Youtube daily report Jan 2 2019

The nation's capital will restrict the use of older vehicles by the thousands,... if

air pollution worsens.

The Seoul government plans to enforce the policy from February 15th,... as part of its

measures to reduce fine dust levels.

Cars with the lowest ranking, grade five, on the local carbon emissions scale... will

be banned on days the emergency measures to tackle air pollution are enforced.

This would immediately apply to 400-thousand vehicles registered in Seoul, and its surrounding

cities.

The law will gradually be expanded to other parts of the country, starting June 1st,...

affecting more than two-point-six million diesel cars and 30-thousand vehicles powered

by gasoline or LPG.

For more infomation >> Seoul, capital regions to restrict old vehicles on days with high air pollution - Duration: 0:39.

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ROK Air Force selects its very first female test pilot Jung Da-jung - Duration: 0:43.

South Korea's first female air force test pilot started her 46-week training earlier

today.

The nation's Air Force announced Wednesday that captain Jung Da-jung... has been selected

as one of three test-pilots this year,... and their nearly-year-long training has begun

at the 281st Flight test squadron.

She entered the Air Force Academy back in 2005,... and has been serving as a KF-16 jet

fighter pilot,... clocking up about one-thousand flight hours so far.

Since 1990, the nation's air force has selected 42 test-pilots, all males,... after a rigorous

selection process,... as their job of testing the safety of newly-developed aircraft is

more dangerous than flying regular fighter jets.

For more infomation >> ROK Air Force selects its very first female test pilot Jung Da-jung - Duration: 0:43.

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Kim Jong-un shows strong will to improve relations with S. Korea, U.S.: experts - Duration: 3:08.

Kim Jong-un's 2019 New Year's Address was different from previous years in many ways.

A much milder atmosphere than the past, with messages that show a strong will to further

improve relations with South Korea and the U.S.

Oh Jung-hee provides an analysis of the speech with the help of some experts.

Standing at a podium, speaking in a hard and stiff tone,... while highlighting the nuclear

button on his desk.

That was North Korean leader Kim Jong-un making his New Year's Address at the start of 2018.

But this year, Kim Jong-un went with a softer, warmer approach.

Walking into a nicely decorated study holding papers, he addressed his people sitting down

on a sofa,... in a format that the Seoul government called... "unconventional."

And for the first time, Kim Jong-un promised 'complete denuclearization' of the Korean

Peninsula with his own voice.

"It is our invariable stand and my firm will to build a lasting and durable peace regime

and advance towards complete denuclearization."

Kim also stressed that North Korea has not been making any nuclear weapons -- which is

a fairly new claim that adds to the regime's moratorium on nuclear tests -- aiming to remove

the international community's concerns on nuclear weapons production.

Kim did warn of having to find a (quote)"new path" unless the U.S. takes reciprocal measures.

But he, at the same time, toned it down by leaving it as a possibility.

Some in the U.S. say that Pyeongyang offered an olive branch with sharp thorns -- but this

expert sees it differently: "Kim is not threatening to walk the new path.

He's putting much more weight on complete denuclearization and North Korea-U.S. negotiations.

He's saying that he can't help but look for a new path if the U.S. keeps on unilaterally

forcing Pyeongyang without corresponding measures.

The 'new path' is only rhetoric."

In terms of inter-Korean relations, Kim hinted... that Pyeongyang's main focus this year will

be on resuming the joint factory park, the Gaeseong Industrial Complex,... and South

Korean tours to the North's Mount Geumgangsan.

"When North and South hold hands firmly and join forces, no external sanctions and pressure,

challenges and trials will be able to get in our way towards national prosperity."

"It's a message that South Korea should move to persuade the U.S. and the international

community to lift sanctions."

Pundits believe that Pyeongyang has a strong will to enhance its relations with Seoul and

Washington in the new year, while continuing domestic efforts to boost economic growth.

They also say that declaring an end to the Korean War and signing a peace treaty may

become a major agenda in 2019,... as Kim called for multilateral negotiations on ending the

armistice status... and setting lasting peace.

Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.

For more infomation >> Kim Jong-un shows strong will to improve relations with S. Korea, U.S.: experts - Duration: 3:08.

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Wildfire in Yangyang extinguished after 20 hours - Duration: 0:38.

A wildfire that started in South Korea's Gangwon-do Province on New Year's Day was finally extinguished

after 20 hours on Wednesday.

More than 20 hectares of land in Yangyang County were burned to the ground.

Fire authorities are going through a last checkup to make sure there are no risks of

additional fires starting afterwards.

2-hundred-97 residents, who were evacuated from the vicinities of the fire, have been

given permission to return to their homes.

More than a dozen helicopters and some 16-hundred emergency personnel worked on extinguishing

the blaze.

The fire department is still trying to determine the source of the wildfire.

For more infomation >> Wildfire in Yangyang extinguished after 20 hours - Duration: 0:38.

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S. Korea's stock markets close lower on first trading day of 2019 - Duration: 0:34.

Seoul's stock markets closed lower on their first trading session of 2019.

The Kospi, fell one-point-five percent to 20-10, the lowest level in two months... on

investor concerns about a slowing Chinese economy.

The benchmark index opened the session higher, but started falling at around 11 AM after

Beijing released its Purchasing Managers' Index for December, which is based on a survey

of how businesses are doing.

At 47-point-7, it fell below 50 for the first time in 19 months.

The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also closed lower by about 1 percent.