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≡ S. Korea Announces Plans To Foster Bio-Health Industry
[Anchor]
The government has unveiled massive support measures to back the bio-health industry into becoming a global powerhouse by 2030.
If successful, the plan should raise South Korea’s bio-health exports to 50 billion dollars by that year.
Hanna Choi has the story.
[Reporter]
South Korea is honing in on the bio-health industry, which covers medical products to healthcare services, as a promising growth driver for the nation’s economy.
To boost the sector, the government will increase its investment in related research and development projects to 4 trillion won in 2025 from 2.6 trillion won in 2017.
The funding will be used to promote the development of high-end pharmaceutical products and medical instruments.
Increased data collection on patients is another measure, with the goal of gathering information on one million patients by 2029 for research purposes.
The government expects its efforts to triple South Korea’s share in the global bio-health market and create 300,000 jobs in the country by 2030.
Last year, South Korea's exports of medicine and medical devices totaled 14.4 billion dollars, 1.8 percent of the world's demand.
President Moon Jae-in has called the plan an optimal chance to get ahead in the global bio-health market, while adding that his administration will also focus on the non-memory system chips and future cars as new growth engines.
Hanna Choi, eFM News.■[2019.05.22]
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≡ S. Korea Unveils Tougher Anti-Smoking Measures
[Anchor]
The government has unveiled its "tobacco endgame" plan that calls for adopting uniform, plain packaging for all cigarettes and more graphic warning labels to push people to quit smoking.
The health ministry says the aim is to significantly lower the smoking rate over the next three years.
Claudia Kim has more.
[Reporter]
The percentage of male smokers in South Korea has been falling steadily since 2008.
In 2017 it dropped to 38 percent but the government wants it below 29 percent by the year 2022.
The health ministry said to reach that target, indoor smoking rooms in all public facilities will be eliminated over the next six years.
However, it will expand outdoor smoking booths in public places.
Products containing nicotine will also be classified as tobacco goods and subject to tougher restrictions to counter the growing use of alternatives like electronic cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco products.
Warnings and graphic images highlighting the dangers of smoking will also cover more area of cigarettes packs, jumping from 50 to 75 percent.
However, the ministry said it is not considering another price hike for now, despite the fact that a tax increase on cigarettes in 2015 helped contribute to a decline in smoking rates.
The average price of a pack of cigarettes in South Korea stands at 4,500 won or roughly 3-dollars-and-77-cents, compared to about 7 dollars in the U.S., around 10 dollars in Singapore and over 20 dollars in Australia.
Claudia Kim, eFM News.■
[2019.05.22]
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≡ Switzerland Donates $5 Mln In Humanitarian Aid To N. Korea
Switzerland has become one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid to North Korea this year after its recent donation of 5 million dollars.
Data by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs showed this brings the European country's total donations to 7.8 million, which accounts for around half of all funding secured by aid agencies.
Russia was the second highest donor with 4 million, followed by Sweden contributing 2.44 million dollars.
North Korea is reportedly facing severe food shortages due to global sanctions and weather conditions, for which South Korea plans to donate 8 million dollars in aid.■
[2019.05.22]
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≡ Memorial Service To Remember Ex-President Roh Thursday
A memorial ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun.
The Roh Moo-hyun Foundation said the service at the former president's grave at Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province will consist of speeches and performances.
Roh's family members, including former First Lady Kwon Yang-sook, National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, political party leaders and Cheong Wa Dae officials will attend the event.
Former U.S. President George W. Bush, Roh's counterpart at the time of his presidency, will also be there and deliver an address.■
[2019.05.22]
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≡ Sewol Ferry Victims' Families To Hold Candlelight Rally Saturday
The families of victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy more than five years ago plan to hold a candlelight rally on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square.
During a press conference earlier today, an association of family members called on the public to take part in the rally.
They plan to demand punishment for those that are responsible for the accident -- the worst maritime disaster in Korean history.
The ferry capsized off the country's southeastern coast on April 16th, 2014, killing over 300 people on board, most of them high school students on a field trip.■
[2019.05.22]
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≡ KDI Cuts 2019 Growth Outlook For S. Korea To 2.4%
The Korea Development Institute has revised down its growth forecast for the country's economy this year by 0.2 percentage points to 2.4 percent.
The KDI said the Korean economy shows signs of sluggishness as exports fell amid slowing growth in domestic demand.
The think tank noted the escalating trade frictions between the United States and China would have a negative effect on the local economy.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development also cut its growth outlook for South Korea this year to 2.4 percent from the previous 2.6 percent.■
[2019.05.22]