Download  South Korea has made it into the second round of the World Cup.

A place in the second round has long been a national obsession- hundreds of thousands of fans, came out in droves and filled parks, stadiums and sports bars to watch every games on live television. 

But the South Korean footballers weren’t the only team receiving support from the crowds.

After a 44-year absence from the tournament, North Korea fielded a team in South Africa.

And despite the recent rise in tensions on the peninsula, many South Koreans put aside their differences to cheer on their northern neighbour.

From Seoul, reporter Jason Strother, has more.

Download   The U.S. has had close military ties with South Korea since the Korean War sixty years ago, there are still over 28 thousand American troops stationed below the 38th parallel.

But even though most soldiers’ tours last only a few years, they sometimes leave things behind, like wives or children.

Now the US army there is trying to make it easier for these abandoned spouses to get in touch for help.

Jason Strother has more from Dongducheon, a base town just south of the DMZ.

Download  Tensions on the Korean peninsula continue to rise following an international investigation that blamed North Korea for the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel in March.

Seoul has cut off most economic ties with the north and Pyongyang has responded with threats of all out war.

But despite those threats, most South Koreans remain calm.

That could be because many Koreans, especially young ones, don’t see North Korea as a real danger and aren’t worried that war will erupt.   

Jason Strother has more from Seoul.

Download   South Korea is still grappling with the fall-out from the sinking of one of its naval vessels two months ago, in which 46 sailors died.

Last week the government formally blamed North Korea for the incident, accusing its rogue neighbour of sinking the vessel with a torpedo.

South Korea’s President Lee Myung Bak says he wants to  reform the nation’s military, making it better able to respond to provocations. 

What this may mean for the thousands of young South Korean facing compulsory conscription is uncertain.

Each year hundreds end up in jail for refusing to serve their mandatory two-year enlistment.

In Seoul our reporter Jason Strother caught up with one young objector and filed this report.