• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2017.04a
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• pp.137-137
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• 2017

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2017.11a
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• pp.279-279
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• 2017

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.781-792
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• 2020

Mine tailings, which are inevitably formed by the development of manganese nodules, manganese crusts, and hydrothermal seafloor deposits, have attracted attention because of their quantity and potential toxicity. However, there is a lack of data on the quantity of mine tailings being generated, their physicochemical properties, and their effects as environmental hazards and on marine ecosystems in general. The importance of treating mine tailings in an environmentally friendly manner has been recognized recently and related reduction/treatment methods are being considered. In the case of deep-sea mineral resource development, if mine tailings cannot be treated aboard a ship, the issue becomes one of the cost of transporting them to land and solving the problem of environmental pollution there. Therefore, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology conducted research on the harmfulness of mine tailings, their effect on marine ecosystem, the diffusion model of contaminated particles, and candidate purification treatment technologies based on five representative controlling factors: 1) effects of pollution /on the environment, 2) effects of environmental/ biological hazards, 3) diffusion of particles, 4) mineral dressings, and 5) reducing/processing mine tailings. The results of this study can provide a basis for minimizing environmental problems by providing scientific evidences of the environmental effects of mine tailings. In addition, it is also expected that these results could be applied to the treatment of pollutants of different origins and at land-based mining waste sites.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.187-210
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• 2009

Space law(or outer space law) and the law of the sea are branches of international law dealing with activities in geographical ares which do not or do only in part come under national sovereignty. Legal rules pertaining to the outer space and sea began to develop once activities emerged in those areas: amongst others, activities dealing with transportation, research, exploration, defense and exploitation. Naturally the law of the sea developed first, followed, early in the twentieth century, by air law, and later in the century by space law. Obviously the law of the sea, of the air and of outer space influence each other. Ideas have been borrowed from one field and applied to another. This article examines some analogies and differences between the outer space law and the law of the sea, especially from the perspective of the legal status, the exploration and exploitation of the natural resources and environment. As far as the comparisons of the legal status between the outer space and high seas are concerned the two areas are res extra commercium. The latter is res extra commercium based on both the customary international law and treaty, however, the former is different respectively according to the customary law and treaty. Under international customary law, whilst outer space constitutes res extra commercium, celestial bodies are res nullius. However as among contracting States of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, both outer space and celestial bodies are declared res extra commercium. As for the comparisons of the exploration and exploitation of natural resources between the Moon including other celestial bodies in 1979 Moon Agreement and the deep sea bed in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the both areas are the common heritage of mankind. The latter gives us very systematic models such as International Sea-bed Authority, however, the international regime for the former will be established as the exploitation of the natural resources of the celestial bodies other than the Earth is about to become feasible. Thus Moon Agreement could not impose a moratorium, but would merely permit orderly attempts to establish that such exploitation was in fact feasible and practicable, by allowing experimental beginnings and thereafter pilot operations. As Professor Carl Christol said until the parties of the Moon Agreement were able to put into operation the legal regime for the equitable sharing of benefits, they would remain free to disregard the Common Heritage of Mankind principle. Parties to one or both of the agreements would retain jurisdiction over national space activities. In so far as the comparisons of the protection of the environment between the outer space and sea is concerned the legal instruments for the latter are more systematically developed than the former. In the case of the former there are growing tendencies of concerning the environmental threats arising from space activities these days. There is no separate legal instrument to deal with those problems.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.215-236
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• 2006

This article focused on the meaning of the 1979 Moon Treaty and its future. Although the Moon Treaty is one of the major 5 space related treaties, it was accepted by only 11 member states which are non-space powers, thus having the least enfluences on the field of space law. And this article analysed the relationship between the 1979 Moon Treay and 1967 Space Treaty which was the first principle treaty, and searched the meaning of the "Common Heritage of Mankind(hereinafter CHM)" stipulated in the Moon treaty in terms of international law. This article also dealt with the present and future problems arising from the Moon Treaty. As far as the 1967 Space Treaty is concerned the main standpoint is that outer space including the moon and the other celestial bodies is res extra commercium, areas not subject to national appropriation like high seas. It proclaims the principle non-appropriation concerning the celestial bodies in outer space. But the concept of CHM stipulated in the Moon Treaty created an entirely new category of territory in international law. This concept basically conveys the idea that the management, exploitation and distribution of natural resources of the area in question are matters to be decided by the international community and are not to be left to the initiative and discretion of individual states or their nationals. Similar provision is found in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention that operates the International Sea-bed Authority created by the concept of CHM. According to the Moon Treaty international regime will be established as the exploitation of the natural resources of the celestial bodies other than the Earth is about to become feasible. Before the establishment of an international regime we could imagine moratorium upon the expoitation of the natural resources on the celestial bodies. But the drafting history of the Moon Treaty indicates that no moratorium on the exploitation of natural resources was intended prior to the setting up of the international regime. So each State Party could exploit the natural resources bearing in mind that those resouces are CHM. In this respect it would be better for Korea, now not a party to the Moon Treaty, to be a member state in the near future. According to the Moon Treaty the efforts of those countries which have contributed either directly or indirectly the exploitation of the moon shall be given special consideration. The Moon Treaty, which although is criticised by some space law experts represents a solid basis upon which further space exploration can continue, shows the expression of the common collective wisdom of all member States of the United Nations and responds the needs and possibilities of those that have already their technologies into outer space.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.97-108
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• 2005

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) formally came into existence upon the entry into force of the UNCLOS on 16 November 1994. By adopting the Implementing Agreement in 1994, UNCLOS has the universality as a Magna Carta of International Ocean Regime, and the Deep Seabed Mining Regime could be operated as a unique one for the benefit of mankind. During last 10 years, ISA established the institutional framework successfully and made substantial and tangible progress in formulating the rules, regulations and procedures for the prospecting and exploration for polymetally nodules. Furthermore, RPI's obligations had been carried out completely, and the 7 RPI made contract with ISA to become a contractor who has an at least 15 you exclusive right for exploration in their allocated site. However, due to the uncertainty of commercial mining, the number of representatives from developing countries has been getting looser and looser and ISA has a problem of quorum of the Assembly. Land-based producers took a very strong opposite position to the contractors to make their loss in the minimum level. For the next decade, it might be prospected that ISA will focus on monitoring the contractor's activities, making rules, regulations and procedures for exploration on cobalt rich crust, sulphide and methane hydrate and implementing environment studies.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.403-406
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• 2006

최근 막대한 매장량으로 인해 미래의 비재래형 에너지원으로 주목받고 있는 천여가스 하이드레이트는 고압 저온 환경에서 수소결합을 하는 고체상 격자 내에 객체분자인 가스분자가 포획되어 형성된 가스하이드레이트의 일종으로 영구 동토지역과 심해저의 퇴적층에 광범위하게 분포되어 있다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 가스하이드레이트의 개발기술과 천연가스의 저장과 운송기술에 관한 미국 일본 유럽 등 특허 3극 및 한국 특허 총 357건을 추출하고 특허정보 분석을 실시하여 국내외 기술개발 동망 및 기술변화 추이를 살펴보았다. 특허 검색에 사용된 DB와 분석도구는 특허청 선행기술 전문조사기관 등으로 지정된 (주)윕스사의 WIPS와 ThinKlear이며, 미국/일본/유럽 등 특허 3극과 한국에서 공개 또는 등록된 특허를 검색대상으로 하였다 자원으로서 천연가스 하이드레이트를 개발하는 기술과 관련하여 총 193건의 특허가 추출되었으며, 이 때 사용하는 방법에는 감압법, 열처리법, 억제제 주입법 등이 있었다. 또한 연료용 가스, 특히 메탄가스의 수송 및 저장에는 통상 액화하여 액화천연가스로 수송하는 방법이 사용되고 있으나 가스하이드레이트를 이용할 경우 액화천연가스를 이용하는 것보다 더 경제적임이 보고되면서 이와 관련된 연구가 활발히 진행 중이며, 총 164건의 특허가 추출되었다. 상기 추출된 총 357건을 대상으로 연도별 출원동향, 국가별 점유율 및 시계열 분석, 분류기술별 출원동향 등의 특허정보 분석을 수행하였다.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.275-289
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• 2014

Recent scaled-up onshore and offshore field production tests revealed that the expectancy to produce gas from the gas hydrate deposits is gradually increasing, recognizing its potentials as one of the future energy resources. The total produced gas was approximately $480m^3$ by the hot water circulation method for 6 days' operation in Mallik 2002 project in Canada. In Mallik 2006-2008 project, the gas was successfully produced stably by the depressurization method for 6 days, up to $13,000m^3$ cumulatively. The depressurization method applied in the Mallik test was revealed as an effective way to produce gas from gas hydrates. The Alaska North Slope field trial in 2012 to inject mixed gas of $CO_2$ and $N_2$ to exchange $CH_4$ was successfully completed for the first time to produce maximum $1,270m^3$ per day. The remarkable achievement is that Japan has completed first offshore production test in the Eastern Nankai Trough, and produced approximately $120,000m^3$ of methane by the depressurization method for 6 days in March 2013. The technical challenges and uncertainties obtained from Nankai Trough production test give Korea more considerations in the aspects of well completion, reservoir formation and seafloor stability, sand control, flow assurance, and etc., due to the different geological environments and geomechnical properties in Ulleung Basin in Korea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2023

For the commercial development of deep-sea mineral resources, the International Seabed Authority is engaged in wide ranging discussions to establish the Regulations on Exploitation. The core issue of the Regulations on Exploitation is how to protect the marine environment along with the royalty system that distributes the profits from such development. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea stipulates the protection of the marine environment in Part 12 (Articles 192-237) for the preservation of the marine environment, and in the 1994 Implementation Agreement, the protection of the marine environment at the stage of application for approval of the plan of work together with the Regulations on Exploration for the protection of the marine environment. For this purpose, certain obligations are imposed on the applicants. In the Regulations on Exploitation, financial systems such as environmental performance guarantee, insurance, and environmental compensation funds, which were not found in the Regulations on Exploration, are added to further specify the measures for marine environment protection generally stipulated in the 1982 Law of the Convention or 1994 Implementation Agreement. Regarding the financial system for marine environment protection, the Marine Environmental Protection and Conservation Informal Working Group meeting is revising the purpose of the environmental compensation fund. Among these financial system elements, it is judged that there is a possibility that the environmental performance guarantee and insurance may overlap considerably, and it is also thought that the establishment of the environmental compensation fund can also provide a substantial sum of money that will meet the purpose of the compensation fund in terms of securing its financial resources. In this paper, the question is posed as to whether or not this can be accomplished. In this respect, this paper examines the environmental performance guarantee, insurance, and environmental compensation fund, which are necessary for the protection of the marine environment of the deep seabed, but which can impose appropriate obligations on contractors for the commercial development of deep seabed mineral resources. At the same time as figuring out how it is operated in relation to relevant domestic laws, I would like to propose a plan to reflect the implications derived from the domestic law operation process in the Regulations on Exploitation.