• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.143-160
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• 2002

Since the 1990s, arable lands in mountainous areas of South Korea have widely been abandoned due to the serious depopulation for the last few decades. Abandonment of arable lands causes not only a decline in production functions of mountainous villages, but also landscape desolation and environmental problems. Due to same cause, Japan has also experienced the serious abandonment of arable lands in mountainous areas since the 1960s. For the last decade, Japanese government has poured investment to the conservation of terraced paddy fields in hilly and mountainous areas in order to restore those environment values. The attempts of Okayama prefecture for the conservation of terraced paddy fields are well known as a successful story in Japan. In order to suggest an effective conservation means far arable lands in mountainous areas in the context of Korea, this paper examines the background and the implementation means of Japanese conservation policy of terraced paddy fields in hilly and mountainous area, focusing on the case of Okayama prefecture.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.213-233
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• 1979

It is generally agreed that the country's population will grow up to the level of 52 million by the year of 2000 and that due the active growth of industry, urbanization and road constructions, sizable portion of existing arable lands will be utilized for other purposes than agriculture in near future. From 1966 to 1977, it was estimated that, the average annual conversion of arable lands to other uses, was 12,909 ha. If this trend persists, it is predicted that from 1978 to 1991 when the 6th Five Years Economic Development Plan will terminate, approximately 181,000 ha of arable lands will be converted for other uses again. On the other hand, it is certain that the increased population (39 million in 1981, 45 million in 1991, 52 million in 2001) and the changes in food pattern along with the enhancement of living standards will bring about the phenomenal increase in demands for not only the staple food but also the livestock products such as meat, milk and eggs, vegetables and fruits. These future increased demands for various foods, naturally mean the increased needs for the expansion of arable lands at the same time. It is predicted that, if more activities than present scale are not taken for the expansion of arable lands, the national food self sufficiency level will drop from 79% in 1977 down to 62% in 1991. To meet the increased food demands in future, there are several ways and means. These will include the increased land use intensity, elevation of unit area yield levels, minimization of conversion of arable lands to other uses and expansion of arable lands through the reclamations of idle hillside lands and tidal lands. Among these, the expansion of arable lands through reclamations of idle hillside lands and tidal lands are more positive measures to cope with the increased production of foods in future. The reclamation of hillside lands demands more attention because it needs more advanced technologies in agronomical and engineering aspects, larger scale fundings and integrated socioeconomic considerations. In agromical aspects, the thechniques for early improvement of chemical and physical properties of soils, proper soil conservation measures and rational cropping systems are of particular importance. As to the financial supports to encourage the farmings in hillside land, much bold fund inputs are essential for the construction of roads, installation of irrigation and drainage facilities, soil conservation mechanisms, which will ensure the stabilized farming with reasonable incomes in the newly reclaimed lands.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.414-418
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), which are volatile aromatic hydrocarbons and main constituents of gasoline, are neuro-carcinogenic organic pollutants in soil and groundwater. Korea Ministry of Environment has established the maximum permissible level of BTEX in arable soil to 1, 20, 50 and 15 mg/kg, respectively. METHODS AND RESULTS: To understand an arable soil contamination by BTEX, we collected 92 samples from the arable lands around oil reservoir, and analyzed the BTEX residue using a GC-MS with head-space sampler. A linear correlation between BTEX concentration and peak areas was detected with coefficient correlations in the range of 0.9807-0.9995. The method LOQ of BTEX was 0.002, 0.014, 0.084, and 0.038 mg/kg, respectively. Recoveries of 0.5 mg/kg BTEX were found to be 73.7-96.9%. The precision was reliable since RSD percentage (0.7-7.5%) was below 30, which was the normal percent value. Also, BTEX in all samples were detected under the LOQ. CONCLUSION: These results showed that the investigated arable soils around airport and oil reservoir in Korea were not contaminated by oils.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.62-72
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• 1987

The necessity of using land on slopes for agricultural production has been recognized all arable land resources in plains are decreased. Mechanization is one of the main factors determining the extent of cultivating slope lands and it must be considered as a means of increasing labor productivity. This article discussed some relevent aspects of farm mechanization on slopes. It includes the potential slope land resources which can be tilled for food and forage productions, design characteristics of agricultural machines for use in slope lands, and possible solutions of the problems to be encountered in the mechanization process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.145-167
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• 1999

Our self-sufficiency of food has become less than $30{\%}$ and our nation is highly dependant on world's grain market for food. which is unstable in long term due to the world population growth faster than food production. Therefore, it is a great possibility that food might become a political weapon by way of its global shortage. its purchasing difficulty in international free trade market. and the resultant price rising. Our maximal capability of food production has become the most outstanding problem in the dimension of future food security. It would be the utmost scheme for maximal production of food to realize the maximal utilization of arable land through the enlargement of sufficient farming land and the conversion of rotation system for the more grain production. Extensional enlargement of arable land can be positively executed through the development of farming land in domestic and abroad countries. The readjustment of arable land and the installation or irrigation and drainage system can enforce the farming basement for maximal utilization of arable land through the improved rotation between paddy and upland. The prevention policy against farming land encroachment should be strictly executed through grain production encouragement on resting or marginal lands and regulation of utilization conversion for the other than food production on high grade farming lands. It is also required urgently to develope high yielding and high quality varieties through advanced genetic technology for the improvement of unit area yield, especially of wheat, corn. and soybean we import in large quantity The maximal utilization of arable land for the highest production of food can be realized through rational rotation system, the most adaptable crop cultivation on the suitable land, and the most optimal fertilization through the GIS analysis of agricultural environment information on the basis of the computerized soil resource data on super detailed soil maps(1:5000) surveyed plot by plot of whole nation.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.201-210
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• 1976

Only 22.7% of total land area is arable land in Korea, it is anticipated that the increased land utilization of present arable land and enlargement of arable land through the reclamation of hillside and tidal land will be of great importance for the support of increased population in the future. Followings are the prediction of increased land utilization ratios, increased arable land through the reclamation of hillside and tidal land, and the increase] in fertilizer demand up to the year of 2000. 1. On the assumption that irrigation facilities, farm mechanization, and cropping systems would be improved remarkably by the year of 2000, the land utilization ratios of paddy land and upland are estimated to be 179% and 193% respectively. 2. Increments of fertilizer demand due to increased land utilization ratios, are estimated to be 2, 290 M/T in 1980, 70, 611 M/T in 1990, and 153, 619 M/T in 2000, when the amounts of fertilizers per unit area are fixed at present lrevels. 3. Increments of fertilizer demand due to the expansion of arable land through the reclamation of 516,330 ha of hillside land and 160,568 ha of tidal land, which are the present estimation of the reclaimable areas, are estimated as 32,960 M/T in 1980, 136,320 M/T in 1990, and 366,861 M/T in 2000. 4. Total increments of fertilizer demand due to the increased land utilization of arable land and the expansion of arable land through the reclamation of hillside and tidal lands in 2000's are estimated as 196,285 M/T for N, 147,351 M/T for $P_2O_5$, and 176,844 M/T for $K_2O$.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.655-661
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• 2016

Relationships between saturated conductivity (Ks) and separate contents were evaluated from 44 soil series of arable lands: 18 for paddy fields and 26 for upland crop fields. Saturated hydraulic conductivities of A, B, and C horizons were determined with tension infiltrometer and Guelph permeameter in situ. Sand, silt, clay, and organic matter content of each horizon were analyzed. Based on correlation analysis, sand separate had a positive relationship with Ks for both paddy (r=0.27, p=0.017) and upland fields (r=0.24. p=0.030). Clay content had a negative relationship with Ks for paddy soils (r=-0.32, p=0.005) while significant correlation between them was not found for upland crop fields (r=-0.20, p=0.07). Organic matter content showed a positive relationship with Ks only for upland crop fields (r=0.33, p=0.002). Due to low correlation coefficients between separate contents and Ks, performance of pedotransfer functions was not enough to estimate Ks. It implies that hydraulic properties of arable lands were affected by other factors rather than particle characteristics. Platy structure and plow pan were suggested to limit Ks of paddy fields. Soil compaction and diversity of parent materials were proposed to influence Ks of upland crop fields. It suggests that genetic processes and artificial managements should be included in pedotransfer functions to estimate hydraulic properties appropriately.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.128-141
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• 2018

Industrial complex releasing huge amounts of dusts, fumes and wastewater containing heavy metal(loid)s could be a source of heavy metal(loid)s pollution in arable soil. Heavy metal(loid)s pollution in arable soil adversely affect crops safety, subsequently human being. Hence, it is important to accurately assess the heavy metal(loid)s pollution in soil using pollution indices. The objectives of this study are 1) to compare assessment methods of heavy metal(loid)s pollution in arable soils located near industrial complex in Gyeongsang provinces and 2) to determine the relationship between concentration of plant available heavy metal(loid)s and chemical properties of soil. Soil samples were collected from 85 sites of arable lands nearby 10 industrial complex in Gyeongsang provinces. The average total concentration of all heavy metal(loid)s of the studied soils was higher than that of Korean arable soils but did not exceed the warning criteria established by the Soil Environmental Conservation Act of Korea. Only six sites of arable soils for the total concentration of As, Cu and Ni exceeded the warning criteria (As: $25mg\;kg^{-1}$, Cu: $150mg\;kg^{-1}$, Ni: $100mg\;kg^{-1}$). The contamination factor (CF) and geoaccumulation index ($I_{geo}$) of the heavy metal(loid)s in arable soils varied among the sampling sites, and the average values of As and Cd were relatively higher than that of other metals. Results of integrated indices of As and Cd in arable soils located near industrial complex indicated that some arable soils were moderately or heavily polluted. The plant available concentration of heavy metal(loid)s was negatively related to the soil pH and negative charge of soil. Available Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations had relatively high correlation coefficient with pH and negative charge of soil when compared with other heavy metal(loid)s. Based on the above results, it might be a good soil management to control pH with soil amendments such as lime and compost to reduce phytoavailability of heavy metal(loid)s in arable soil located near industrial complex.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.235-245
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• 1979

The land utilization of Korea composed about 22.7% of arable land, 66.9% of forest land and 10.4% for the rest like a house site, road, and lake etc. The ratio of arable land is too small as compared with forest land which is occuping two-thirds of Korea. The expansion of arable land by the reclamation will solve the food problems for increasing populations. First, we have to know the exact extents and distribution of reclaimable land but the reported total extent of reclaimable land in Korea is variable according to the authority which carried out the soil survey. The different reported data of reclaimable land is owing to the method and criteria of soil survey. 840,522ha in Land Capability Survey of the Farm Land Improvement Association and 321,203ha in the Forest Land Survey by the Office of Forest was reported but the Office of Rural Development said that total reclaimable land was 1,400,540ha including grazing and fruit land. To assume the extent of reclaimable land, the soil survey method and criteria of soil survey should be considered. It can be considered that the main reasons of less in extent of reclaimable land in the other authorities than the Office of Rural Development is due to the following. The grazing land and the fruits land are not included by the Farm Land Improvement Association and only relative forest is considered by the Office of Forest. The main purpose of soil survey carried out by the Office of Rural Development is to utilize land of Korea at most. The soil characteristics and potential productivity are considered in soil survey and the reported data was based on reconnaissance soil survey. The more accurate data will be find out by the end of 1979 when the detailed soil survey will be done. In selection of cropping system and management, the soil condition should be considered, because the soil characteristics of reslaimed land is less fertile than the arable lands.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2015

The world is presently facing key challenges due to the population explosion, shortages in renewable sources of energy, and environmental problems. One important aspect of ecological intensification is the use and improvement of marginal lands and spaces often ignored, until now. Goats are known to be well adapted to scrubs, forage trees, and rangelands. Goats could contribute marginally, but significantly, to the growing demand for meat without using arable lands. Since 2000, there were 752 million goats globally, and goat livestock increased by 26.8% in 2010, accounting for 954 million heads. Goats are widespread due to their high adaptability to different environmental conditions and nutritional regimes, high productivity, and low maintenance cost. A significant growth in goat number was noticed in the period 2000~2010 in the Netherlands (+113.83%), in spite of the 9.75% decrease in EU-27. A cheese making goat farm in the Netherlands showed how it can survive in the one fifth size of the average. It may be a good model for the Korean goat industry since it uses seasonal breeding and results in reduced "goaty" flavor in the cheese.