• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.155-172
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• 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic not only posed an enormous human crisis, but also had a profound impact on firms' survival. Social distancing and global lockdown measures designed to protect human lives have paradoxically impaired the business environment. As a result, firms that sought to gain competitive advantage by leveraging external resources were cut off from the external world and faced unexpected challenges. Under these circumstances, researches were conducted in the early stage of the pandemic to explore how certain firms survived while others fell, but they were limited to re-examining business performance using traditional financial factors. However, this study aims to investigate the role of entrepreneurs' competency in crisis situations from the Resource-Based View (RBV), as such competency plays an important role in improving business performance and subsequently the probability of startups' survival. Specifically, we evaluated the performance as of end of 2019 of 1,127 startups evaluated by the Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC), which provides policy financing based on technology assessment, in 2016. We then conducted an empirical study to determine the mediating role of business performance in the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and firm survival by verifying how many of the sample firms were still in operation at the end of June 2023, when the Korean government declared COVID-19 as an endemic. For this purpose, we defined technological, financial, and marketing competencies as the sub-factors of entrepreneurial competency, and sales growth rate and employment growth rate as the sub-factors of business performance. The results of the empirical analysis showed that technological and financial competencies of the entrepreneur had a positive impact on both business performance and firm survival, and that sales growth rate and employment growth rate mediated the relationship between technological competence and firm survival. However, the positive influence of entrepreneurs' financial competence of the survival of startups was only evident through the growth of employment. This study is the first study in South Korea to define the survival factors of startups in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to contribute to the theoretical and practical discussions on the importance of entrepreneurs' competency as a firms' survival factor based on RVB.

• Journal of Smart Tourism
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.23-31
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• 2023

This paper explores the concept of enhanced smart tourism as a response to the challenges and opportunities arising in the post-pandemic tourism landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only halted the global tourism industry but also prompted a reevaluation of its sustainability, technological integration, and impact on local communities. The need for a paradigm shift in tourism is emphasized, focusing on digitalization, innovation, and resilience. Enhanced smart tourism is characterized by a shift from traditional practices to innovative governance models, increased emphasis on sustainability, and the integration of technology for better management and visitor experiences. The paper discusses the four pillars of enhanced smart tourism - Technology, Sustainability, Accessibility/Mobility, and Innovation/Creativity, and their expansion in the post-pandemic era. Furthermore, the significant role of data in smart tourism is examined, highlighting the importance of data valuation, management, and ethics. The paper proposes frameworks and methods for data valuation and emphasizes the necessity of a comprehensive approach to data within the smart tourism ecosystem. The conclusion points to the need for further empirical and conceptual research to fully realize the potential of enhanced smart tourism.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.57-74
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• 2021

Purpose - This study aims to analyze the characteristics of network construction by Norwegian Air and AirAsia X, which are recognized as leading airlines in the long-haul LCC market. Based on this analysis, this study intends to provide implications for networking strategies for Korean LCCs that seek to enter the long-haul market when the aviation market stabilizes again upon the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology - To conduct the network analysis on long-haul low-cost airlines, the Official Airline Guide (OAG) Schedule Analyzer was used to extract long-haul data of Norwegian Air and AirAsia X. To analyze the trend of the long-haul route network, we obtained the data from 3 separate years between 2011 and 2019. The network was analyzed using UCINET 6.0 in order to examine the network structure of long-haul low-cost airlines and the growth trend of each stage. Findings - Analyzing the network of long-haul routes by visualizing the network structure of low-cost carriers showed the following results. In its early years, Norwegian Air's long-haul route network, centering on regional airports in Spain and Sweden, connected European regions, the Middle East, and Africa. As time passed, however, the network expanded and became steadily strong as the airline connected airports in other European countries to North America and Asia. In addition, in 2011, AirAsia X showed links to parts of Europe, such as London and Paris, the Middle East and India, and Australia and Northeast Asia, centering on the Kuala Lumpur Airport. Although the routes in Europe were suspended, the network continued to expand while concentrating on routes of less than approximately 7,000 km. It was found that instead of giving up on ultra-long-haul routes such as Europe, the network was further expanded in Northeast Asia, such as the routes in Korea and Japan centering on China. Originality/value - Until the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Norwegian Air actively expanded long-haul routes, resulting in the number of long-haul routes quintupling since 2011. The unfortunate circumstance, wherein the world aviation market was rendered stagnant due to the outbreak of COVID-19, hit Norwegian Air harder than any other low-cost carriers. However, in the case of AirAsia X, it was found that it did not suffer as much damage as Norwegian Air because it initially withdrew from unprofitable routes over 7,000 km and grew by gradually increasing profitable destinations over shorter distances. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends and the aviation market stabilizes, low-cost carriers around the world, including Korea, that enter the long-haul route market will need to employ strategies to analyze the marketability of potential routes and to launch the routes that yield the highest profits without being bound by distance. For stable growth, it is necessary to take a conservative stance; first, by reviewing the business feasibility of the operating a small number of highly profitable routes, and second, by gradually expanding these routes.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.73-89
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• 2022

With the spread of COVID-19, the role of parks has been emphasized. Under the quarantine guidelines, including social distancing, people are visiting parks as a safe place. In line with these changes, parks need to be studied as pandemic adaptation measures according to their physical and location characteristics. This study aims to explore the potential of linear parks with accessibility and pass way functions based on the characteristics of surrounding land uses. The case study area was selected from Yeonnam-dong to Yeomni-dong of the Gyeongui Line Forest Park, and the area was divided into 4 sections based on the administrative boundary and surrounding land uses. Multiple regression models were adopted in each section using the total number of de facto population as a dependent variable and factors affecting external activities including COVID-19 as independent variables. The results show that first, the more diverse the interaction between commercial facilities and linear parks, the greater the impact of the pandemic. Second, where various commercial facilities are concentrated people respond more sensitively to short-term weather changes than seasonal ones. This study indicates that there are differences in the use of linear parks according to the surrounding land uses. In addition, it suggests that the linear park has potential as a means to overcome the Pandemic crisis of the city and to increase equity in access to green areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.324-333
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• 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us again of the importance of essential workers who perform their roles in maintaining the stability of people's daily lives worldwide. Therefore, the International Maritime Organization and overseas countries designated seafarers as essential workers and proposed relevant measures for their protection to enable them to perform their role. In particular, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) urges related associations and member states to support safe boarding and disembarkation of seafarers. However, Seafarers were restricted from boarding or disembarking, shore leave and hospital treatment in certain countries owing to extreme nationalism. This study compares and analyzes the cases of international organizations and major overseas countries to provide a logical basis for the protection of seafarers who play an essential role in the safety of the global supply chain despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This study identifies the need to protect seafarers and their roles as essential workers in the shipping industry and suggests necessary aspects and institutional improvement measures for improving seafarers' working environment to strengthen the shipping industry's resilience. This study is expected to serve as future basic data for national policies aimed at reflecting the roles of seafarers as essential workers and the need to protect them.

• 한국노년학
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.587-609
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate parenting experiences among grandmothers raising their grandchildren from grandmothers' perspective, and a variety of their physical health, psychological and social challenges they were facing in everyday life. In addition, this study explored new issues, changes, and difficulties grandparents and their grandchildren were going through during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven grandmothers raising their grandchildren without their cohabiting parents participated in an in-depth interview, and the qualitative date were obtained using semi-structured questionnaires. Analyses identified 5 main categories: 1) my emotion, worries, and coping with parenting grandchildren, 2) difficulties and obstacles facing in real life of the parenting, 3) conflicts and coping with growing grandchildren who showed new characters, 4) relationships and emotions among grandparents, parents, and grandchildren, and 5) needs and desires toward social services and support. Sixteen themes and 60 sub-themes were also derived. The majority of grandmothers expressed diverse difficulties in their dail y lives including ambivalent emotions regarding grandchild-rearing(rewards and burden), economic hardships, physical health limitations, and a lack of communications with their grandchildren. Further, findings indicated profound generation conflicts which had been even deepened during school close period in COVID-19 pandemic and had been associated with increased hours of using internet and playing computer games. The top priority of the social service needs among interviewed grandmothers was learning support for their grandchildren. Emotional support and social support to cover their lack of family interactions, and financial support were the next of their desired social services. Implications to improve social services for grandparent-headed families are discussed.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 2023

This paper analyzes viewers' perception of investigative journalism before and after COVID-19, and examines the direction of investigative journalism using big data. Based on the previous research set as a social science model, the relationship between words related to big data TV current affairs programs and investigative journalism in this paper was investigated before and after the appearance of COVID-19. We visualized changes in viewers' perception of investigative journalism by analyzing text data obtained through the use of Textom, with TV current affairs programs and investigative journalism as keywords. Data was collected from 2017 to June 2022 and refined for analysis. We visualized connectivity centrality using Ucinet 6.0 and Netdraw, and clustered the number of keywords and their frequency using Concor analysis. Our study found a clear change in viewer perception before and after the pandemic. As an implication of this thesis, big data analysis was conducted with the investigative journalism as the main keyword, and the direction of the investigative journalism was presented based on the analysis. Furthermore, based on previous research, we suggest effective approaches for investigative journalism after the pandemic to better engage viewers.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.377-391
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• 2022

The objective of this study is to understand the operational status of the support projects for childcare in daycare centers operated by the Support Centers for Childcare(SCC) during the COVID-19 pandemic and find ways to improve and develop the project operation. To this end, data were collected and analyzed through in-depth interviews from the 1st week to the 4th week of February 2022 with six childcare agents in charge of the support projects for childcare in daycare centers in the SCC located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. As a result of the study, it was found that the demand for diversification of project operation methods, expansion of non-face-to-face education, individual consulting, and small-scale education increased while operating the support projects for childcare in daycare centers in the SCC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Operational difficulties were found to be a lack of ability to use media, the burden of coping with unpredictable situations, and insufficient communication between daycare centers and childcare policy institutions. As for the support needs, it was found that it is necessary to employ computer specialists, establish an environment for activating online education, and provide an efficient work delivery system in emergencies.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.327-328
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• 2022

The recent spread of the corona pandemic and a temporary surge in demand for consumer goods have resulted in an increase in port cargo volume, and the resulting port congestion is coupled with a shortage of labor in the port, exacerbating the global supply chain chaos. Supply chain disruptions will increase logistics costs and ultimately increase global inflationary pressures. In this situation, the role of the port, which is the nodal point between land and sea, is gradually becoming more important. And fully automated ports that are operated unmanned are evaluated as being able to respond stably and flexibly by reducing operational risks in situations such as COVID-19. Therefore, this study compared the operational performance of fully automated and non-fully automated terminals within the same port before and after the corona outbreak, and analyzed the fully automated terminal was stable in actual operation. As a result of the analysis, the fully automated terminal showed stable operating efficiency in all aspects of operational performance compared to the non-fully automated terminal even under severe port congestion due to COVID-19.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.313-324
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which causes serious respiratory illness such as pneumonia and lung failure, was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, China. The etiological agent of COVID-19 has been confirmed as a novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is most likely originated from zoonotic coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV, which emerged in 2002. Within a few months of the first report, SARS-CoV-2 had spread across China and worldwide, reaching a pandemic level. As COVID-19 has triggered enormous human casualties and serious economic loss posing global threat, an understanding of the ongoing situation and the development of strategies to contain the virus's spread are urgently needed. Currently, various diagnostic kits to test for COVID-19 are available and several repurposing therapeutics for COVID-19 have shown to be clinically effective. In addition, global institutions and companies have begun to develop vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19. Here, we review the current status of epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development for COVID-19.