NEWSLINE AT NOON

Описание: ARIRANG NEWS 12:00
Coming up today,... Koreans in four districts dotted around the country head to the polls today for some crunch by-elections... that might show us what the public thinks about the bribery list scandal that has embroiled the ruling party.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refuses again to say sorry for his country′s sexual enslavement of women during World War II, continuing with his now tried and tested statement about feeling remorse for "human trafficking."
Plus,... Korea′s biggest companies are feeling better about their business outlook,... but the country′s smaller firms aren′t feeling as optimistic... despite signs of a gradual economic recovery. Stay tuned for these stories and more.
Hello... it′s noon on Wednesday the twenty-ninth of April... you are tuned in to our midday newscast here on Arirang TV.
Thanks for joining us,... I′m Mark Broome.

Title: Voting underway for April 29 parliamentary by-elections
Our top story this afternoon...
It′s crunch time in local politics... as today,... April 29th,... is by-elections day here in Korea.
The by-elections are being held in four districts,...one in Seoul, one in Gyeonggi-do Province,... one in Incheon,... and one in the southwestern city of Gwangju.
To tell us more,... we connect to our Ji Myung-kil who is standing by at a polling station in Seoul′s Gwanak-B district.
Myung-kil
Hi Mark, a total of three-hundred-nine polling stations opened at six a.m. this morning for people to cast their votes in these by-elections.
It′s been kind of quiet this morning but people have been steadily coming and going.
As well as this district - Gwanak-B in Seoul - there are also by-elections happening in Gyeonggi-do Province,... Incheon,... and one in the southwestern city of Gwangju.
Polling stations close at 8 p.m. tonight and the results should start filtering through from around ten p.m.
According to Korea′s National Election Commission,... more than seven-hundred-ten-thousand people are eligible to vote in the four districts.
A two-day early voting period was held last Friday and Saturday,... for those who aren′t able to make it out today.
The voter turnout for that was seven-point-six percent,... which was slightly lower than the previous by-elections which took place last July.
Well,... it′ll be interesting to see what kind of turnout we see today,... but Myung-kil... the nation′s two main rival parties are desperate to do well in these polls... because it comes as the ruling party is mired in a big scandal...
That′s right, Mark.
These by-elections are very important for both the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy.
Watchers say today′s vote is a test-bed for public sentiment as the nation has been gripped by a snowballing bribery scandal allegedly involving President Park Geun-hye′s aides and some ruling party lawmakers.
Also general elections are due around this time next year so that′s in the back