• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.129-141
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• 2007

With its more than 35 years of experience with EIA of NEPA in United States, the extensive knowledge base of EIA could be the most suitable place for initial field of HIA to explore lessons available for. However, caution is needed as the technical differences in analysis, different policy context, and distinct professional culture between EIA and HIA might be. The successe of EIA of NEPA is the integration of environmental goals into decision making process, improved planning, and increased transparency and public involvement, whereas shortcomings of it were defined as the excessive volume and complexity of EIA documents, the limited and adversarial public involvement, the procedural process (not substantive), focus on projects (not on policies and programs), and the limited consideration of health impacts. Integrating HIA into existing EIA process is positive in two reasons that the human health is closely related with natural environment and EIA process is a fully established process that effectively cuts across bureaucratic and sectoral boundaries. Also, integrating of HIA into EIA might be a way with least resistance for the widespread use. A freestanding HIA separated from EIA is desirable in terms of excessive volume of EIA documents and the procedural and legal focus of EIA. It is needed to develop the formulated methodologies for advancing HIA whether it is a part of or separated from EIA, and to estimate the potential values of HIA in the substantial society context. When possible, HIA should be established on the ways that EIAs have been used successfully.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 1998

Zoning areas within national parks in Korea are classified into Natural Preservation Zone(NPZ). Natural Environment Zone(NEZ), Settlement Zone(SZ) and Mass Facility Zone(MFZ) based on the Natural Park Act Large-scale development which might cause permanent destruction of natural resources are being done in NEZ which covers 90% of the total natural park area. Thus it is necessary to examine National Park Act which refers the authorized criteria and development activities of NEZ. However, the current environmental impact statement(EIS) does not cover the full impact of the development inside the national park area. Based on these concepts, the study examines the appropriate resources to distinguish the NPZ and NEZ in Mt. Teogyu National Park, then compare the distribution of resource characteristics between two area by using GIS. Through this study, the conclusions are as follows; (1) In terms of scenic resource analysis, the current NPZ does not meet the criteria on the National Park Act Rather, most of the resources which should be located within the NPZ are located within the NEZ. (2) In terms of elevation analysis, Mt. Teogyu National Park, most of NPZ are located on high altitude which is more than l,200m above the mean sea level. Therefore, it shows the elevation is the only criteria for distinguishing NPZ and NEZ. (3) In terms of Degree of Green Naturality(DGN), the second forest areas, the eighth grade of DGN in Mt. Teogyu National Park are distributed much more in the NEZ than NPZ. (4) After examining five factors - scenic resources, elevation, slope and DGN, vegetation- it was found out that zoning of Mt. Teogyu National Park is not adequatly designated. Zoning of national parks should be accomplished based on the precise inventory of the current resources.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.125-135
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• 2004

Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) in Korea has been used to improve environmental conservation and decision-making. Since environmental impact statement(EIS) was introduced in 1981 with the promulgation of the Environmental Preservation Act in 1977, which replaced the Pollution Control Act legislated in 1963. With a rapid growth of environmental perception as well as the diversification of development activities, however, it has recently bring about a strong demand for a new assessment process related to the strategic level of policies, plan, programs. Method of this study includes analyses of the situation of local EIA and its problematic issues through survey and analysis of information and data, analysis of the level of environmental awareness of professionals and case studies including analysis of foreign strategic environmental assessment. Accordingly, I have elicited a concept of SEA. In addition, I have studied on costs of environmental assessment, and efficiency of internalization of HIA. The survey was carried between September and November 2003, and 177 professionals were asks to complete a questionnaire. As a result of questionnaire survey of environmental pundits, it revealed that 83.8% of participants were in favor of introduction of strategic assessment. This result demonstrated more or less higher approval rate than those of awareness survey done by the Ministry of Environment, i.e. 86.0% ayes, and 14.0% nays. 22.8% of participants agreed to the opinion; "For introduction of this system, earlier is better," 50% reported having an opinion such as, "Will introduce this system in an earliest possible time after correcting problems," 26.3% reported having an opinion such as, "Let's decide the time for introduction of this system after correcting problems first,' and 0.9% reported having an opinion, "it's too early to introduce this system." Specifically, the ratio of ayes on introduction of the system marked 72.8%, and it revealed that a majority of respondents have an opinion such as, "Will introduce this system in an earliest possible time after correcting problems." As means of solutions for the problem regarding the limits of applications that existed in SEA System, factors, such as collecting a wide variety of opinions, securing experts, and faithful implementation, etc. were reported important, and in addition to these factors, respondents revealed having opinions such as, consistent research and development, reflection of public interest, establishment of professional organization, enforcement of after-management service, expanding investments in large, systemizing reference materials, and encouraging public participation, etc. To improve problems involving with present EIA system, it has been identified through this study that SEA is efficient and useful. In order to have SEA introduced successfully, it has been cleared that internalization of effectiveness of environmental cost together with HIA must be accomplished.