1. [Express Buses Included]

It\’s been more than one year since the unified discount system was introduced to the metropolitan area. But now having to pay separately when transferring to and from express buses is a thing of the past making bus travel more convenient for travellers.

From the 20th of this month the metropolitan unified fare system will include express buses.

Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Kim Mun-su, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hun, and Korail President Kang Kyeong-ho have signed an agreement for the expansion of the public transit unified fare system discount in the metropolitan area.

1)s-Public transit unified fare system expansion signing ceremony / Seoul Plaza Hotel (September 2nd)

2)
{Seoul buses and the metro which have been under the unfied fare system since July 1st, 2007 will include the express buses from September 20th 2008.}

Accordingly, passengers who use the express bus will be able to receive a discount when transferring to the subway, a city bus, or a village bus.

Upon each transfer one can expect a discount of up to 67 cents, enough to potentially reduce annual transportation costs for up to $447 per commuter.

3)s- Discount of about $0.67 per transfer

In the future, for the system to run smoothly, Gyeonggi Province has a plan to build express bus transfer centers, and plan new routes.

4)s- Transfer centers to be constructed, routes planned

5)
{We are preparing to streamline long routes that overlap and various changes like maintaining transfer strong points to avoid concentrated city centers and main roads.}

When the expansion is carried out an average of 220,000 passengers will be able to receive a discount. The burden of residents travelling to and from Seoul has now been lightened.

2. [Father Education]

Fathers these days have many responsibilities at home and at work. \’Seeking father education\’ is underway intended for average office working fathers, and is gaining a lot of attention. It was a time of seriously thinking about oneself and one\’s family.

Fathers in the province are receiving some special lessons.

1)s-Seeking father education/ National Pension Service Suwon Branch

Intended for everyday fathers the \’seeking father education\’ is a time to share about the meaning of family and the father\’s role through varied methods.

2)
{This education pursues and practices themes related to work and the family.}

First one\’s own father comes to mind and things that could not be expressed before are conveyed.

3) – Think
{My father was the most precious to me, my father passed away just as I was entering elementary school so I don\’t remember how much about what he looked like, but I would like to treasure the love he had for his many children. I love you dad.}

Also, thinking about one\’s wife and children, and the father\’s role, some goals in life are laid down.

4)
{This education has been a good opportunity to remind myself of the importance of the father\’s role and of my wife and children.}

In the future, this education will make its way into public agencies, and companies allowing more fathers to participate.

5)s-Education to be carried out in public agencies and companies.

3. [Training Women Bus Drivers]

These days women drivers can be seen from time to time in taxis and buses. In the future, they will be seen more frequently. Gyeonggi Province announced a plan to initiate the training of women bus drivers.

This is Lee Jin-hee, who has been a bus driver for the past 3 years.

In a job that is difficult for a man she says as a woman there is nothing she cannot do.

1) Interview: Lee Jin-hee (3 years bus driving experience)
{Public transportation is one where travellers use their own two feet. I am very proud about what I can do, and work with a professional attitude.}

Passengers responses to a woman bus driver have been positive.

2) Interview: Bak Mun-ja (Godeung Dong, Suwon)
{Well most drivers are men so when a young woman is driving everyone stares, but she seems to do a good job.}

3) Interview: Lee Jong-hyeok (Jowon Dong, Suwon)
{At first I was a little suspicious since the driver was a woman, but she was cordial which was nice.}

At present there are 17,500 bus drivers in the province.
Of them there are 296 women, about 1.7% of the total.

4) s-About 290 women bus drivers in Gyeonggi Province

Gyeonggi Province stated it plans to directly train female bus drivers with the aims of creating jobs for women and improving the customer service on buses.

5) s- Gyeonggi Province to directly train female drivers

6) Interview: Hong Gwi-seon (Gyeonggi Province Public Transportation Department)
{We want to do our best to create jobs for women, and to improve out high standard bus service.}

Gyeonggi Province plans to select 50 women drivers, each to receive $477 for licensing, and after attending transportation company training, are to be employed by a transport company.

4. [Fostering Education!]

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics last month, the South Korean students creativity olympiad was held, where representatives from within the country were chosen as representatives in a creative olympics. Gyeonggi students have won the most gold medals drawing much attention.

After school a small group of students have gathered in a class room.

After listening carefully to the teacher, the students begin making something by naturally gathering up some materials. The thing the students have started to make is a sophisticated structure that could pass for a gem called a goldbug device.

They complete their creations in just 30 minutes. This class is called the invention class and is run by the Gyeonggi Ministry of Education to improve children\’s creativity.

1) s- Invention class run by the Gyeonggi Ministry of Education

2) s-
{It seems like we\’re learning a lot about creativity, broadening horizons and teamwork.}

3) s-
{It seems like we\’re developing our creativity a lot through the many experiments and creations.}

The results of the invention class are apparent in the creativity olympiad. The creativity olympiad is a competition of creativity consisting of selected students from throughout the country.

4) s- The Creativity Olympiad: a contest evaluating the creative problem aptitude with awards for the elementary, middle, and high school category.

At the contest that was held last month students from Gyeonggi Province acquired 6 of the 9 total gold medals winning the honor of the highest prizes.

5) s- Gyeonggi students awarded greatest honors

6) s-
{I think this is a unique program the students are doing. And because they applied a program which can build teamwork among children I think they presented teamwork, which highly esteemed in the olympiad. }

The Gyeonggi students will participate as Korean representatives in the world creativity olympiad to be held next year in May.

5. [\’Fox Hunt\’ Contest Begins]

For the first time in Korea the Amateur Radio Direction Finding, which is a festival of people interested in using radio technology, was held in Hwaseong. The contest which entails searching for a hidden transmitter seemed more like a fox hunt, which many have been calling it.

All of the contestants are holding receivers with a long antennae attached and move in search of something.

The athletes who move into the mountains pick up a signal and immediately run off as swift as an arrow to find the transmitter.

The contestants are running about because they have to find 5 transmitters that were hidden in the woods within a certain time period.

1)s-A contest to find 5 transmitters within a certain period of time

The Amateur Radio Direction Finding, a festival of those who are into radio technology was held for the first time in Korea in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi and was attended by about 450 contestants from 31 countries.

2)s-Opening ceremony for the 14th Amateur Radio Direction Finding / Suwon University Belcanto Art Center (September 3rd)

3)
#If nothing else the image of our country can be greatly helped by letting the world know about our amateur radio league, but I hope that this could also be a chance to show the world how developed our country is.#

At the contest this year in Korea the normally 120 minute contest was extended by 20 minutes to 140 minutes due to the rough terrain of the contest grounds, and consisted of 2 contests one in the 3.5㎒ range and one in the 144㎒ range.

4)s-Contests held in 3.5㎒ and 144㎒ categoreis

6. [All-out Civilian Economic Safety-net]

Gyeonggi Province has laid out various support policies for companies and citizens who are facing financial trouble due to the slump in the economy to help create a more enjoyable Chuseok Holiday for everyone.

Gyeonggi Province stated a civilian safety policy for small and medium businesses, small-scale merchants, and those of reduced means, just in time for the holiday.

The province has initially provided $46.1 million in emergency aid as part of a special management fund to small and medium businesses facing financial hardship due to the recent slump.

1) Emergency funds of $46.1 million dispersed

Companies that qualify have experienced a delay in payment, stagnation in domestic demand, or management difficulties due to soaring raw material costs, and can expect to receive about $184,000 per company to be paid back in a balloon payment within one year.

2)s-Up to $184,000 offered to be paid back in one year

The province also plans to carry out a smooth supply of fuel by extending the operating hours of gas stations and city gas facilities through a fuel supply policy.

3)s- City gas facilities, gas stations to have extended hours

In addition it was stated that price controls will be set up to curb the spike in prices of 21 high-demand commodities that many are worried about this Chuseok Holiday.

4)s-21 High demand commodities to have price controls implemented

7. [All Ready for Chuseok!]

In Chuseok, the time of year that busy travellers make their way home, Gyeonggi Province has prepared transportation and medical support policies to make the holiday run more smoothly.

Gyeonggi Province stated it has prepared an emergency medical policy ensuring patients requiring emergency assistance can be treated without a hitch.

1)s-Emergency treatment policy prepared

Firstly, 68 general hospitals and other medical centers have made themselves available for 24 hour emergency treatment services with hospitals and pharmacies to stay open after deciding turns.

2)s-Hospitals and pharmacies in the province decided to stay open in turns.

Public health centers and other public agencies in the cities and counties will be on emergency duty during the long holiday, while those selected agencies are planned to be informed of through the Gyeonggi Province homepage, city and county homepages.

3)s-Health centers, selected health care centers on emergency duty

The list of pharmacies open can also be seen on the internet website.

4)s-List of pharmacies can be seen at (www.pharm114.or.kr)

In addition, during the Chuseok holiday a special transportation policy for convenient transportation has also been planned.

55 more buses have been added to 37 city routes going to and from the metropolitan area and major cities in the province, with plans to extend the hours of operation for those returning to Seoul on the last day of the holiday until 2am.

5)s- September 12th-16th: 55 city buses added to routes
September 14th-15th: City buses to extend service until 2am.