Korea - Former senior official of Peoples's Party arrested over fake tip-off scandal: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 11 Jul 2017

이준서 구속...국민의당 윗선 '정조준'

A former official of the center-left People's Party has been arrested for his alleged involvement in fabricating evidence.... in a smear campaign directed at President Moon Jae-in,... during the run-up to this year's presidential election.

And we're also expecting the former presidential candidate from that party to speak before the press this afternoon,... for more, we connect to our Kim Min-ji at the parliament.
Min-ji, give us the latest.

Se-min, we had learned that former People's Party leader and presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo will hold a press conference at 3.30 PM, Korea time -- so in about an hour and a half from now.

It'll most likely be about the ongoing probe and the political scandal that's been ripping the party apart,... and it will also be the first time he stands before the press since this issue came to light.

The latest on the investigation,... the Seoul Central District Court approved the prosecution's request early Wednesday morning... to arrest former party member Lee Jun-seo -- upholding its claim that he may destroy evidence and flee.

Lee is suspected of violating election laws during the presidential campaign period,... by disseminating falsified accusations,... directed at President Moon's son.

The allegations claimed... Moon had used his influence to land a public sector job for his son, back in 2006... when he was serving as the presidential secretary.

The prosecution has already arrested Yi Yu-mi -- a member of the People's Party and a former campaigner -- after she admitted fabricating the tip-off.

She got her brother to pose as a friend of Moon's son and make the fake revelation in an audio file -- which she passed onto Lee Jun-seo.

Prosecutors believe Lee was behind the crime,... and encouraged Yi Yu-mi to carry out the fabrication,... then deliberately overlooked the verification process.

This is in contrast to the People's Party's own probe -- which concluded that its top officials were not involved in the scheme.

There's speculation Lee's arrest could lead to a wider investigation... on whether the party knew of the act.

Soon after the arrest, the People's Party apologized,... saying they will cooperate with the investigation,... so that the truth is revealed.

But, they claim that the prosecution is conducting a "politically motivated" probe,... and called for an independent counsel investigation into the matter. It sure is a fascinating stroy,... and it looks like we'll have to see how deep this rabbit hole goes. With one of the four major political parties being torn apart,... how is the parliament holding up? It's been having its own issues too...

Well, the rival parties have been at loggerheads for the past several days,... over President Moon's ministerial picks -- for defense and labor -- ,... as well as bickering among rival factions.

With that, the three opposition parties -- namely Liberty Korea, People's Party and Bareun -- have been boycotting Assembly sessions.

As a result, the government's multi-billion dollar extra budget bill is on ice.

The ruling party therefore has bought some time from the Blue House,... giving them a few more days before they appoint the two minister-nominees in question,... during which they will have to persuade the opposition to get parliament moving again.

However, the opposition are not budging... saying there will be no cooperation unless the nominations are withdrawn.

The floor leader of the ruling party is meeting with his opposition counterparts, so if I hear any developments there, I will keep you updated. Semin?

North Korea - ICBM could hit San Diego once fully developed: Expert: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 11 Jul 2017

북 ICBM 미사일, 충분한 성능개선이후 미해군기지 타격 가능해

A new assessment on North Korea's missile capabilities. 

An American aerospace expert says the regime's long-range missile, once fully developed, will be able to hit the U.S. mainland -- more specifically San Diego, where the U.S. has a key naval base.
Shin Se-min has more. 

A North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile, once fully developed, would be able to hit the U.S. naval base in San Diego,… some 97-hundred kilometers away.

That's the assessment of John Schilling, a researcher at the Aerospace Corporation in California, who is also an expert on North Korean missiles.

In an analysis posted Monday on the North Korea monitoring website 38 North, Schilling said Pyongyang's Hwasong-14 ICBM would be able to reach the west coast of the United States with a payload weighing five-hundred kilograms.

He added that missile has a detachable payload shroud that could hold one or multiple warheads.
It also has decoys and penetration aids to help it get past U.S. missile defenses. 

However, he noted that,... in order to load multiple warheads on the missile, North Korea would have to master the technology required to reduce the weight and size of the warheads,… something that would take time.

To develop a missile powerful enough to make it across the Pacific ocean... but light enough to carry multiple missiles, he said, would take at least 15 years.

As for America's missile defense system, Schilling called it limited and unreliable in its current state, noting that in tests it works only half the time.

But Pyongyang also has to consider that a working ICBM in its hands would motivate the United States to improve its defenses.

There *is* still controversy over whether the regime has or has not achieved such a capability.
The latest from South Korea's National Intelligence Service… is that Pyongyang's recent missile does not qualify as a fully developed ICBM... because there's no clear evidence it successfully re-entered the atmosphere.

And even though the North has the capability to conduct a nuclear test at any time,... the NIS sees no indication that such a test will take place in the near future.

Shin Se-min, Arirang News.

Korea - Russia may have aided North Korea's missile program: U.S. media: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 9 Jul 2017

WP "北 ICBM 성공 비결은 러시아 기술 덕분" There's growing evidence Russia may have provided technical assistance to North Korea for its missile program.

Citing several U.S. weapons experts, The Washington Post reports that multiple design features in a missile engine tested by North Korea back in March... closely resembled that of an RD-250, a Soviet-era Russian missile.

Although there's no record of North Korea ever obtaining blueprints for Russian missiles... experts are speculating, Russia *COULD have secretly provided the regime with the designs and technical know-how.

However, other experts say North Korea's latest ICBM test was all its own work, through the regime's determination and lessons learned from previous failures.

US - Samsung Galaxy S8 now highest rated smartphone in U.S.: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 8 Jul 2017

미국 리뷰 "갤럭시S8, 스마트폰 중 최고"
Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S8 smartphone, which came out just a couple of months ago, is getting great reviews among early adopters in the U.S.

Research firm Strategy Analytics says the Galaxy S8 has an average rating of 4-point-5-7 out of 5, making it the highest-rated smartphone on the market... based on some 15-hundred buyer reviews... posted on major retail sites such as Amazon.

The S8's camera got the most positive attention, while the least-favored feature was the Bixby, Samsung's new AI assistant. 

Korea - Samsung Electronics expects record profits in Q2, surpassing Apple's: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 6 Jul 2017

삼성 2분기 실적, 사상 최대 영업이익 기록
Samsung Electronics is on course to become the world's top semiconductor supplier AND the number one smartphone brand.

This as the Korean tech titan revealed this morning that its second quarter profits are set to hit an unprecedented high.

Our Oh Soo-young reports. 

Samsung Electronics looks set to record its largest quarterly profits in the company's 48-year history.
The South Korean tech giant on Friday posted its earnings estimate for the second quarter of this year,... putting its operating profit at twelve-point-one billion U.S. dollars, up 72 percent on-year.
This beats the market consensus of eleven-point-four billion dollars,... and surpasses Apple's profit for this quarter,... estimated at ten billion dollars.

Samsung's sales revenue is expected to hit 51-point-eight billion dollars,... 18-point-six percent higher than the previous quarter. 

Market watchers say the record numbers are largely down to the company's skyrocketing memory chip sales this year,... backed by a rapid increase in unit prices. 

In fact, Samsung is expected to overtake Intel as the global market leader in semiconductor sales this quarter. 

Healthy sales of its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S8, are also believed to have boosted the figures... as well as growing orders for Samsung's flexible OLED panels.

While the second quarter record-breaking figures may be difficult to top,... analysts don't see the margin eroding any time soon.

They say Samsung is blazing ahead of its competitors in terms of memory technology as well as displays -- both of which are core components of emerging technologies, such as augmented and virtual reality, cloud computing and Internet of Things.

Total profits for 2017 are projected to surpass 42-billion dollars-- which would go down in the history books as another record high.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

South Korea - U.S. fire missiles into East Sea in response to North Korea's ICBM test: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 4 Jul 2017

한미, 北도발 대응 탄도미사일 훈련…300㎞ 현무-2A 발사 Amid escalating tensions... South Korea and the U.S. wasted no time to respond.

In a show of force against North Korea for Tuesday's -- now confirmed -- ICBM test, the two allies have conducted an offensive ballistic missile drill aimed at showing their ability to strike directly at the North's leadership.

Defense ministry correspondent, Kim Hyun-bin reports. 

South Korea and the U.S. staged a massive combined ballistic missile exercise Wednesday morning.
It was aimed at sending a strong warning to Pyongyang that the allies are ready and willing to destroy key facilities in the North with the push of a button.

The large scale drill comes less than 24 hours after North Korea test-fired its ICBM. 

South Korea fired a ballistic missile known as Hyunmoo-2, and the U.S. fired a tactical surface-to-surface missile,... into South Korea's territorial waters in the East Sea.

In a statement released by the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday,... the drills were conducted on the order of President Moon Jae-in,... who stressed the need to demonstrate the allies' position with action... not just words.

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the move,... saying he highly praised President Moon's reaction to the North's provocation.

North Korea's state run Korean Central News Agency reported early Wednesday that Pyongyang had mastered the atmospheric re-entry technology for its ICBM.

Experts say the re-entry technology is the most important and difficult process when developing an ICBM.

The regime also claimed the ICBM is capable of carrying a large nuclear warhead,... but that has not been confirmed by any independent experts.

In response,... the South Korean military warned the North that the allies are ready to retaliate in the case of a North Korean missile attack... and that the North's leadership will be wiped off the face of the earth if they threaten the security of the allies.

Kim Hyun-bin, Arirang News.

Korea - shoppers worry about surging food prices amid drought and AI outbreak: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 4 Jul 2017

6월 소비자물가 APK

Consumer prices continue to rise in June.
The trend is largely driven by surging food prices on the back of a prolonged drought and an avian influenza outbreak.

Oh Soo-young looks beyond the digits. Korea's consumer prices in June rose one-point-nine percent from the year before, according to data from Statistics Korea.

Much of the inflation was attributed to spiking fresh food prices in the wake of a recent drought and an Avian Influenza outbreak.

The price of eggs alone have jumped almost 70 percent on-year. "Take this box of eggs for example. It costs 7 U.S. dollars. This time last year,... you could have bought almost twice as many eggs for the same price."

Prices for agricultural, livestock and seafood increased seven-point-six percent,... while industrial products and services, which include rental and insurance fees,... rose zero-point-nine percent and one-point-nine percent respectively.

Energy costs fell one-point-six percent,... due to a sharp drop in electricity prices. 

Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs,.. rose by a more modest one-point-four percent... compared to the overall growth in CPI.

But with sky-high grocery prices,.. the average consumer is feeling a pinch in their wallets. "Eggs, tofu, vegetables are all staple foods for the average citizen and it's very worrying that the prices keep going up." "I've noticed the prices of food and amenities keep getting higher, so I'm being forced to cut down on other expenditures."

Experts worry that consumers may react by tightening their purse strings,... further worsening the country's low consumption rate.

Recent data shows consumer sentiment in June-- or confidence in the Korean economy-- surged to a six-year high.

However,... experts say this is largely due to a base effect and expectations of new policies from the Moon Jae-in administration. "Lingering uncertainties such as the impact of U.S. interest rate hikes, the high ratio of household debt and the employment situation in the country is likely to continue to put a damper on spending."

The expert said we need to wait and see whether there'll be a significant recovery in consumption,... but if the government's supplementary budget proposal to create 110-thousand jobs is passed, bolstering income and employment stability,... this could provide a much needed boost to the domestic economy.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.

North Korea - fires ballistic missile into East Sea: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 3 Jul 2017

북 탄도미사일 동해로 발사 We begin with North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch...
The missile was fired around two-and-a-half hours ago from the northwestern part of the country.
It flew for more than 900 kilometers before coming down in the East Sea.

This provocation comes a matter of days after President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump held summit talks at the White House.

At that summit, both presidents left the door open for dialogue with the regime if it stopped its provocations... that offer has clearly fallen on deaf ears.

It also comes just 24 hours ahead of a G20 summit in Germany which will bring together the leaders of South Korea, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia.. 

For more details,... we connect live on the phone with our Kim Hyun-bin who is standing by at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul.

Hyun-bin... Mark,... shortly after 10am, South Korea time,... so two hours ago now... South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile into the East Sea. " "North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile at 9:40 am, South Korea time, from Banghyon, North Pyongan Province. The missile came down in the East Sea. We are currently analyzing the maximum altitude and distance the missile flew. Our military is on a state of readiness for any additional provocations." 9 40 . , . .

We are still awaiting information on what kind of ballistic missile this was, but officials here are now saying it covered a distance of 930 kilometers.

Japanese broadcaster NHK reported soon after the launch that the missile flew for 40 minutes before falling into waters near the Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone,... those are waters in the East Sea that are close to Japan. 

The launch was immediately reported to President Moon Jae-in and an emergency meeting was convened.

As you mentioned, this kind of provocation is becoming an increasingly regular occurrence.
This is the tenth ballistic missile North Korea has fired this year alone.

I will bring you more updates in the next newscast.

Back to you.

LIVE: KOREA-US SUMMIT: ARIRANG NEWS

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Korea - Samsung Electronics to build $380 million home appliance plant in the US: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 28 Jun 2017

삼성 미국 공장, 세계최대 가전시장 잡기 위한 '승부수' Samsung Electronics is investing three-hundred-80 million U.S. dollars to build a home appliance factory in the United States.

The Korean firm made the announcement on Wednesday and said the new washing machine plant in South Carolina will create nearly one-thousand local jobs.

The decision comes on the eve of President Moon's summit with President Trump, whose protectionist trade policies are pressuring global companies to generate more U.S. jobs.

The announcement also comes less than a month after U.S. appliance rival Whirlpool, requested the government slap tighter restrictions on imported washing machines made by Korean tech giants Samsung and LG Electronics.

Korea - researchers find new way to tackle cancer cells: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 22 Jun 2017

암세포 자살시키는 새 항암 치료법 개발
A team of Korean researchers found a new mechanism of treating cancer cells.

What makes it unique is that this mehtod can solve a major side effect of conventional treatments
Park Ji-won turns the spotlight to the breakthrough discovery. Three teams of Korean researchers have jointly developed a new method to target cancer cells that could pave the way to a new generation of cancer treatments. 

The latest study led by Professor Ryu Ja-hyoung of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology was published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

The newly developed method targets the mitochondria of a cancer cell.

The main role of a cell's mitochondria is to create energy,... and if it is disrupted, the cell will end up dying. 

While existing anticancer drugs and treatments aim at tackling proteins in cancer cells,... this new approach uses a phenylalanine dipeptide with a mithochondria-targeting moiety known as triphenyl phosphonium, or Mito-FF. 

The Mito-FF fibrils drastically damage the mitochondria membrane of cancer cells and kill them. "As the newly-developed method could remove cancer cells in a totally different way compared to existing methods,... the study is expected to solve a major side effect of conventional treatments,... which is building drug tolerance,... or tumors becoming resistant to specialized medicine."

The lead author of the study expects the new method to set the foundations for a new series of treatments that could maximize the healing process while minimizing side effects. 

Park Ji-won, Arirang News.

Korea - Fourth generation ethnic Koreans from Central Asia face deportation: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 21 Jun 2017

"만 19세 되면 한국 떠나야"…고려인 4세의 설움
Eighty years have passed since the forced deportation of ethnic Koreans from the Russian Far East to Central Asian countries.

Still today, many of them struggle to find their home, and that includes those who returned to their motherland. 

Kim Hyesung turns the spotlight to their side of the story.

Sixteen-year-old Lee Mi-yeon is studying hard with her classmates at a high school in Ansan, south of Seoul.

Unlike the other students, she's a Kareisky, an ethnic Korean from Central Asia, who moved to Korea from Uzbekistan in 2011.

After many ups and downs, Mi-yeon says she's finally adjusted to her life in Korea. 13 "I cried almost every day during my first year here in Korea, telling my mom I want to go back to Uzbekistan because I had no friends and everything was new. But after picking up the Korean language and slowly making more friends, I became more open personality-wise. I made more friends and have supportive teachers. I'm really grateful "

Mi-yeon's parents came to Korea in 2009, two years before her, to work and settle down.
They say they're glad they were able to live together again, and they're proud to see their daughter doing well in school. 39-40 "All l wish for... is to see Mi-yeon grow up, go to college, get married, have kids here in Korea and be happy. We've lived in Uzbekistan, Russia, and Korea, and have a somewhat mixed identity. Ultimately I feel like Korea is my home at heart. But because of the visa issue, I'm worried that that my wish might be impossible." "A growing number of ethnic Koreans from Central Asia have moved to South Korea over the last several years -- a total of 40-thousand as of this year. But around a thousand of them, kids like Lee Mi-yeon, the fourth generation, will eventually have to leave the country when they turn 19."

The current Overseas Koreans Act defines overseas Koreans as those with citizenship in another country who have at least one parent or grandparent who possessed Korean citizenship.

- "The third generation can get national health insurance and work in Korea, but the fourth generation who came with parents with H2 working visa cannot remain in the country on family-sponsored visas once they become adults."

These people are the descendants of Koreans who moved to the Russian Far East during the Japanese colonial rule.

Under Stalin's regime in the Soviet Union, they were forced in 1937 to relocate to Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. 

They've lived outside of Korea for decades.

But according to Kim Young-suk, the director of a social welfare organization supporting ethnic Koreans, the Kareski still have a lot in common with Koreans here.

Korea - Seoul could see 67 days of deadly heat per year by 2100: Study: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 20 Jun 2017

2100년 서울폭염 연간 67일로 증가, 온난화 원인
Some scientists predict the mercury will rise to shocking highs in Seoul by the year 21-hundred.
Meaning Summer will be a deadly season in the next century.

According to our Park Ji-won one study clearly indicates carbon emissions are to blame. Many feel summertime in Seoul is hot and stuffy as it is -- and the city does sometimes come under heat wave warnings.

Scientifically speaking, though,... the heat is generally not lethal.

But if global carbon gas emissions continue at current rates,... by the end of this century,... Seoul will experience 67 days of killer heatwaves every year.

This is according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

A team of researchers analyzed nearly 800 worldwide deaths caused by heatwaves since 1980,... in more than 160 cities in 36 countries,... to calculate what kind of weather can be deadly to humans.
They found that if carbon emissions continue at their current rates,... by 2100,... it won't be just Seoul roasting in temperatures and humidities that have been killers in the past,... but over 70-percent of the world's population.

Specifically, Shanghai was projected to have 123 days of deadly heat, Hong Kong 174 days, Tokyo 84 days, New York 53 days, Chicago 68 days,... and Sao Paulo 110 days.

Even if emissions are considerably reduced, the study predicted that Seoul would still have 18 days of deadly heat by 2100.

Experts from environmental groups point out that marginalized groups in society, like senior citizens and the poor, would be affected the most.

Korea - Seoul's Vibrant Night Market: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 18 Jun 2017

The Bamdokkaebi Night Markets are one of the most iconic events in Seoul that runs from spring to fall. We take a glimpse into the city's vibrant night scene filled with food trucks selling all kinds of festival foods and arts and crafts booths.


Yeouido Hangang Riverside Park offers a place to relax for Seoul residents.
In one corner of the park, there is a group of young people. After making sure that everyone is present, they start drawing lots. They are the owners of food trucks that will participate in the Bamdokkaebi Night Market in Yeouido.

After deciding on the place to operate, 45 colorful food trucks enter the park one after another. The market opens at 6 p.m., but preparations begin as early as 3 p.m.


"We're preparing early so that customers won't have to wait long."

The Bamdokkaebi Night Markets are found at Seoul's four major tourist attractions, from April to October, on Friday and Saturday nights. Each market has a unique theme.


"We wanted to open night markets that were unique to Seoul. The idea was to create nighttime attractions in Seoul and to support startups run by young people."

The night markets welcomed 3.3 million visitors last year alone. Due to their growing popularity, winning a concession to operate a food truck was a lot harder this year.


"We invited 10 experts from different fields including chefs, marketers and even automobile designers for the screening process which took three days. The criteria were strict."

Food trucks were carefully selected to ensure that there are no overlapping menu items and guarantee diverse food options for visitors. People start arriving hours earlier than the opening time. A long queue has formed outside trucks serving popular items.
Finally, it's 6 p.m.


"The night market is now open."


And the vendors get busy.


"I heard we need to wait 40 to 50 minutes if we come after 6 p.m. So we arrived at around 5:30 p.m. and looked around the place."

They whip up different kinds of tasty delights, from lobster to steak to galbi. Foods are served in disposable containers, but they taste just like what you could get at a decent restaurant. They are sold at an affordable price, usually below 10 U.S. dollars.


"We had steak, rice and butter shrimps. They were good."


"I'm thinking about coming back with my family next time."

The "Yeouido World Night Market" offers a selection of international dishes and desserts. The owner of a truck selling Middle eastern food is Elliot Taesoon Kahng, who is from Chicago, the U.S.


"Last year, we wanted to register for Bamdokkaebi but it was too late. So we prepared very hard and luckily got in this year. We wanted to focus on more exotic food which is how we start it doing middle eastern food chicken shawarma and falafel."

Nicholas Campo from France prides himself on his original French crepe recipe. Sliced fruits are topped with whipped cream or chocolate sauce and delicately wrapped in a paper thin translucent crepe.


"My wife is Korean. So I really wanted to make food truck. So I thought i thought do crepe. The crepe is a good idea. I thought that current people really like real French crepe."

Kim Hyeon-soo, a vendor in a sixties, selling skewers, sticks out from the young food truck owners. How does he find the night market experience?


"I don't see them as competition. I like mingling with young people. I feel younger."

Like many night markets, no dining areas are available here. Visitors eat standing or sitting on the street, looking out at the Hangang River. But that's what makes it more fun.


"I really enjoyed sitting on the riverside, chatting and having a drink with my friend."

After snacking, visitors can enjoy magic shows or busking in one corner of the market or look for handmade crafts from young artists.


"Amazing. There are so much good food and so many food truck and lots of little places to shop and you get to see other hand made products. I love night market and i love see different ones and this is definitely the best night market i've been to."

The night markets not only make a great place for a night out, but also help aspiring restaurateurs test their ideas and turn their dreams into reality.


"It's great that I can cook and sell food from my truck. My next goal is to open a restaurant."

The Bamdokkaebi Night Markets offer everything you want for a fun filled night out, from the beautiful night view to the cool night air to a wide selection of foods.

SKorea - Kospi posts 16.5% growth since turn of year, 2nd highest globally: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 16 Jun 2017

한국, 주가상승 환율 하락 모두 최고
Korea's main stock index has been in a bull market for the past several months... as investors snap up local shares at a feverish pace.

From the turn of the year until mid-June,... the benchmark Kospi has spiked 16-and-a-half percent,... the second fastest in the world among major markets.

According to data from the Korea Center for International Finance,... only India's stock market grew faster at 16-point-seven percent.

Other indexes with over 16 percent growth were the PSE in the Philippines and Hong Kong's Hang Seng.

The Korean won has also been strengthened by more than six percent against the greenback over the same period.

Korea - Suspected N. Korean drone spied on THAAD site: S. Korean military: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 13 Jun 2017

北무인기 추정비행체 사드 성주골프장 정찰…사진 10여장 촬영
Last week Seoul's military recovered a drone that crashed in Gangwon-do Province.
We're now learning 2 things.

North Korea made marked improvements in drone technology, and the regime wanted to use the vehicle to take pictures of the THAAD anti-missile battery.

Kim Hyun-bin tells us more. The South Korean military has retrieved hundreds of photos from a suspected North Korean drone found last week near the inter-Korean border.

The unmanned aerial vehicle was equipped with a Sony-made camera with a 64 gigabyte memory chip.

Stored on the chip were ten photos of the U.S. missile defense system THAAD stationed some 270 kilometers from the inter-Korean border.

This is the first time a drone has been used to take pictures of the THAAD site.

Officials say the drone flew at an altitude of under three kilometers, and while the resolution of the photos are low, if enlarged they do show two THAAD launchers and its radar.

The drone is believed to have been sent out on its mission not long after THAAD was deployed on April 26th, but it fell to the ground on the way back after it ran out of power.

The drone is similar in size and shape to the drone North Korea sent in March of 2014 to
Baengnyeongdo Island on the western sea border which was estimated to have flown some 300 hundred kilometers.

However, the most recent drone appears to have some major improvements. It used a duel engine and is estimated to have flown some 600 kilometers.

Military experts say that the South Korean government needs to come up with efficient counter measures to deal with the drone problem, which poses a grave threat to the country. “North Korea's drones are small, so they're hard to detect with our existing radar. And if loaded with chemical weapons or explosives, they could be deadly.” "The South Korean military is speeding up the development of low-altitude radar and drone targeting systems and plans to put them in place within the next three years to better cope with those threats."

Kim Hyun-bin, Arirang News.

South Korea - president's security adviser "No change to THAAD agreement.. ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 9 Jun 2017

청와대 안보실장 "사드 근본적으로 바꿀 의도 없다" 한미 정상회담 날짜, 의제 막바지 조율
With a Seoul-Washington summit set for the end of the month... the nation's top office is making it clear to the U.S. : the decision to postpone the full deployment of THAAD does NOT reflect any intention to change the agreement. 

Moon Connyoung files this reports from Cheong Wa Dae. No intent whatsoever to change the fundamental terms of Seoul, Washington agreement over the deployment of THAAD... reaffirmed South Korean President Moon Jae-in's chief national security adviser. "The decision on Thaad was made to protect South Korea and the U.S. Forces in Korea in the face of growing threats from North Korea. Just because there is a new administration in office, we do not intend to take it lightly and will continue to work closely with Washington on the matter."

In a rare news briefing on Friday, Chung Eui-yong made clear that Seoul's decision to hold off the full deployment of the U.S. anti-missile system pending a review of environmental impact is purely a domestic measure for the sake of ensuring a democratic process.

The career diplomat-turned-security chief also briefed the public on the progress of preparation work for President Moon's first bilateral summit with his U.S counterpart set for the end of this month. "As this will be the first meeting between the two heads-of-state both from fairly new administrations, it will be a great opportunity for the leaders to build close and stable ties based on trust. The two will likely discuss a wide range of issues from improving South Korea, U.S. alliance, resolving North Korea's nuclear problem and making joint efforts to bring peace on the Korean peninsula."

OECD - retains 2.6% growth outlook for South Korea in 2017, cuts 2018 forecast: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 7 Jun 2017

The OECD expects South Korea's economy to grow two-point-six percent in 2017, unchanged from its previous outlook released in November last year.

However, the Paris-based international organization lowered the country's growth forecast for 2018 to two-point-eight percent from its earlier forecast of three percent.

In its biannual report released on Wednesday, the OECD said it expects South Korea to experience modest growth on the back of recovering exports, owing to increased global trade.

However, it noted that heightened geopolitical tensions and rising household debt, could present downside risks for Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Korea - raises bird flu alert to highest level: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 6 Jun 2017

Late last year,... Korea was hit by one of the worst outbreaks of avian influenza in its history,... decimating the country's supplies of eggs and poultry.

However,... after being on the verge of getting things almost back to normal,... the nation could be facing yet another nightmare scenario. 

Kim Hyesung tells us more. The Korean government on Tuesday raised its bird flu alert to "severe", the highest on the nation's four-tier warning system.

This... after officials confirmed that the virus found at a poultry farm in Jeju Island is the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain. 

This is only the second time that Korea has raised the alert to the highest level. 

The first time was after the previous outbreak in November last year. "We are still investigating the cause of this outbreak. But it's possible the H5N8 virus has spread. It could either be in bird droppings... or in the birds themselves."

The cases reported last weekend are believed to have spread from a farm in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do Province.

The farm sold around four-thousand chickens on May 27th... to farms in Jeju, Paju, Yangsan, and Busan. 

The first case was reported from a farm in Jeju last Friday, a week after the sale.

On Tuesday, a farm in Iksan in the southwest of the country also tested positive, and the government says the chickens may have been purchased from Gunsan. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Korean government had confirmed bird flu cases at more than ten farms across the country.

To help stop the spread, the agriculture ministry has issued a temporary ban on the transportation of live poultry nationwide for 24 hours, starting from midnight on Tuesday.

The government has also dispatched investigators and quarantine officers to the hardest-hit areas.
Almost 40-thousand chickens and ducks have been culled nationwide since last week.
Kim Hyesung, Arirang News.

S Korea - Edible flowers are organic and rich in nutrients: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 2 Jun 2017

예쁜 식용 꽃이 몸에도 좋아
Some flowers are not only good to look at,... but are also rich in nutrients including various vitamins and minerals.

An increasing number of people are adding flowers to their meals as they are known to help slow down the aging process and prevent various diseases.

Kim Hyo-sun reports. For lunch, a dish topped with pretty flowers,... along with a fresh salad, more colorful than most.

Some flowers can be mixed with rice and enjoyed with vegetable wraps. 

And they aren't just pleasing to the eye,... they also boast a unique flavor.

"It has a slight flower scent, and a slightly bitter taste. I think it's best for spring when people have more delicate appetites."

There are some 20 kinds of flowers used in food,... ranging from carnations and roses to English daisies.

Compared to fruit,... these flowers contain up to 10 times of polyphenol, known to help deter aging,... and flavonoid, which is effective in preventing lifestyle-related diseases. 

Edible flowers are also rich in nutrients including 12 types of vitamins and minerals. 

Above all,... they're free from harmful substances because they're grown organically.

"We have to make sure the environment is free from dust and ensure these flowers do not absorb substances that are detrimental to the human body. They are always grown organically."

Growing your own flowers and adding them to your daily meals can also be beneficial.

"When you grow your own edible flowers, you can experience the joy of growing and eating them. I think the related industries will grow in the near future."

However, be sure to stay away from eating ornamental or wild flowers not grown for culinary purposes... because those can contain pesticides or even be poisonous. 

Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.