• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.217-224
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• 2021

The objective of this study is to investigate the healthcare status of South Korea and other member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) using OECD health statistics 2020. We employed the position value for relative comparison index to measure the healthcare status in five following components: demand, supply, accessibility, quality, and cost. The Mann-Kendall test was used to analyze for increasing or decreasing trend of the position value for relative comparison values from 2000 to the recent year. Results showed that Korea was positioned above than the OECD median values in most of components, but lower than the median values in certain indices including healthcare employment, primary care, and mental health care. This study sheds some light on healthcare issues to be improved and the policy-makes can take into account for prior setting process.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.227-253
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• 2022

Despite the proliferation of free trade agreements (FTAs), many exporting firms are still confronted with several challenges in utilizing the FTA preferential tariffs. Based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, this study empirically examines the factors affecting the utilization of FTA schemes by exporting firms. To clarify the key factors influencing FTA utilization, this study develops a conceptual model from the perspective of the adoption of information technology innovations. Eight factors derived from the TOE framework are proposed to explore the determinants of FTA utilization in export. Partial least squares structural equation modeling is employed to analyze the data collected from 162 exporting small- and medium-sized enterprises in the South Korean textile industry. The findings reveal that compatibility and trading partner influence are positively associated with FTA utilization, while complexity is negatively related. Factors of organizational context do not show any relationship with FTA utilization. This study is the first to theoretically analyze and empirically test the determinants of FTA utilization from the perspective of technological innovation adoptions. By examining the relative importance of TOE factors in the utilization of FTA schemes, this study expects to advance a holistic understanding on the perceived factors that could potentially affect the utilization of FTA schemes.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.286-293
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• 2022

Background: The death rate of workers due to industrial accidents in South Korea (3.61 persons in 2017) is higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average (2.43) and the fifth highest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries. Although the pandemic of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed, the socioeconomic aspects of Korean society, the number of Koreans suffering accidents and the number of deaths in 2020 have increased. It is necessary to take measures to prevent accidents and make comprehensive efforts to return to work. This study proposes research questions about the effect of workers' positive perception on whether to work after accidents and the impact of the experience of rehabilitation services on the return to work. Methods: This research performed a panel logistic regression analysis using data on workers' compensation insurance in Korea for two years (2018-2019). Results: This research finds that workers' positive perceptions of workability and life satisfaction contributed affirmatively to their re-employment. Several factors related to employment (e.g., work period, the number of job qualifications) also positively affect their return to work. However, the experience of rehabilitation services did not have a significant effect on re-employment. The variables of their health conditions (e.g., disability grade, feelings of health problems, age) negatively influenced their return to jobs. Conclusion: These results suggest the importance of workers' mental recovery and the need to innovate rehabilitation services for their employment. Positive thinking and self-rehabilitation could be critical for workers, parallel with social welfare policies.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 2023

This study examined the trend of healthcare status and compared the status of South Korea and other member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) using the OECD health statistics 2022. We used the OECD health statistics from 2022 and a position value for relative comparison (PARC) index to compare the five elements of the healthcare system. The study also used a Mann-Kendall test to analyze the trend of the PARC values from 2000 to the present year. The findings of the study indicate that many South Korea's PARC values were higher than the OECD median. But practicing physician in supply part and medical cost were lower than OECD median but the trend significantly increased. Medical accessibility part and quality of care part except primary care, and mental health had a high relative position but the trend did not increased significantly. After outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019, there were changes in medical accessibility. Health screening and vaccinations showed an overall decline in 2020 compared to 2019. These results suggest that policymakers need to take necessary steps for a sustainable healthcare system in the country.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.129-140
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to compare the burden of disease in Korea with other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries using the OECD health statistics from 1985 to 2020. Methods: We analyzed potential years of life lost (YLL) per 100,000 population using the Positive value for relative comparison (PARC) index, trend test, and average annual percentage change (AAPC) with logistic regression analysis. Results: The relative disease burden was good for many diseases, but the disease burden was severe for a few diseases in Korea. Diseases with a high relative burden of disease in Korea are as follows; intentional self-harm (YLL2020 575.6, AAPCYLL 2.6%; PARC2020 -1.000, AAPCPARC -15.8%), malignant neoplasms of the liver (YLL2020 136.6, AAPCYLL -3.9%; PARC2020 -1.000, AAPCPARC 0.0%), malignant neoplasms of the stomach (YLL2020 9.0, AAPCYLL 3.2%; PARC2020 -0.556, AAPCPARC -22.9%), Parkinson's disease (YLL2020 575.6, AAPCYLL 2.6%; PARC2020 -1.000, AAPCPARC -15.8%). Conclusion: Diseases with a high burden of disease are needed to be prioritized in the planning and execution of healthcare policies that can contribute to the efficient use of healthcare resources.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.262-268
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• 2020

The IMO (International Maritime Organization) has mandated the restriction of SOx emissions to 0.5 % for all international sailing vessels since January 2020. And, a number of countries have designated emission control areas for stricter environmental regulations. Three representative methods have been suggested to cope with these regulations; using low-sulphur oil, installing a scrubber, or using LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) as fuel. In this paper, economic analysis was performed by comparing the method of installing a scrubber with the method of using low-sulphur oil without installing additional equipment. We suggested plausible layouts and compared the pros and cons of dif erent scrubber types for retrofitting. We selected an international sailing ship as the target vessel and estimated payback time and benefits based on navigation route, fuel consumption, and installation and operation costs. Two case of oil prices were analyzed considering the uncertainty of fuel oil price fluctuation. We found that the expected payback time of investment varies from 1 year to 3.5 years depending on the operation ratio of emission control areas and the fuel oil price change.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.183-202
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• 2005

This study performed intensive indicators based on a model of economics of education. Trends of childcare in Korea were obtained by producing values developed with statistical data. Results showed that such simple initial indicator values as numbers of children, institutions and teachers have improved. However, intensive indicator values that take demographic and economic conditions into consideration have not reached the same rate of progress as the initial indicator values. In other words, qualitative growth remains at an unsatisfactory level in comparison to quantitative growth and to qualitative growth in members of the Organization for Economics Cooperation and Development (OECD).Thus, financial investment by the government should be expanded in order to reach the desired level of high quality in daycare for children.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.303-325
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• 2023

This paper examines how APEC has transformed itself into an international forum for the vision of regional integration. It aims to quantify the documentation produced by the international organization and provide quantifiable evidence that aligns with prior knowledge rather than relying solely on intuition. For this purpose, I use various text mining techniques to extract multi-dimensional features from the text of APEC Leaders' Declarations from 1993 to 2023. In terms of interest and expectations for APEC as a forum, it is found that members have experienced two major peaks and troughs over the last three decades. It is found that the change point coincides with the Asian financial crisis of 1997 and the tensions between the United States and China since 2017. To explore more various aspects of economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region, this study also considers how consistently APEC has been an international forum for addressing issues, which members are active, and how members have clustered based on their views of APEC.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.3-49
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• 2006

The purpose of this paper is to make research on the settlement mechanism of the commercial disputes between the South and the North of Korea. Also, this paper is to make research on the south-north Korea's cooperative tasks to promote the disputes settlement, including the operation and management of the South-North Arbitration Commission as well as the enactment of the South-North Arbitration Rules. To realize the spirit of the South-North Joint Declaration of June 15, 2000, the Authorities concerned of the South and the North of Korea have reached an agreement titled 'Agreement on Settlement Procedure of Commercial Disputes' on December of the same year. As the follow-up measures of the said Agreement, the South-North Authorities have signed an another agreement called 'Agreement on Organization and Administration of the South-North Arbitration Commission' on October, 2003, which is becoming vital importance for settlement of the commercial disputes between south and north Korea including the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. Gaeseong, a city surrounded by the North Korean military and a symbol of inter-Korean tensions, is now turning into a peace zone where thousands of North and South Koreans are working side by side. The Gaeseong Industrial Complex project, driven by the logic and economic necessity of cooperation, has been steadily moving forward since the North designated it as a special economic zone and has enacted related laws and regulations for its development. Under the situation, the matter of primary concern is how to organize and conduct the Arbitration Commission for the prompt and effective settlement of the south-north commercial disputes. First of all, the South-North Authorities should recognize that the availability of prompt, effective and economical means of dispute resolution such as arbitration and mediation to be made by the Arbitration Commission would promote the orderly growth and encouragement of the south-north trade and investment. In this connection, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board(KCAB) should be designated as the arbitral institution of the south Korean side under the Agreement on Organization and Administration of the South-North Arbitration Commission. The KCAB is the only authorized arbitral organization in South Korea to settle all kinds of commercial disputes at home and abroad.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2014

This research investigates the characteristics, principles, advantages, factors and problems of cluster development in Kazakhstan, and identifies the prerequisites, conditions and stages of organizing clusters on the framework of special economic zones. In this research, we used methods, which will allow analyzing of the organization industrial clusters in special economic zones in Kazakhstan. The author studied international experience of cluster development and the efficiency of the use of the model of the "rhombus effect" with account the specific features of interaction between the participants of the cluster, analysis of the legal framework for the formation and development of clusters. These have been identified as the more important or strategically necessary clusters in Kazakhstan: innovation-technological cluster, innovation-education cluster, innovation-petrochemical cluster, innovative-metallurgical cluster, transport and logistics cluster, textile industry cluster, tourism cluster, agro cluster, construction cluster, medical and pharmaceutical cluster. Firstly, the results suggest that the interaction of science, education, business and government in the development and implementation of innovation policy is not sufficiently structured to provide a balanced representation of the interests of the range of various innovative enterprises in Kazakhstan. Secondly, the legal basis of cluster development in Kazakhstan is determined. Need to develop mechanisms for the implementation of promising direction. Thirdly, the clusters can be formed in the existing special economic zones, allowing them to get right to the mass production of high-tech products that are developed.