YOON GIVES SPEECH AT UN

YOON GIVES SPEECH AT UN

[Anchor Lead]
At the U.N. General Assembly, President Yoon Suk Yeol warned that North Korea and Russia's military dealings are a direct provocation to South Korea. He also highlighted the inconsistency of a U.N. Security Council member obtaining weapons from a sanctioned regime, urging council reforms.

[Pkg]
President Yoon has addressed the U.N. General Assembly for the second consecutive year. Bringing up North Korea, he said the reclusive state's nuclear weapons and missiles pose a serious challenge to global peace. He vowed not to sit and watch should Russia provide North Korea with nuclear and missile technology in return for conventional weapons. The President stressed, it will be taken as a direct provocation targeting South Korea.

[Soundbite]
Yoon Suk Yeol (President): An arms deal between North Korea and Russia directly target South Korea's peace and security. South Korea and its allies will not sit idly.

Yoon's remarks are construed as a warning against military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and a "red line" for the transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile technologies, which he says are unacceptable. He said it's paradoxical for a permanent member-state of the U.N. Security Council to stage a war and receive weapons from a country sanctioned by the council. Yoon also spoke about the need to reform the UNSC. In a bid to pressure Russia, he mentioned the U.S. government's support for expanding the council membership.

[Soundbite]
Yoon Suk Yeol (President): If we pull together, we can stop any illegal provocation.

The South Korean leader said nothing about China, another permanent member state of the UNSC and with that sidestep, indirectly expressed his commitment to improving bilateral ties between Korea and China. Yoon spoke about sustainable development, climate crisis and the digital divide around the world. He outlined South Korea's plans to expand financial contribution and cooperation. President Yoon also asked for support for the Busan World Expo bid by introducing Busan city's advantages. He is set to meet with world leaders and continue to promote the World Expo bid until his return to Korea on Friday.

CHIEF JUSTICE NOMINEE GRILLED

[Anchor Lead]
The two-day confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Lee Gyun-ryong has wrapped up. Both major parties clashed over Lee's ties to President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wealth accumulation. Lee's appointment now hinges on a parliamentary vote, but there's growing uncertainty about its approval.

[Pkg]
It was the second day of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Lee Gyun-ryong. Opposition party members grilled him about his relationship with a person who is a close friend of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

[Soundbite]
Kim Hoi-jae (Democratic Party): People can't believe you, because the President is a friend of your close friend.

[Soundbite]
Seo Dong-yong (Democratic Party): The president reportedly asked for a candidate critical of the current Supreme Court that can change everything Justice Kim Myeong-su has done.

When opposition members used such expressions as biased appointment or an obedient chief justice the ruling party members protested that the Moon Jae-in administration was no different.

[Soundbite]
Jang Dong-hyeok (People Power Party): Back then, the close relationship between Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su and President Moon Jae-in wasn't an issue.

The Chief Justice nominee said that he staked his life on defending judiciary independence.

[Soundbite]
Lee Gyun-ryong (Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee): I can promise you that I will devote the rest of my life to safeguarding the independence of the judiciary.

Lee's brother-in-law was at the hearing as a witness. Allegations were raised about how Lee amassed his fortune, which includes the land given by his in-laws. One of the thorniest issues was a 90% reduction in gift tax on the land in Busan that Lee's spouse had received. She had filed a tax appeal lawsuit to dispute the gift tax amount. A tax expert, who was called to testify at the hearing, argued about the issue with the parliamentary members.

[Soundbite]
Prof. Hwang In-gyu (Kangnam University): Tax tribunal is not a judicial procedure according to the Korean Constitution. It's a part of the administrative procedure.

[Soundbite]
Kweon Seong-dong (Confirmation Hearing Committee chair (PPP)): Don't try to teach us. Just tell us your opinion, not give us a lecture.

The chief justice of the Supreme Court must undergo the parliamentary approval process before confirmation. A nominee is approved when a majority votes yes at the plenary session attended by a majority of lawmakers. But the Democratic Party is strongly leaning toward rejecting the nominee, causing concerns that the Supreme Court's chief justice position may remain empty for some time. A Chief Justice nominee was rejected only once before in 1988.

REP. YOUN FACES POSSIBLE JAIL TIME

[Anchor Lead]
The Seoul High Court has sentenced Rep. Youn Mee-hyang to one and a half years in prison with a three-year suspension. In her first trial, she was fined on charges of embezzling donations meant for victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery. In the second trial, she was found guilty for diverting 80 million won and illegally collecting donations. Youn will lose her parliamentary seat if the sentence is upheld by the Supreme Court.

SURGING EARLY PUBERTY CASES

[Anchor Lead]
As more parents wish for taller children, a medical controversy arises. Hormone blockers, meant for early puberty cases, are now misused as 'growth-boosting shots'. KBS investigates this alarming trend.

[Pkg]
This woman is the mother of an eleven-year-old boy. She decided to have her son receive hormone blocker injections in the hopes that he would grow taller.

[Soundbite]
(Mother of child under hormone blocker treatment (VOICE MODIFIED)): The hospital said I could choose for or against the injections. They added, insurance would cover the bill if diagnosed before age 10.

When physical signs of sexual maturity develop too soon and growth plates are closed early, the bones finish growing and children most likely don't grow any taller. At hospitals, these children are diagnosed with precocious puberty and prescribed with medicine that suppress the production of sex hormones and postpone puberty. The injections are covered by health insurance and cost some 50,000 won per dose. The unusually early puberty occurs before age 8 in girls and age 9 in boys. The age ceiling was raised by one in 2003 in order to protect children who are not eligible for insurance coverage because they are just a few months older than the standard. As a result, the number of children receiving hormone blockers has doubled over the past five years.

[Soundbite]
(Growth clinic official (VOICE MODIFIED)): Additionally, patients can get an ultrasound or MRI scans if necessary.

In many cases, growth hormone injections are prescribed together, as parents worry that their children will stop growing when they are diagnosed with precocious puberty.

[Soundbite]
Prof. Chae Hyun-wook (Gangnam Severance Hospital): If meds are used to treat signs of sexual maturity that are a little early, it could hamper growth. It is necessary to take a careful approach.

Last year, related medical fees of over 100 billion won were claimed to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

[Soundbite]
Lee Jong-kook (Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service): An FDA report shows if growth hormones are used on normal children, it increases cranial pressure, causing headaches. It's inappropriate to use them for height.

The agency says it is looking into hospitals suspected of overly diagnosing and treating precocious puberty.

EMBEZZLEMENT BY BANK EMPLOYEE

[Anchor Lead]
We recently reported that an employee from BNK Kyongnam Bank, overseeing real estate Project Financing loans, was charged with embezzling 100 billion won. However, the Financial Supervisory Service has now revealed the figure to be an alarming 300 billion won, setting a record for the largest embezzlement in the financial sector's history.

[Pkg]
Shortly after learning of the embezzlement committed by a Kyongnam Bank employee in charge of project financing loans, the Financial Supervisory Service launched an emergency on-site inspection on July 21. The embezzled amount has been found to stand at 298.8 billion won, the largest to date among the financial sector's embezzlement cases. It's more than double the amount announced by prosecutors earlier when they handed the case over to trial. After tracing down the perpetrator's bank account, the FSS found that he tried to repay the misappropriated funds by repeating his crime. He deployed all 17 project financing business sites he was managing at the time. He wired money 77 times to the bank accounts he borrowed from his family and acquaintances by forging loan documents to receive large-sum loans under the name of developers. He also stole the principal and interest repaid by them. Of the total embezzled amount, the bank's net losses alone reach 59.5 billion won. The employee had been in charge of PF loans in the same department for 15 years. He even post-managed the loans he provided, but his work was never inspected properly. It's been revealed that Kyongnam Bank did not report the incident to authorities after learning about it in early April, nor did it conduct an in-house probe until three months later, meaning the employee in question continued his duties through July.

[Soundbite]
Baek Kyu-jung (Financial Supervisory Service): Poor internal control of the bank and its holding company caused this. Executives and employees involved in the illegal and unfair acts will face strict punishment.

The FSS plans to find out further how the embezzled funds were used, and share the findings with the investigative authorities when the on-site inspection is completed.

TEAM KOREA STRIVES FOR GOLD

[Anchor Lead]
On Wednesday, Team Korea's athletes departed for the Chinese city of Hangzhou to take part in the 2023 Asian Games. Korea is sending its largest-ever delegation of 1,140 athletes with a goal to win over 50 gold medals and finish third in the overall medal count.

POLICE FIRES GUN TO STOP DUI

[Anchor Lead]
On Tuesday night, a drunk driver evaded police for 30 minutes, causing chaos by ramming into multiple vehicles. The chase ended only after police fired live rounds and deployed a taser.

[Pkg]
Ansan, Gyeonggi-do province, around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday evening. A patrol car chases down a staggering DUI car. The drunk driver continues to drive to dodge the police for 14km before making an illegal U-turn. He eventually tries to lose the police by entering a parking lot. Police officers get off the patrol cars to chase him down. But he continues his "acrobatic driving", ramming into parked vehicles. He won't budge even when the officers strike his car window with an expandable baton. He begins to drive again. The police, at this point, had no other choice but to resort to handguns. After six live shots were fired into the wheels of the DUI car, the intoxicated driver rams into another car and finally, comes to a stop.

[Soundbite]
Get out!

But even then, the driver refuses to get out of his car, prompting the police to fire a taser to apprehend him. The chase lasted about half an hour. Two police cars and 17 parked vehicles were damaged in the process. The driver, a man in his 20s, was found to have blood alcohol level high enough to get his license revoked. He claims he doesn't remember anything because he was too intoxicated. Police have requested an arrest warrant after discovering he has a prior. Four years ago, he already once had his driver's license revoked and faced criminal charges for a DUI. About a month ago, the police vowed stern physical response against violent crimes such as knife wielding in public spaces.

[Soundbite]
Yoon Hee-keun (Nat'l Police Agency Commissioner General (Aug. 4)): Police will not hesitate to use physical force when needed, and apply disclaimers proactively.

For the first time since the police warning, officers used live ammunition to catch a criminal.

SETUP CRIME RING ARRESTED

[Anchor Lead]
On a golf trip to Cambodia, a man was lured into prostitution by his companions and later handed over 1.3 billion won, believing it would end a police investigation. It turned out to be an elaborate scam from the start.

[Pkg]
A sixty-something man, known only as A, running a small company went on a golfing trip to Cambodia in June with his golf buddies. That was when his nightmare began. He met some women at a local bar and his friends prompted him to go to a hotel with one of the women. The following day, six local police officers came to arrest A. Charged with prostitution, he was locked inside a police station for five hours. But it turned out that the golfing trip, meeting up with women in a bar, and police arrest were all part of a setup. A's supposed golfing buddies received one million dollars in return for helping to close the investigation. A sent the money, hoping to wrap up the matter quickly, but he became suspicious after his release. He probed around before requesting the Korean police to investigate his case. The police found out that the gang withdrew money from 34 banks to dodge investigation before divvying up the money. It turns out that the gang cast local Cambodians through a Korean broker who had lived there for more than ten years. The locals are assumed to be actual police officers.

[Soundbite]
Jang Bo-eun (Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency): One of the six locals assumed to be police was in uniform. The location where the victim and his acquaintances were taken was an actual police building.

A victim lured into a setup where he or she is accused of a crime and money is demanded to be released. Such setup crimes reportedly occur quite often in Southeast Asia. The Korean national police booked seven people in the gang for intimidation and blackmailing, and detained four of them. The police also issued an Interpol red notice for the Korean broker who had abetted the crime in Cambodia.