S. Korean Soldiers Defending the Border Until Last Day of Year
Soldiers rush out of their beds pick up their guns and run out of the building to get into position.This is an emergency drill that's practiced here at the frontline in Gangwon provincewhere soldiers from South and North Korea stand face-to-face.
Soldiers check their gear and load their ammunition and give a final check on their fully-loaded guns before heading out to the general observation posts at the inter- Korean border.
[SOV]
"단결 할 수 있습니다!"
[Interview : Yoon Sang-hyeon, 1st Lieutenant
7th Division Army] "Despite being the end of the year, the soliders at the 7th Division Army are on full alert. Happy New Year to all Korean citizens. South Korea's defense is in our hands."
[Interview : Kim Han-ul, chkim@arirang.co.kr] "This is the Southern Limit Line, one of the most fortified borders in the world. Soldiers conduct regular checks on the wire fences four times a day."
Only two kilometers south of the 38th parallel the stakes are high on the last line of defense.
During the winter, temperatures fall below 20 degrees Celsius.
These soldiers guard their posts on rotation 24/7 keeping a close watch on any suspicious movements from the North.
When they are not guarding the border, these soldiers go through some tough training.
That means running topless during the winter despite freezing temperatures to build strength and a strong mentality.
[Interview : Kwak Keun-young, Private
7th Division Army] "Despite the freezing temperatures, we are not cold. We are defending our nation with pride, and working with passion on the nation's frontline."
As the last sun sets for the year 2011 the army servicemen on the border are working hard to defend the nation night and day to guarantee the safety of its citizens for another year to come.
Kim Han-ul, Arirang News, Hwacheon.
Winter Safety In Korea - News
During the winter, temperatures fall below 20 degrees Celsius. These soldiers guard their posts on rotation 24/7 keeping a close watch on any suspicious movements from the North. When they are not guarding the border, these soldiers go through some
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South Korea Grapples With Its Own Nuclear Winter of Discontent ...
South Korea has yet another historic reason to dislike Japan – the anti-nuclear domino effect that the Fukushima Dai-ichi disaster has engendered amongst the radioactive-adverse populace.
The government has selected two domestic sites for nuclear power plants ― Yeongdeok County of North Gyeongsang Province and Samcheok City of Gangwon Province.
The two locations, both on the eastern coast, could be finalized by late next year, if they pass on-site inspections and environmental surveys, according to the Korea Herald .
The announcement signals a government decision to speed up its nuclear power plant construction plans, thanks in part to rolling blackouts in September as an unexpected spike in power consumption overshot the nation’s supply capacity.
Korea’s larger domestic power plan is all about shaking off its dependence on energy imports and coping with spiraling demand for electricity. It aims to ramp up the share of nuclear energy to 40 percent of the nation’s power grid from the current 30 percent by 2030, according to the newspaper.
More importantly, perhaps, Korea wants to become the go-to leader in nuclear power plant construction, building upon its landmark export deal in 2009, when it was awarded a contract worth some $20bn to build four nuclear power plants in the United Arab Emirates.
A south Korean consortium, led by the Korea Electric Power Corp (Kepco), beat out bids from a US-Japanese group and a French firm.
Closer to Seoul and the domestic concerns being raised about more nuclear power plants, an official at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (you can't make that title up) said: “We acknowledge the growing safety concerns about new reactors due to the Fukushima crisis, but atomic energy is the most practical source for us given its stable electricity supply, economic feasibility and the impact of climate change.”
State-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. runs 21 reactors in the country’s south. The first one in Gori began operation in 1972. The plants have not had any major accident ever since, the newspaper reported.