• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean. Even before the importance of the value of estuaries was recognized, the estuary was lost because of large-scale conversion by draining, filling, damming, and dredging. In South Korea, 643 estuaries are located, and the total area is 3,248,300 ha, accounting for 32.5% of the total area of South Korea. Over 35% of Korean estuaries are closed estuaries which are only temporally connected with the sea, either permanently or periodically. Since 2008, in order to preserve the estuary ecosystem and solve major issues in the estuary by accumulating knowledge about the estuarine ecosystem, the Ministry of Environment of Republic of Korea has been conducting the "Estuarine Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment Project". At 668 sites of 325 estuaries, epilithic diatom, benthic macroinvertebrate, fish, and vegetation are investigated, and the habitat condition of each site is evaluated using the newly developed biotic index. More than 100 researchers annually record 2,097 species of estuaries according to the standardized survey guidelines over the past 14 years and provide strictly managed data necessary for establishing estuaries conservation policies. As a result of bibliometric analysis of 1,195 research articles related to the monitoring and assessment of the estuarine ecosystem, research on pollutants such as heavy metals and sediment control have recently been conducted. "Estuarine Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment Project" is an ecological monitoring type of long-term mandated monitoring that is usually focused on identifying trends. Although it is difficult to identify the mechanism influencing a change in an ecosystem through long-term mandated monitoring, providing empirical data for supporting evidence-based policy, decision-making, and the management of ecosystems. In order to increase the efficiency of the project, research to investigate the relationship between sediments and pollutants and organisms can be conducted at specific estuaries or sites to compensate for the shortcomings of mandatory monitoring.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.69-88
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• 2022

One of the characteristics of South Korea's economic structure is that it is highly dependent on exports. Thus, many businesses are closely related to the global economy and diplomatic situation. In addition, small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) specialized in exporting are struggling due to the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model to forecast exports for next year to support SMEs' export strategy and decision making. Also, this study proposed a strategy to recommend promising export countries of each item based on the forecasting model. We analyzed important variables used in previous studies such as country-specific, item-specific, and macro-economic variables and collected those variables to train our prediction model. Next, through the exploratory data analysis(EDA) it was found that exports, which is a target variable, have a highly skewed distribution. To deal with this issue and improve predictive performance, we suggest a separated learning method. In a separated learning method, the whole dataset is divided into homogeneous subgroups and a prediction algorithm is applied to each group. Thus, characteristics of each group can be more precisely trained using different input variables and algorithms. In this study, we divided the dataset into five subgroups based on the exports to decrease skewness of the target variable. After the separation, we found that each group has different characteristics in countries and goods. For example, In Group 1, most of the exporting countries are developing countries and the majority of exporting goods are low value products such as glass and prints. On the other hand, major exporting countries of South Korea such as China, USA, and Vietnam are included in Group 4 and Group 5 and most exporting goods in these groups are high value products. Then we used LightGBM(LGBM) and Exponential Moving Average(EMA) for prediction. Considering the characteristics of each group, models were built using LGBM for Group 1 to 4 and EMA for Group 5. To evaluate the performance of the model, we compare different model structures and algorithms. As a result, it was found that the separated learning model had best performance compared to other models. After the model was built, we also provided variable importance of each group using SHAP-value to add explainability of our model. Based on the prediction model, we proposed a second-stage recommendation strategy for potential export countries. In the first phase, BCG matrix was used to find Star and Question Mark markets that are expected to grow rapidly. In the second phase, we calculated scores for each country and recommendations were made according to ranking. Using this recommendation framework, potential export countries were selected and information about those countries for each item was presented. There are several implications of this study. First of all, most of the preceding studies have conducted research on the specific situation or country. However, this study use various variables and develops a machine learning model for a wide range of countries and items. Second, as to our knowledge, it is the first attempt to adopt a separated learning method for exports prediction. By separating the dataset into 5 homogeneous subgroups, we could enhance the predictive performance of the model. Also, more detailed explanation of models by group is provided using SHAP values. Lastly, this study has several practical implications. There are some platforms which serve trade information including KOTRA, but most of them are based on past data. Therefore, it is not easy for companies to predict future trends. By utilizing the model and recommendation strategy in this research, trade related services in each platform can be improved so that companies including SMEs can fully utilize the service when making strategies and decisions for exports.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.169-181
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• 2023

Recently, in order to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, which is the main cause of global warming, Korea has declared carbon emission reduction targets and carbon neutral. Accurate assessment of regional emissions and atmospheric CO₂ concentrations is becoming important as a result. In this study, we identified the spatiotemporal differences between satellite-based atmospheric CO₂ concentration and CO₂ emissions for the Korean Peninsula region using column-averaged CO₂ dry-air mole fraction from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 and emission inventory. And we explained these differences using solar-induced fluorescence (SIF), a photosynthetic reaction index according to vegetation growth. The Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center (GIR) and Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) emissions continued to increase in Korea from 2014 to 2018, but the satellite-based atmospheric CO₂ concentration decreased in 2018, respectively. Regionally, GIR and EDGAR emissions increased in 2018 in Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongbuk-do, but satellite-based CO₂ concentrations decreased for the corresponding years. In addition, the correlation analysis between emissions and satellite-based CO₂ concentration showed a low correlation of 0.22 (GIR) and 0.16 (EDGAR) in Seoul and Gangwon-do. Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations showed a different correlation with SIF by region. In the CO₂-SIF correlation analysis for the growing season (May to September), Seoul and Gyeonggi-do showed a negative correlation coefficient of -0.26, Chungcheongbuk-do and Gangwon-do showed a positive correlation coefficient of 0.46. Therefore, it can be suggested that consideration of the CO₂ absorption process is necessary for analyzing the relationship between the atmospheric CO₂ concentration and emission inventory.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.683-701
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to analyze the status of dietary behavior and nutrition intakes according to the gender and the level of physical activity of adolescents. Methods: Data from 659 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017-2018) were analyzed. Collected data were analyzed using complex sampling data analysis with SPSS v. 27.0. Results: The adolescents were categorized into three groups based on their physical activity as follows: The first group with high physical activity (8.9%), a second group with normal physical activity (29.7%), and a third group without physical activity (61.4%). Boys showed significantly higher physical activity than the girls. Adolescents with high physical activity had a significantly lower body mass index than adolescents without physical activity, but their meal regularity, subjective health status, and recognition of body image were significantly higher. In terms of biochemical factors, adolescents with high physical activity had lower triglycerides and cholesterol than adolescents without physical activity, while hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher. In addition, the intakes of energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamin B₁, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron increased significantly as adolescents' physical activity increased. Conclusion: The physical activity of adolescents had a positive effect on dietary behavior, lifestyle, and nutritional factors. Therefore, it is necessary to increase participation in physical classes in schools and develop various programs considering the level of physical activity among adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.5_1
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• pp.655-667
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• 2023

Algal bloom outbreaks are frequently reported around the world, and serious water pollution problems arise every year in Korea. It is necessary to protect the aquatic ecosystem through continuous management and rapid response. Many studies using satellite images are being conducted to estimate the concentration of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), an indicator of algal bloom occurrence. However, machine learning models have recently been used because it is difficult to accurately calculate Chl-a due to the spectral characteristics and atmospheric correction errors that change depending on the water system. It is necessary to consider the factors affecting algal bloom as well as the satellite spectral index. Therefore, this study constructed a dataset by considering water quality, hydrological and meteorological factors, and sentinel-2 images in combination. Representative ensemble models random forest and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were used to predict the concentration of Chl-a in eight weirs located on the Nakdong river over the past five years. R-squared score (R²), root mean square errors (RMSE), and mean absolute errors (MAE) were used as model evaluation indicators, and it was confirmed that R² of XGBoost was 0.80, RMSE was 6.612, and MAE was 4.457. Shapley additive expansion analysis showed that water quality factors, suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and the band ratio using red edge bands were of high importance in both models. Various input data were confirmed to help improve model performance, and it seems that it can be applied to domestic and international algal bloom detection.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.203-212
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• 2023

This study conducted a diallel-crossbreeding test using four Korean native chicken parent stock lines (YC, YD, CK, and CF) to develop a native commercial layer with high egg-laying performance. A total of 312 chickens in six combinations were examined for various traits, including livability, body weight, age at first egg-laying, hen-day, and hen-housed egg production, egg weight, and egg quality, from hatching to 60 weeks of age. The results showed that the average survival rate was 77.1±18.8% with the YDYC combination having the highest survival rate along with excellent specific combining ability. The YDYC combination exhibited significantly higher body weight compared to the other combinations (P<0.01). The average age at first egg-laying was 121.3±2.5 days, with no significant difference between the combinations. The average hen-day egg production was 74.0±6.4%, and the hen-housed egg production was 181.4±33.8 eggs with the YDCF and YCCK combinations demonstrating the highest laying performance, while the YDYC and CKCF combinations had the lowest (P<0.05). Laying performance was more influenced by specific combining ability than general combining ability. The eggs from the YDYC combination were significantly lighter and had the darkest shell color (P<0.01), whereas the YDCF combination exhibited the thickest eggshells. There was no difference in internal egg quality among combinations, except the YDCF combination had the darkest yolk color. Overall, we concluded that the YCCK combination, characterized by high laying performance and livability, and the YDCF combination with high laying performance and good egg quality are the most desirable combinations for Korean native commercial layers.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.40-48
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• 2023

This study is part of a foundational research effort aimed at developing a suitability index for breeding grounds related to avian activities along the domestic South and West coasts, including islands. Focus Group Interviews (FGI) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analyses were conducted. The results are as follows. First, as a result of determining the value of the suitability of coastal bird breeding sites, the 'Natural Value(0.763)' was higher than the 'Artificial Value(0.237)'. Other artificial values were identified as sub-ranked except for 'Protected Areas' to ensure continuous integrity of breeding spaces. Second, as a result of re-establishing the 25 evaluation items classified in the two-time FGI as higher concepts, nine natural values and five artificial values were finally selected as a total of 14. Third, the results of the mid-classification evaluation of the importance of the suitability of coastal bird breeding sites were identified in the order of 'Ecological Value(0.392)', 'Topographic Value(0.251)', 'Passive Interference(0.124)', 'Geological Value(0.120)', and 'Active Interference(0.113)'. Fourth, the results of the priority of evaluation items of coastal bird breeding sites were in the order of 'Vegetation Distribution (0.187)', 'Area of Mudflats(0.118)', 'Presence or Absence of Mudflats(0.092)', 'Appearance of Natural Enemies(0.087)', 'Protected Areas(0.08)', 'Island Area (0.069)', 'Over-Breeding devastation(0.064)', 'Soil Composition Ratio(0.056)', 'Distance from Land(0.054)', 'Ocean farm area (0.045)', 'Cultivated land area(0.041)', 'Cultivation behavior(0.038)', 'Angle of the Surface(0.036)', and 'Land Use(0.033)'. It is judged that the weighting result value of the evaluation items derived in this study can be used for priority evaluation focusing on the coastal bird breeding area space. However, it seems that the correlation with the unique habitat suitability of bird individuals needs to be supplemented, and spatial analysis research incorporating species-specific characteristics will be left as a future task.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2024

With the growth of offshore wind power generation market, the corresponding installation vessel market is also growing. It is anticipated that approximately 100 installation vessels will be required in the of shore wind power generation market by 2030. With a price range of 300 to 400 billion Korean won per vessel, this represents a high-value market compared to merchant vessels. Particularly, the demand for large installation vessels with a capacity of 11 MW or more is increasing. The rapid growth of the offshore wind power generation market in the Asia-Pacific region, centered around China, has led to several discussions on orders for operational installation vessels in this region. The seabed geology in the Asia-Pacific region is dominated by clay layers with low bearing capacity. Owing to these characteristics, during vessel operations, significant spudcan and leg penetration depths occur as the installation vessel rises and descends above the water surface. In this study, using penetration variables ranging from 3 to 21 m, the unique vibration period, structural safety of the legs, and conductivity safety index were assessed based on penetration depths. As the penetration depth increases, the natural vibration period and the moment length of the leg become shorter, increasing the margin of structural strength. It is safe against overturning moment at all angles of incidence, and the maximum value occurs at 270 degrees. The conditions reviewed through this study can be used as crucial data to determine the operation of the legs according to the penetration depth when developing operating procedures for WTIV in soft soil. In conclusion, accurately determining the safety of the leg structure according to the penetration depth is directly related to the safety of the WTIV.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a comprehensive tool for assessing dietary guideline adherence among older Korean adults, focusing on the domains of food and nutrient intake, eating habits, and dietary culture. Methods: Candidate items were selected through a literature search and expert advice. The degree of adherence to dietary guidelines was then evaluated through a face-to-face survey conducted on 800 elderly individuals across five nationwide regions. The items for dietary guideline adherence evaluation tool were selected through exploratory factor analysis of the candidate items in each of the three areas of the dietary guidelines, and construct validity was verified by performing confirmatory factor analysis. Using the path coefficient of the structural equation model, weights were assigned to each area and item to calculate the dietary guideline adherence score. A rating system for the evaluation tool was established based on national survey results. Results: A total of twenty-eight items were selected for evaluating dietary guideline adherence among the elderly. Thirteen items related to food intake, seven to eating habits, and eight to dietary culture. The average score for dietary guideline adherence was 56.9 points, with 49.8 points in the food intake area, 63.2 points in the eating habits area, and 58.6 points in the dietary culture area. Statistically significant correlations were found between dietary guideline adherence scores and food literacy (r = 0.679) and nutrition quotient scores (r = 0.750). Conclusion: The developed evaluation tool for dietary guideline adherence among Korean older adults can be used as a simple and effective instrument for comprehensively assessing their food and nutrient intake, dietary habits, and dietary culture.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2024

Background: Korea's population of children and adolescents has decreased by 2.88 million over the past decade and is expected to decline further due to the unprecedented low birth rate. In the fee-for-service compensation system, the decline in the pediatric population relates directly to the profit decrease in the pediatric clinics. This study analyzed whether the worsening profits of pediatric clinics impacted their closure. Methods: We built annual data for pediatric and other department clinics (internal medicine, otolaryngology, and family medicine) using the status of medical institute and health insurance claims data from 2012 to 2022. Then, we analyzed whether institutional variables such as annual profit and regional variables (Herfindahl-Hirschman index, the number of clinics per 100,000, etc.) affected the closure of clinics. The methods used in this study are descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. Odds ratios for each variable were estimated by generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results: The closure rate of pediatric clinics was 2.66%-7.04% in 2012-2022, which was consistently higher than those of internal medicine, otolaryngology, and family medicine clinics. The profit gap per institution between the pediatric and the other clinics grew from 126 million won in 2012 to 245 million won in 2019. In the GEE analysis, profit decrease compared to the previous year with lower profit was the main factor that increased the closure of pediatric and other department clinics. After adjusting profit-related variables, the decrease in the pediatric population itself did not relate to the closure of pediatric clinics. The number of pediatric clinics or monopolies also did not affect the closure of pediatric clinics. Conclusion: The worsening profit is the crucial factor for the closure of pediatric clinics, while the pediatric population is decreasing. For this reason, it is necessary to actively seek ways to maintain a stable treatment system for children and adolescents.