• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.305-320
• /
• 2005

Recently 64 species in Korea have been ranked as rare and endangered taxa by the Ministry of Environment using two categories, I and II. The original threat categories produced by the Ministry of Environment were developed to provide a standard for specifying animals and plants in danger of extinction and has been influential sources of information used in species conservation in Korea. However, the criteria by Ministry of Environment were applied to the whole taxa only by regional boundaries, especially in South Korea, rather than international context, and it also lacked an explicit framework that was necessary to ensure repeatability among taxa because of the absence of quantitative criteria to measure the likelihood of extinction. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has developed quantitative criteria for assessing the conservation status of species. The threatened species categories, the 2000 IUCN Red List, proposed by SSC (Species Survival Commission) of IUCN have become widely recognized internationally. Details of threatened Korean plants, identified by applying the IUCN threat categories and definitions, were listed and analyzed. The number of species identified as threatened was only 34 out of 64 taxa (48.4%), while the rest of taxa were rejected from the original lists. Many of the species (51.6%, 33 taxa) excluded from the original list proposed by Ministry of Environment do not qualify as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable because these taxa were widely distributed either in Japan or in China/far eastern Russia and there is no evidence of substantial decline in these countries. An evaluation of taxa in Korea has been carried out only based on subjective views and qualitative data, rather than quantitative scientific data, such as rates of decline, distribution range size, population size, and risk of extinction. Therefore, the national lists undermine the credibility of threatened species lists and invite misuse, which have been raised by other cases, qualitative estimate of risk, political influence, uneven taxonomic or geographical coverage. The increasing emphasis on international responsibilities means that global scale is becoming more significant. The current listings by Environment of Ministry of Korea should be challenged, and the government should seek to facilitate the resolution of disagreements. Especially the list should be flexible enough to handle uncertainty and also incorporates detailed, quantitative data. It is suggested that the highest priorities for the Red List should be given to endemic species in Korea first. After setting up the list of endemic species to Korea, quantitative data on population size and structure, distributional range, rated of decline, and habitat fragmentation should be collected as one of long term projects for the Red list categories. Transparency and accountability are the most important key factors. Also, species assessors are named and data sources referenced are required for the future objective evaluations on Korean plant taxa.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.13-21
• /
• 2010

Since Korea establish diplomatic ties with China in 1992, korea and China have had rapid progress in most of field as politic, economy, society and culture through basing on cultural commonality and geographical adjacency. Especially, China is the biggest trading partner to korea, and also Korea is third-biggest trading country to China. They become strategic cooperating relation in 2008. Currently, in terms of international trade relation, WTO/DDA negotiation is proceeding in difficulty, but FTA has been growing and extending in the world, and the two country, china and korea, have been competitively trying wide and active FTA negotiation promotion. After Financial crisis in 1997, according to the requirement of local economic cooperation, China has shown the interest to several countries since the conclusion of FTA treaty with ASEAN in 2005. China also makes the active afford to conclude FTA with Korea. Last May 28th, this was mentioned in the meeting between president Lee and Premier Wen Jiabao, so it is anticipated that the negotiation for FTA will be started in the near future. There are many political suggestions and concerns in terms of way of negotiation korea would choose. Some economist said that "'Continuous FTA aimed at long-term protocol should be promoted between korea and China and negotiated includingly'" However, this research claims that commodity exchange, service, and investment areas should be included and it has to be comprehensive package settlement style in negotiation. This research has found out the characteristics of China's negotiation and implications through the China's existed FTA negotiation examples. Currently, China has taken Continuous or a phase-negotiation method to ASEAN, Pakistan, Chile and some other developing country and to advanced countries like New Zealand or Singapore, comprehensive package settlement method is used in FTA negotiation. In consider of the FTA negotiation between Korea and China, Korea has some problems in the commodity change area in agriculture maket's opening. While, for china, the issues would happen in service trade area, especially when encountering finance and communication industries are opened, China's economy could be exposed to some risk. In result, Korea should expand its negotiation range from commodity trade to service trade, in order to exchange both issues, then the negotiation will be concluded more easily. In other word, for FTA, korea should follow comprehensive package settlement way that is similar to New zealand and Singapore case. Through this kind of method, Korea can expect effect of creating trade, conversion of it and preoccupancy of service field in china's market against the advanced countries like Usa, Europe and Japan. Also, to have a successful FTA negotiation, korea should find out china's policy for FTA negotiation. With this information, korea will be able to suggest the way to make a profit. Systematic analysis and comparison about previous negotiation cases of china are needed before the negotiation begin.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.171-182
• /
• 2003

Objectives: This study was conducted to analyze the dental care utilization patterns and related factors of the rural residents. Methods: The data collected by interview and self-administered questionnaire survey of 524 peoples of Seongju county in Gyeongsanbuk-do. The summarized results are as follows. Results: The rate of persons who experienced the oral disease was 52.5% during 1 year and it was at most in the age group of 40-49. The rate of persons who had experienced the oral disease were investigated according to general characteristics, perception of oral health, being of regular treatment facility. Therefore the rate of persons who had experienced the oral disease was significantly higher the younger peoples, worse oral health status and being of the regular treatment source than the other groups. During 1 year period, 64.0% of the cases had treated the perceived oral disease, 36.0% did no action at all during last year. Among respondents, 49.4% had treated their oral disease at dental clinics, 8.0% had treated at community health center or subcenter and remains did not treated at all. The results of logistic regression analysis suggested that statistically significant factors in dental health care utilization were educational level, degree of pain, oral health status and regular treatment facility. Therefore the dental health care utilization rate was higher at groups with the high educational level, serious pain, better oral health status and being of the regular treatment source than other groups. 45.5% of the rural residents did not treat their oral disease immediately due to the no identified need, limitation of time(19.2%), economic limitation(19.2%), and geographical limitation(9.0%). Conclusions: In consideration of above findings, we may conclude that oral health community program to prevent oral diseases should be intensified, oral health education to raise oral health knowledge should be performed periodically.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.44-54
• /
• 2010

In this study, a comprehensive exploration and evaluation of washland candidate locations by means of field monitoring as well as spatial analysis in six major river system (Han, Nakdong, Nam, Geum, Youngsan, and Seomjin Rivers). Washland(in other words, river detention basin) is an artificial wetland system which is connected to streams or rivers likely to riverine wetlands. Major purpose of washland creation is to control floodings, water supply and purification, providence of eco-cultural space to human and natural populations. Characteristics and functions of riverine wetlands can be expected as well, thus it is believed to be an efficient multi-purpose water body that is artificially created, in terms of hydrology and ecology. Geographical information and field monitoring results for the washland candidate locations were evaluated in 2009, with respect to optimal location exploration, ecosystem connectivity and educational-cultural circumstances. A total of $269\;km^2$ washland candidate locations were found from spatial analysis (main channel of Rivers South Han, 71.5; Nakdong 54.1; Nam, 2.3; Geum, 79.0; Youngsan 46.4; Seomjin 15.7), and they tended to be distributed in mid- to lower part of the rivers to which tributaries are confluent. Field monitoring at 106 sites revealed that some sites located in the Rivers Nam and Geum is appropriate for restoration or artificial creation as riverine wetlands. Several sites in the Nakdong and Seomjin Rivers were close to riverine wetlands (e.g., Upo), habitats of endangered species (e.g., otters), or adjacent to educational facility (e.g., museums) or cultural heritages (e.g., temples). Those sites can be utilized in hydrological, ecological, educational, and cultural ways when evidence of detailed hydrological evaluation is provided. In conclusion, determination of washland locations in the major river basins has to consider habitat expansion as well as hydrological function (i.e. flood control) basically, and further utility (e.g. educational function) will increase the values of washland establishment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.102 no.1
• /
• pp.38-58
• /
• 2013

The existence of endemism in many parts of the world is an important factor for conservationists. Conservation can only be carried out under national legislation, and national endemics, which have very limited ranges, fully depend on the effort and success of conservation. A total of 523 vascular plant taxa were listed in the latest national checklist by Ministry of Environment in 2005, while the 'Creation and Furtherance of Arboretums Act' including a national endemic list (appendix 4-1) was established by Korea Forest Service and was legislated as a law in late 2011. This legislation by Korea Forest Service on endemism of Korean vascular plants have required much attention because of discrepancies of nomenclature, taxonomic bias and inflation. Examining data for both lists proposed by Ministry of Environment and Korea Forest Service, of the total of 360 legislated taxa, around 286 taxa are shared with the list of Ministry of Environment, of which about 80% have been found as common taxa. Around 67(18.7%) are typographic errors, and 14 taxa (3.9%) are recorded as illegitimate and invalidly published names. Through this analysis 12 taxa (3.4%) were found in China as well as in Korea and these are thought to be non Korean endemic taxa. Taken together, the legislated list displayed 1/4 (24.9%) errors out of the total list. Only 59 taxa (16.5%) are identified as national endemic species. The remainder are either unresolved candidates (73 taxa, 20.4%) or synonyms (196 taxa, 54.7%) status. It must be noted, that the concept of endemism very much depends on the knowledge of the species concept, taxonomic bias and geographical range of a species. Also, the most major nomenclatural problem tend to be more stable if the information on database about Korea Plant Name, which is managed by Korea National Arboretum are well updated year to year. These exaggerated numbers underscore the urgency for regional conservation planning and implementing effective strategies to preserve these real endemic taxa into the future.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.227-242
• /
• 2000

Site characteristics, vegetation structure and dynamics of Kalopanax septemlobus forests in Mt. Heungjeong, Mt. Balwang and Mt. Gariwang were studied to provide the information need for national resources conservation and restoration of K. septemlobus forest in Gangwon-do of Korea. The K. septemlobus forests were distributed at 780m to 1,300m in altitude, steep slope, ridges-slope areas with facing northeast to northwest in good nutrition area. The annual diameter growth of those trees ranged 1.60mm to 2.41mm. Forty-three plots(20$\times$20m) were set up at three natural population of Kalopanax septemlobus forest and TWINSPAN method was used for vegetation structure analysis. The result of TWINSPAN ordination show that geographical features played a role in determining community types in the study areas. Community type of the study areas classified into three groups by TWINSPAN; K. septemlobus-Quercux mongolica- Acer mono community(Mt. Balwang), K. septemlobus-Q. mongolica- Tilia amurensis community(Mt. Heungjeong), K. septemlobus-Betula costata-Q. mongolica community(Mt. Gariwang). In most of the K. septemlobus forests, major woody species appeared predominantly were Q. mongolica, T. amurensis, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Lindera obtusiloba, A. mono, Magnolia sieboldii, Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. And also, Those species were surveyed in all the areas. Species diversity(H') of investigated areas ranged 0.3124~0.13992 and this value relatively higher than that of other forests with similar site. The range of similarity indices between surveyed areas was 64.1~64.54%. The distribution pattern of Morista's index show that Kalopanax septemlobus distributed randomly in tree and concentrated a few sample plots in subtree layer and shurb layer. K. septemlobus occupied 37.1~58.8% of tree layer story, 8.4~17.6% of subtree layer, 0~0.38% of shurb layer each surveyed area. The association analysis showed that Kalopanax septemlobus positively associated with Betula ermani, Deutzia glabrata, Carpinus cordata, Fraxinus mandshurica and negatively associated with Symplocos chinensis var. pilosa, Styrax obassia, Acer mono, Euonymus macroptera, Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. According to the diameter distribution of Kalopanax septemlobus community, the community of Mt. Gariwang will gradually decline and replaced by Quercus community. The communities of Mt. Heungjeong and Mt. Balwang has its seedlings and saplings, so it may be sustained.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.55-68
• /
• 2011

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) has identified the causes of climate change and come up with measures to address it at the global level. Its key component of the work involves developing and assessing future climate change scenarios. The IPCC Expert Meeting in September 2007 identified a new greenhouse gas concentration scenario "Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP)" and established the framework and development schedules for Climate Modeling (CM), Integrated Assessment Modeling(IAM), Impact Adaptation Vulnerability(IAV) community for the fifth IPCC Assessment Reports while 130 researchers and users took part in. The CM community at the IPCC Expert Meeting in September 2008, agreed on a new set of coordinated climate model experiments, the phase five of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP5), which consists of more than 30 standardized experiment protocols for the shortterm and long-term time scales, in order to enhance understanding on climate change for the IPCC AR5 and to develop climate change scenarios and to address major issues raised at the IPCC AR4. Since early 2009, fourteen countries including the Korea have been carrying out CMIP5-related projects. Withe increasing interest on climate change, in 2009 the COdinated Regional Downscaling EXperiment(CORDEX) has been launched to generate regional and local level information on climate change. The National Institute of Meteorological Research(NIMR) under the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has contributed to the IPCC AR4 by developing climate change scenarios based on IPCC SRES using ECHO-G and embarked on crafting national scenarios for climate change as well as RCP-based global ones by engaging in international projects such as CMIP5 and CORDEX. NIMR/KMA will make a contribution to drawing the IPCC AR5 and will develop national climate change scenarios reflecting geographical factors, local climate characteristics and user needs and provide them to national IAV and IAM communites to assess future regional climate impacts and take action.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.75-85
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study is to understand the vegetation characteristics of ridges (Gyeongsusan-Seonunsan-Gaeipalsan) in the Seonunsan Provincial Park and to establish reference information for the management of the park in the future. We designated 62 plots with the area of $100m^2$ were installed and analyzed them to investigate the vegetation characteristics. The results of community classification based on TWINSPAN showed seven categories of vegetation communities in the surveyed region: Quercus dentata-Deciduous broad-leaved Community, Quercus variabilis-Pinus thunbergii-Quercus serrata Community, Pinus densiflora Community, Deciduous broad-leaved Community-I, Carpinus tschonoskii-Castanea crenata-Quercus aliena Community, Deciduous broad-leaved Community-II, and Carpinus tschonoskii-Carpinus laxiflora Community. In the vegetation of Seonunsan Provincial Park, coniferous trees such as Pinus thunbergii and Pinus densiflora have been gradually losing their population as part of ecological succession to deciduous broad-leaved trees such as Quercus spp., Carpinus tschonoskii, and Carpinus laxiflora. Moreover, Carpinus turczaninowii, Mallotus japonicus, and others were identified as vegetation reflecting the geographical characteristics of the region neighboring the west coast. The estimated age is 30-60 years, and the oldest tree Pinus densiflora is 63-years old. The index of diversity ($100m^2$) was 0.7942 for Carpinus tschonoskii-Carpinus laxiflora Community, 0.8406 for Carpinus tschonoskii-Castanea crenata-Quercus aliena Community, 0.8543 for Quercus dentata-Deciduous broad-leaved Community, 0.9434 for Quercus variabilis-Pinus thunbergii-Quercus serrata Community, 0.9520 for Deciduous broad-leaved Community-I, 0.9633 for Pinus densiflora Community, and 1.0340 for Deciduous broad-leaved Community-II in the ascending order.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.109 no.4
• /
• pp.371-381
• /
• 2020

The Ministry of Environment (ME) is planning to adopt in 2020 the IUCN regional Red List for "Guidelines for listing and delisting rare & endangered species and management of endangered Species System". The ME designated 377 species of vascular plants on the regional Red List. In a previous study it had been suggested that 103 species from this list are candidates for the regional Red List. With respect to a possible Red List, we assessed 59 species (after excluding 34 additional NA species and ten endemic species). These assessments indicated that 16 species are at the "threatened" level. Of those, one species is Critically Endangered, ten are Endangered, and five are Vulnerable. A further four species are classified as Near Threatened, 30 as Of Least Concern, and nine as Data Deficient. We found that most of the assessments proposed by the Ministry of Environment were not supported by scientific data, including quantitative geographic data (over 70%) in Criteria B. In order to determine the endangered species belonging to the orchid family, it is necessary to obtain records of illegal activities or data on overcollection. The current problem with the Ministry of Environment Red List has been the lack of management of scientific data on species showing a trend in decreasing population in the mid- to long-term; thus, there is a lack of critical resources for policy-makers. The ME legally designated categories and assessment, and the lack of expertise in failing to comply with the legal law by itself. The key to presenting an accurate overview of the state of Korean flora is to fill the information gaps with respect to significant geographical and taxonomical biases in the quality and quantity of data. By regularly updating the qualified data, we will be able to track the changes in the conservation status of the flora and inform the necessary conservation policies.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.38 no.6_2
• /
• pp.1691-1707
• /
• 2022

Cheonji Lake, the caldera of Baekdu Mountain, located on the border of the Korean Peninsula and China, alternates between melting and freezing seasonally. There is a magma chamber beneath Cheonji, and variations in the magma chamber cause volcanic antecedents such as changes in the temperature and water pressure of hot spring water. Consequently, there is an abnormal region in Cheonji where ice melts quicker than in other areas, freezes late even during the freezing period, and has a high-temperature water surface. The abnormal area is a discharge region for hot spring water, and its ice gradient may be used to monitor volcanic activity. However, due to geographical, political and spatial issues, periodic observation of abnormal regions of Cheonji is limited. In this study, the degree of ice change in the optimal region was quantified using a Landsat -5/-7/-8 optical satellite image and a Modified U-Net regression model. From January 22, 1985 to December 8, 2020, the Visible and Near Infrared (VNIR) band of 83 Landsat images including anomalous regions was utilized. Using the relative spectral reflectance of water and ice in the VNIR band, unique data were generated for quantitative ice variability monitoring. To preserve as much information as possible from the visible and near-infrared bands, ice gradient was noticed by applying it to U-Net with two encoders, achieving good prediction accuracy with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 140 and a correlation value of 0.9968. Since the ice change value can be seen with high precision from Landsat images using Modified U-Net in the future may be utilized as one of the methods to monitor Baekdu Mountain's volcanic activity, and a more specific volcano monitoring system can be built.