tactics of threatening to choose between war and peace will not work anymore.

Yoon says North Korea's definition of inter-Korean relations as "hostile" is an acknowledgement of itself being an "anti-national and anti-historical group”. A presidential official said Yoon personally announced his stance to reduce public anxiety. However, in contrast to his sharp criticism of the regime, the president asked to warmly embrace North Korean people. He also told his administration to designate an official day for North Korean defectors. Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said Pyongyang's intentions lie in solidifying the regime.

[Soundbite]
Shin Won-sik (Defense minister (KBS Radio ‘Newsletter K’)): N. Korea will likely raise the possibility of war to quell public resentment and step up encouragement and control.

The defense chief added that the South Korean military is preparing for the worst-case scenario, and urged not to be swayed by the North's threats.

PPP'S CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS

[Anchor Lead]
The People Power Party will reflect 80% of public opinion, especially from non-party members in the metropolitan areas, for candidate nominations in the upcoming general elections. This strategy is part of their commitment to align with public expectations. Also, Han Dong-hoon, chairman of the emergency committee, has pledged to reduce parliamentary seats to 250 if they win the election.

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Announcing the outcome of its first meeting, the People Power Party's nomination committee emphasized "system nomination". It vowed to prevent any secretive and collusive candidate nominations. The party's emergency committee chief Han Dong-hoon previously stressed the need to prioritize winning nominations. However, the proportion of public opinion polls in the capital region, Chungcheong region, among others, which was initially set at 50% in party rules, has now increased to 80%.

[Soundbite]
Chung Young-hwan (Chief, PPP Nomination Committee): Incumbent lawmakers are the biggest problem. We have devised detailed criteria on their replacement.

The party will divide the country into four regions based on local advantages and disadvantages. Around 7 incumbent lawmakers evaluated in the lowest 10% in their regions won't be nominated. For candidates elected three or more times in the same area, the party will reduce the required primary election vote threshold by 15%. Young candidates who are 34 or younger will receive maximum additional points. Candidates with criminal records of secondary sexual violence, workplace bullying, school violence and illegal drug use will be disqualified. During his visit to Incheon, Han called for reducing the number of parliamentary seats as his fourth political reform plan. He vowed to pass a law on reducing the number of lawmakers from the current 300 to 250 if the ruling party wins the general elections.

[Soundbite]
Han Dong-hoon (Chair, PPP Emergency Committee): As long as the DP is not opposed, we will cut parliamentary seats to 250 this April.

Han attended a meeting with the PPP's Seoul branch on Wednesday as he continues to stump the capital region for the second day in a row to sway voters in the most decisive area for his party.

DP CRITICIZES PPP'S PLEDGE

[Anchor Lead]
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has criticized ruling party interim leader Han Dong-hoon, for his proposal to reduce the number of National Assembly members, labeling it a makeshift election pledge. Meanwhile, 'A New Future,' a new party being initiated by former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, has entered into full-scale party formation activities.

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The Democratic Party criticized ruling party interim leader Han Dong-hoon's pledge to cut the number of National Assembly representatives as a makeshift election pledge. The main opposition demanded a halt to acts that foster political hatred.

[Soundbite]
Choi Hye-young (Floor spokesperson, DP): It was a makeshift pledge to win instant support for the election. Is fostering political hatred Han Dong-hoon's way of reforming politics?

The DP countered Han's pledge with a constitutional amendment plan. The opposition party demanded that they should discuss limiting the president's right of reconsideration request together with Han's proposal to surrender lawmakers' immunity from arrest.

[Soundbite]
Hong Ihk-pyo (Floor Leader, DP): Immunity from arrest is a matter of constitutional amendment. We'll cooperate with PPP on other reform issues such as president’s veto rights.

Meanwhile, A New Future, a party in formation in which former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon is overseeing member recruitment, held an inauguration ceremony to start building the party in earnest. Members of the third-position parties, such as the New Reform Party's policy committee head Lee Jun-seok and the Future Federation's Kim Jong-min, also attended the ceremony to imply that negotiations will soon be underway to bring parties together under a so-called 'big tent'.

[Soundbite]
Lee Nak-yon (Recruiting Committee Chair, A New Future): People who have nothing to lose politically will come together to criticize the Yoon administration and present alternatives.

A New Future will hold launching ceremonies in cities and provinces before wrapping up the party formation procedure early next month.

TREATING INSOMNIA WITH APP

[Anchor Lead]
For the first time in South Korea, the prescription of digital therapeutic devices has commenced. The first domestic digital therapeutic device authorized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is an application for treating insomnia. Unlike standard mobile apps, this application requires a doctor's prescription.

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This is a digital therapy device created to treat the cognitive behavior of insomnia patients using a mobile app. The app helps people change their wrong ways of thinking and bad sleeping habits which cause insomnia. After undergoing clinical trial, the device has been approved for use by the drug safety ministry.

[Soundbite]
I think it was about 1 a.m. (Enter 1 a.m.)

The time when a patient went to bed and woke up is entered and the app calculates a sleep efficiency rate of 33%. This means the actual length of sleep was just one third of the time the person was lying in bed. The app tells the patient to reduce the time of lying down.

[Soundbite]
You must not lie down before or after the given bedtime.

This man, who has struggled to have a good night sleep for a year or so, has been prescribed this digital device instead of sleeping pills.

[Soundbite]
Lee Jae-hyeong (Insomnia patient): I can't sleep so I sleep late or wake up midway which affects the time I get up. It's not easy to tackle this on my own.

The app offers behavioral therapy and timely feedback anytime, anywhere without the patient having to visit the hospital.

[Soundbite]
Prof. Lee Eun (Severance Hospital): The device delivers many instructions which are all based on data entered by the patient. They are meant to correct and improve habits.

Once patients' data is accumulated starting with the first prescription, this will allow a more refined and thorough treatment down the road, with the aim of reducing reliance on sleep medication.

AVG. PET CARE EXPENSES

[Anchor Lead]
A survey found that households that raise pets spend about 130,000 won(USD 96) per month on pet care. In a 2023 national survey on animal welfare, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs found that a pet's hospital bill accounted for 43,800 won(USD 32) out of 130,000 won(USD 96) per month spent on pet food and other pet care expenses. By animal, it took an average of 166,000 won(USD 123) per month to care for a dog and 113,000 won(USD 84) for a cat.

K-POP CRAZE IN THE NEW YEAR

[Anchor Lead]
Turning to the world of K-POP, singer IU marks her much-anticipated return after over two years, bringing a new song to her fans. This latest track has garnered significant attention for being shot in collaboration with BTS member V prior to his enlistment in the military. Meanwhile, K-pop continues its global dominance, sweeping through various international charts and award ceremonies, maintaining its fervor into the new year.

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K-pop superstar IU is making a comeback after 2 years, joining hands with BTS member V. The two starred in the music video of her new song "Love Wins". V is known to have filmed it before enlisting in the military. The music video is directed by filmmaker Um Tae-hwa, who directed the recent hit movie, "Concrete Utopia". "Love Wins" will be released at 6 p.m. on January 24. Singers of Korean trot music are also ever evolving. Jeong Dong-won has declared he is jumping into the realm of idol singers with the stage name JD1. JD1 has released a track under the concept of an "AI idol" and aims to make a splash in the K-pop scene. Two albums of boy band Stray Kids landed second and fourth in the top ten CD sales ranking in the U.S. last year. Third place went to another K-pop group, TOMORROW X TOGETHER or TXT. NewJeans, TWICE, Seventeen and BTS' Jungkook are also in the top ten. 7 of the top ten albums tallied by the entertainment industry data tracker Luminate were K-pop albums. Taylor Swift was the only other artist in the top ten ranking, coming in first, 8th and 9th. Meanwhile BTS member Jungkook has bagged four nominations in the U.S. People's Choice Awards including one for Male Artist of the Year. Stray Kids and TXT have also been nominated in the group/duo category. People's Choice Awards winners are determined through public voting and the event will be broadcast on NBC, among other channels and sites, on February 18.