• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 2010

There is increasing consensus that global warming is seriously affecting the Arctic region. Sea Ice decreases and sea level rise have led to environmental change in Arctic Ecosystems, while also making the Arctic sea route more accessible to humans. There are complicated international governance dynamics in play, in addition to commercial and scientific interests in the Arctic region. This provides a unique opportunity for Korea to lead the future direction of Arctic policy in response to the global issues such as climate change and economic or scientific interests. Korea acquired Ad-hoc Observer status of the Arctic Council(AC) in 2008, which is the only pan-Arctic intergovernmental organization. It consists of six working groups: ACAP, AMAP, CAFF, PAME, EPPR, SDWG that implement research, survey, and monitoring. AC's Observer country has the opportunity to participate in a diverse range of activities such technical and expertise support, research and monitoring, financial support and conference organization. In order for Korea to expand its activities in the Arctic region, we suggest the following approach: First, Korea should become more actively engaged with the Arctic Council and its activities; Second, Korea should construct organized collaborative networks of national experts to respond to Arctic issues; Third, Korea should develop collaborations with Arctic states; Finally, Korea should intensify its research on international relations and international laws related to the Arctic region.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.329-339
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• 2019

Arctic warming is a global issue. The sea ice in the Arctic plays a crucial role in the climate system. We thought that a recent abnormality in many countries in the northern hemisphere could be related to the effects of shrinking sea ice in the Arctic. Many research groups monitor sea ice in the Arctic for climate research. Satellite remote sensing is an integral part of Arctic sea ice research due to the Arctic's large size, making it difficult to observe with general research equipment, and its extreme environment that is difficult for humans to access. Along with monitoring recent weather changes, Korea scientists are conducting polar remote sensing using a Korean satellite series to actively cope with environmental changes in the Arctic. The Korean satellite series is known as KOMPSAT (Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite, Korean name is Arirang) series, and it carries optical and imaging radar. Since the organization of the Satellite Remote Sensing and Cryosphere Information Center in Korea in 2016, Korean research on and monitoring of Arctic sea ice has accelerated rapidly. Moreover, a community of researchers studying Arctic sea ice by satellite remote sensing increased in Korea. In this article, we review advances in Korea's remote sensing research for the polar cryosphere over the last several years. In addition to satellite remote sensing, interdisciplinary studies are needed to resolve the current limitations on research on climate change.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• 2015.07a
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• pp.203-204
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• 2015

This study examines the view of global trends in the Arctic Shipping. It is also provides a framework for understanding how participated in Arctic. The trends that had made it a centre of global attention. Surge of interest in its economy and politics has increased. That surge was driven by three things. Political and business agreements in the Arctic and with Arctic states, a trend that is likely to continue as the Arctic warms.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 2016

The spatial size and variation of Arctic sea ice play an important role in Earth's climate system. These are affected by conditions in the polar atmosphere and Arctic sea temperatures. The Arctic sea ice concentration is calculated from brightness temperature data derived from the Defense Meteorological Satellite program (DMSP) F13 Special Sensor Microwave/Imagers (SSMI) and the DMSP F17 Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) sensors. Many previous studies point to significant reductions in sea ice and their causes. We investigated the variability of Arctic sea ice using the daily sea ice concentration data from passive microwave observations to identify the sea ice melting regions near the Arctic polar ice cap. We discovered the abnormal melting of the Arctic sea ice near the North Pole during the summer and the winter. This phenomenon is hard to explain only surface air temperature or solar heating as suggested by recent studies. We propose a hypothesis explaining this phenomenon. The heat from the deep sea in Arctic Ocean ridges and/or the hydrothermal vents might be contributing to the melting of Arctic sea ice. This hypothesis could be verified by the observation of warm water column structure below the melting or thinning arctic sea ice through the project such as Coriolis dataset for reanalysis (CORA).

• Journal of Ship and Ocean Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.20-28
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• 2004

A dynamic-thermodynamic sea ice model with 50-km spatial and 24-hour temporal resolution is used to investigate the spatial and long-term temporal variability of the sea ice cover the Arctic Basin. The model satisfactorily reproduces the averaged main characteristics of the sea ice and the sea ice extent in the Arctic Basin and its decrease in early 1990th. At times model allows to suppose partial recovery of sea ice cover in the last years of twenty century. The employment of explicit form for description of ridging gives opportunity to assume that the observed thinning is the result of reduction the intensity of ridging processes and to estimate long-term variability of probability the ridge free navigation in the different parts of the Arctic Ocean including the North Sea Route area.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.115-128
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• 2019

This article analyzes issues regarding the economic development of the arctic area with the aim of finding ways to help solve the problems and to support sustainable economic development of the arctic area. Some proposals are introduced for establishing a sound legal infrastructure of the Korea-Russia economic development of the arctic area. As Russia develops the Arctic area and the route through the Arctic area, Korea will gain the possibility of transportation efficiency, vitalization of international transaction, and finding new markets. Resource development in the North Pole is ongoing, with matching international transaction and economic benefits. To reflect the Korea-Russia interests and to sustain the effect, the legal infrastructure is inevitable. For example, it would be reinforced by pushing forward the Korea-Russia FTA. The legal infrastructure for economic cooperation of Korea and Russia has to reflect that 'the development of the Arctic area and making the route through the Arctic area' should increase the sustainability and vitality of international transaction. The legal infrastructure for economic benefits can also help mitigating non-economic arguments of international community such as the security risk in the Korean-peninsula and around the world.

• Strategy21
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• s.30
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• pp.200-235
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• 2012

Over the past few years, due to the climate change of the earth, the Arctic's sea ice cover is undergoing a historic transformation - thinning, extent reduction in all seasons, and mitigation in the area of multi-year ice in the central Arctic Ocean. These changes allow for increases in maritime access throughout the Arctic Ocean and for potential longer seasons of navigation and possibly transarctic voyage in the summer. These changes also allow more exploration for oil, gas, and other minerals. The Arctic is now an archetype of the complex, multi-dimensional global problems of the twenty-first century. Military security, environmental security, and economic security interact. The potentially enormous economic stakes, sufficient to change the strategic balance among the states of the region, set off competitive pressures for national advantage. Korea, which is heavily dependent upon the sea lane in terms of transportation of its exports and imports, is very much interested in the Arctic sea routes. Korea believes that the Artic sea route, particularly the Northern Sea Route (NSR), could serve as a new useful sea lane, which will enable shorter times between East Asia and Europe, thus resulting in substantial cost saving for ship operators. In addition to shipping, Korea is interested in other Arctic-related maritime industries. Korea, as a leading shipbuilder in the global market, is interested in building ice breakers, drill ships, and other vessels which can contribute to safe operation in Arctic resource development and exploration. Korea, as one of the future stakeholders in Arctic maritime activities, should be ready to foster international cooperation in the region.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.53-61
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• 2019

It is well known there are a lot of undeveloped energy resource in the Arctic circle. As global warming enables the use of Arctic sea routes, the interest in Arctic resource development is increasing. Recently, polar neighbors and developed countries are actively promoting construction project in Arctic circle. However, the issue of environmental pollution caused by Arctic resource development has been raised. Today, environmental issues have a significant impact on the success of the project as well as on the costs of Arctic development projects. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a technology related to energy resource development and transportation for the Arctic resource project. In addition, the establishment of strategy for environmental impact assessment (EIA) is important. This paper shows the characteristics and procedures of EIA for developing Arctic resources, and reviews how to construct the systematically management of the necessary information. This system consists of a database required for environmental impact assessment and its application. The system is expected to be utilized for strategic development projects in the Arctic.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.390-397
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• 2022

Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) is the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council. CAFF conducts Monitoring, Assessment, Policy, and expert group activities to preserve Arctic biodiversity and ensure the sustainability of biological resources and communicates the results to governments and indigenous peoples. The main tasks of CAFF consist of monitoring (Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program), assessment (Arctic Biodiversity Assessment) and strategic projects(Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative, AMBI). Korea has been directly participating in the AMBI since 2015 after acquiring observer status of the Arctic Council in 2013. The AMBI aims to preserve habitats on migration routes used by breeding birds in the Arctic and prevent illegal hunting. Thus, observer countries on migratory routes are directly participating in the project. When selecting priorities for participation in Arctic cooperation projects by 2030, Korea should consider continuing participation in AMBI and participating in the "CAFF Youth Program" in connection with the Arctic Academy program operated by Korea's public institutes.

• Strategy21
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• s.43
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• pp.29-55
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• 2018

Arctic sea ice has been retreating as a result of the global warming. Arctic sea ice extent for April 2018 averaged 13.71 million square kilometers. This figure shows far less sea ice compared to the average extent from 1981 to 2010. Meanwhile, 287 times of maritime transits through the Northwest Passage have been made during the 2017 and the first ship traversed the Northern Sea Route without the assistant of ice-breaker in August 2017. Commercialization of the Arctic Passage means significant economic and strategic advantages by shortening the distance. In this article, 'Arctic Passage' means Northern Sea Route along the Arctic coast of Russia and Northwest Passage crossing Canadian Arctic Ocean. As climate changes, the potential feasibility of the Arctic Passage has been drawing international attention. Since navigation in this area remains hazardous in some aspects, IMO adopted Polar Code to promote safe, secure and sustainable shipping through the Arctic Passage. Futhermore, Russia and Canada regulate foreign vessels over the maritime zones with the authority to unilaterally exercise jurisdiction pursuant to the Article 234 of UNCLOS. The dispute over the navigation regime of the arctic passage materialized with Russia proclaimed Dmitrii Laptev and Sannikov Straits as historically belong to U.S.S.R. in the mid 1960s and Canada declared that the waters of the passage are historic internal waters in 1973 for the first time. So as to support their claims, In 1985, Russia and Canada established straight baseline including Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage. The United States has consistently protested that the Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage are straits used for international navigation which are subject to the regime of transit passage. Firstly, it seems that Russia and Canada do not meet the basic requirements for acquiring a historic title. Secondly, since the Law of the Sea had adopted before the establishment of straight baseline over the Russian Arctic Archipelago and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Ships can exercise at least the right of innocent passage. Lastly, Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage have fulfilled the both geographical and functional criteria pertaining to the strait used for international navigation under the international law. Especially, should the arctic passage become commercially viable, it can be expected to accumulate the functional criterion. Russia and Canada regulate the ships navigate in their maritime zones by adopting the higher degree of an environmental standard than generally accepted international rules and standard mainly under the Article 234 of UNCLOS. However, the Article 234 must be interpreted restrictively as this contains constraint on the freedom of navigation. Thus, it is reasonable to consider that the Article 234 is limited only to the EEZ of coastal states. Therefore, ships navigating in the Arctic Passage with the legal status of the territorial sea and the international straits under the law of the sea have the right of innocent passage and transit passage as usual.