Although the search for survivors of the capsized Hableany ship, which collided with
another vessel on the Danube in Budapest on the 29th, has continued today,
there is no news to report. A Korean government response team, including
minister Gang Gyeonghwa, is on the scene of the accident. Family members are also
arriving at the local area. There are still a number of unanswered questions
regarding events at the time of the accident. KBS News has obtained an audio
file containing communications between Hungarian rescue authorities and ships
which were close to the site of the accident. One can imagine the urgency at
the time.
On the night of the 29th, a ship passing near the
Budapest Parliament House urgently called the rescue authorities. [On the
recording,] an urgent voice says that they have rescued a passenger who was
drowning in the water, after having responded urgently to the sinking Hableany. Rescuers then pass on the news
that the passenger has been successfully revived.
When driving, there are cases in which an accident cannot be avoided, but most collisions are treated [by insurance companies] as if both drivers are at fault. From now on, however, it will be possible for one driver to receive 100% of the blame, if the faults to a vehicle are obvious. In situations where a victim cannot avoid a crash, it will be treated as the one-sided fault of the perpetrator. The Korean Financial Services Commission has revised the “Automobile Accident Fee Rate Criteria”, which sets the percentage of negligence [in different given situations].
There has been a constant stream of complains from
consumers, alleging that insurance companies have been charging an excess to
both parties involved in accidents. In fact, the number of complaints regaridng
malpractice in accident fee rates surged from 40,000 in 2015 to 75,000 last
year. Korean car insurance is overseen by the Non-Life Insurance Association.
Accrordingly, the Financial Supervisory Commission has decided to newly
establish 22 accreditation standards for unilateral accidents and to change 11
accreditation standards. For example, if a car goes straight ahead or turns
left, the car that makes a left turn on the straight lane commits a 1005 error.
When there is contact between a car and a bicycle in a bike lane, it is
recognised as 100% the car driver’s fault. In the case of accidents involving vehicles
entering a rolling intersection and [striking] driving vehicles, a new fault
ratio of 80% to 20% was newly established. In addition, according to a recent court
ruling, it was decided to add another 20 standards and increase the rate of
negligence in the case of motorcycle accidents.
The Financial Supervisory Commission will implement these
revised standards from the 30th and will cooperate with the loss insurance
association to promote the changes.
Analysis: People who have
commuted by cycle within Korea will probably not be surprised to learn that, before
this new set of standards was released, car/bicycle collisions within a bike
lane weren’t necessarily blamed on the car driver.
[Bong Junho’s new film, Parasite, has won the top
prize, the Palme D’Or, at the Cannes Film Festival.]
Bong Junho discusses his Palme D’Or win with media. The caption says “judges’ decision was unanimous – why?”
The Cannes Film Festival ended today (26th) at dawn and here last night. But excitement is still at fever pitch. I’m currently in front of Lumiere Grand Theatre, the main screening centre of the film festival, and the atmosphere has still not yet calmed down. Director Bong Junho and star of Parasite, Song Gangho, met with reporters immediately after the award. Bong said, “I am really glad to be able to act with Gangho, who has been a compatriot of mine for the last 17 years. I did not realise that I felt like I was in a fantasy film. Song said that the win was possible due the support, encouragement and backing provided by Korean film fans.
Parasite has won big at Cannes in response to the fun of
the film’s genre trappings and the flawless execution of the work. But exactly
what kind of movie is it? It seems that the reason why the movie ”
satisfied the audience of here of international viewers is because the film
gained favourable responses by touching on issues related to social inequality and
the gap between rich and poor. The majority of the audience who watched the
movie found similarities with the situation in their own country. As a result,
universality and speciality have been incorporated into one work, and it can be
interpreted as capturing world film fans and officials. Bong’s work includes a
lot of movies that have a lot of fun with social messages and so on. His body
of work has involved telling the stories of the powerless. In particular he has
studied the next generation, the situation of children and young people, and
this work Parasite also deals with
the struggles of young people. The film’s efforts to go beyond the expectations
of audiences and suck them into the film, through its genre, suspense and
humour, has gained Bong many fans across the world.
After this screening of Parasite [at Cannes], the expression “Bong Junho’s genre” was born here in this foreign country, and his film life has reached a peak.
Analysis: This news coverage brings new meaning to the term “puff piece”, and is notable for the awkward exchange between the anchor and location reporter as they dissect Parasite‘s appeal for the judges (summary: it’s a good film with prescient themes). Let’s not be churlish – this is the first time a Korean film has won the prestigious Palme d’Or, so it’s only natural that Koreans are intensely interested. I’m looking forward to seeing the film myself.
