• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.55-75
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• 1992

At the outset of import liberalization, most economists expected a significant drop in the prices of domestic goods that faced foreign competition. However, it is now generally acknowledge that a significant drop in prices of those goods has not occurred. A common claim is that the prices did not drop significantly because the major importers of many imported goods were also the domestic producers of competing goods. The objective of this paper is to analyze the welfare effect of importation by domestic firms that produce competing goods, to identify the factors that facilitate such business practices, and to formulate a policy that could improve the welfare. We proved that importation by competing domestic firms definitely raises the prices of both imported and domestic goods compared to the situation where foreign goods are imported by non-producers, ceteris paribus. The intuition behind this result is that since a producer-importer is essentially a cartel, its overall profit maximization requires reduced competition between the products that it sells. On the other hand, if a producer-importer is more efficient at distrinbution than a simple importer, the comparison between the two cases is a priori indeterminate. We also find that the industries in which domestic producers are actively involved in importing competing goods are the ones in which the distribution channels are tightly controlled by importer-producers. This finding suggests that exclusive dealing contracts, which work as an entry barrier, may be the source of importing by domestic producers. We argue that in a country such as Korea, where financial market is highly incomplete, tight control of the distribution channels by oligopolistic manufacturers is likely to be an effective entry barrier that leads to importing by domestic producers of similar goods. We further argue that seemingly superior distribution costs of importer-producers is likely to be a result of market foreclosure which would disappear once the entry barrier of exclusive dealing contracts is removed. Above findings suggest that market imperfections are the source of importation by domestic competitors, which in turn constitutes a market imperfection in itself and reduces consumer welfare. As potential remedies, we considered three alternatives; direct price control by the government over the imported goods sold by major domestic producers, regulation of trade itself between major producers, and regulation of exclusive dealing contracts. For reasons both theoretical and pratical, we find that the last alternative is the most attrative. Prohibiting exclusive contracts between manufacturers and dealers in industries where exclusive dealing contracts are a significant entry barrier is expected to break up the importer-producer cartel and improve the welfare.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.313-322
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• 2018

To investigate the changing patterns of sub-alpine forest vegetation due to climate change requires accumulation of contiguous reference data and continuous monitoring. Furthermore, it is crucial to monitor short-term ecological change of lower level vegetation to understand the trend of long-term vegetation change. Therefore, this study carried out a vegetation survey and tree diameter measurement in 36 plots of Mt. Jiri inhabited by Abies koreana species from 2015 to 2017 to examine the short-term dynamics of Abies koreana seedling and the change of vegetation distribution according to altitude. We analyzed the importance value and MIV (mean importance value) of major species by each stratum as well as the importance value and species diversity index of major species and the change of seedling population by altitude. The results showed that Abies koreana had the highest importance value on tree layer, Rhododendron schlippenbachii on shrub layer and Tripterygium regelii on herb layer. MIV was high in the order of Abies koreana, Rhododendron schlippenbachii and Acer pseudosieboldianum. Regarding the species composition and species diversity index (H') along the altitudinal gradient, Sasa borealis showed high MI and low H' in the elevation less than 1,500 m, and IV of Tripterygium regelii and H' of herb layer were high in the elevation of 1,700 - 1,800 m. Abies koreana seedling decreased by 22.4% from 1,250 n/ha in 2015 to 970 n/ha in 2017 (p <0.05) throughout the investigated area. The decline rate along seedling and sapling height were 22.9% in less than 10 cm, 3.4% in 10-30 cm, 8.9% in 30-50 cm, 39.3% in 50-100 cm, and 55.1% more than 100 cm. Few of A. koreana seedlings appeared due to the dominance of Sasa borealis in the elevation of 1,500 m or less and due to the dominance and high species diversity of Tripterygium regelii in the elevation of 1,700-1,800 m. On the other hand, many of A. koreana seedlings appeared in the elevation of 1,600-1,700 m due to no distribution of S. borealis and T. regelii species in that altitude range. Therefore, we concluded that those seedlings and saplings of A. koreana could be more stable in the altitude of 1,600-1,700 m.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

The effect of water temperature on fasting and post-prandial total ammonia excretion (TAN) of the starry flounder Platichthys stellatus (mean body weigh : $42.4{\pm}3.4g$) was studied. The fasting and post-prandial TAN excretions were measured under three different water temperatures (10, 15 and $20^{\circ}C$) for 24 hours using a recirculating system. In each treatment three replicates were set up and total 45 fish were used. Fish were taken to the indoor aquarium, acclimated over 10 days at three temperatures, and transferred to TAN measuring system for measurements of TAN excretion at the same temperatures. After 3 days of starvation, fasting TAN excretion was measured at each temperature. To investigate post-prandial TAN excretion, fish were hand-fed to satiation level with a commercial diet containing 50.2% crude protein for 7 days, two times daily 08 : 00 and 16 : 00 h. The fasting and postprandial TAN excretion increased with increased water temperature (p<0.05). Mean fasting TAN excretion rates at 10, 15 and $20^{\circ}C$ were 10.9, 11.2 and $12.2mg\;TAN\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;h^{-1}$, respectively. The value at $20^{\circ}C$ was higher than those at 10 and $15^{\circ}C$ (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between $10^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$. Mean post-prandial TAN excretion rates at 10, 15 and $20^{\circ}C$ were 33.0, 43.4 and $55.3mg\;TAN\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;h^{-1}$, respectively. Two peaks of post-prandial TAN excretions were observed, and the second peak was always greater than the first. The post-prandial TAN excretion rate reached to the maximum after 10 hours from the first feeding at $10^{\circ}C$($45.3mg\;TAN\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;h^{-1}$), $15^{\circ}C$ ($64.5mg\;TAN\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;h^{-1}$) and $20^{\circ}C$ ($83.2mg\;TAN\;kg\;fish^{-1}\;h^{-1}$), respectively. The TAN loss for ingested nitrogen at $20^{\circ}C$ (48.8%) was higher than that for $10^{\circ}C$ (43.0%) and $15^{\circ}C$ (45.7%). This study provides empirical data for estimating ammonia excretion and managing culture management of starry flounder under given temperatures.

• Clean Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2016

Caesium radioisotopes, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs which come from the atmospheric nuclear tests and discharges from nuclear power plants, are very important to study artificial radioactivity. In this work, in order to lower the minimum detection activity (MDA) we investigated environmental radioactivity according to the Environment Measurement Laboratory procedure by ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs which is similar to chemical and environmental behaviors of ¹³⁷Cs. The environmental soils in high mountain areas near nuclear power plant were collected, and an Ammonium Molybdophosphate (AMP) precipitation method, which showed high selectivity toward Cs⁺ ions, was applied to chemically extract and concentrate Caesium radioisotopes. Radioactivity was estimated by a gamma-ray spectrometry. In gamma energy spectrum, with an increasing of ⁴⁰K radioactivity, it increased the MDA of ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs. Therefore, if the natural radionuclides were removed from the soil samples, the MDA of Caesium may be reduced, and the contents of ¹³⁷Cs of in the environmental soils can effectively be estimated. In the standard soil sample of Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, radioactivity of ⁴⁰K was removed more than 84% on average, and the MDA of ¹³⁴Cs was reduced 2 times. The content of ¹³⁷Cs was recovered over 84%. On the other hand, in environmental soils, AMP precipitation method showed removal ratio of ⁴⁰K up to 180 times, which reduced the MDA about 5 times smaller than those of Direct method. ¹³⁷Cs recovery ratio showed from 54.54% to 70.06%. When considering the MDA and recovery ratio, AMP precipitation method is effective for detection of Caesium radioisotopes in low concentration.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.22
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• pp.137-165
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• 2007

It seems high time to increase productivity by adopting e-business to overcome challenges posed by both external factors including the appreciation of Korean won, oil hikes and fierce global competition and domestic issues represented by disparities between large corporations and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Seoul metropolitan and local cities, and export and domestic demand all of which weaken future growth engines in the Korean economy. The demands of the globalization era are for innovative changes in businessprocess and industrial structure aiming for creating new values. To this end, e-business is expected to play a core role in the sophistication of the Korean economy through new values and innovation. In order to examine business performance in e-business-adopting industries, this study analyzed the home shopping industry by closely looking into the financial ratios including the ratio of net profit to sales, the ratio of operation income to sales, the ratio of gross cost to sales cost, the ratio of gross cost to selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense, and return of investment (ROI). This study, for best outcome, referred to corporate financial statements as a main resource to calculate financial ratios by utilizing Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System (DART) of the Financial Supervisory Service, one of the Korea's financial supervisory authorities. First of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of net profit to sales is as following. CJ Home Shopping has registered a remarkable increase in its ratio of net profit rate to sales since 2002 while its competitors find it hard to catch up with CJ's stunning performances. This is partly due to the efficient management compared to CJ's value of capital. Such significance, if the current trend continues, will make the front-runner assume the largest market share. On the other hand, GS Home Shopping, despite its best organized system and largest value of capital among others, lacks efficiency in management. Second of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of operation income to sales is as following. Both CJ Home Shopping and GS Home Shopping have, until 2004, recorded similar growth trend. However, while CJ Home Shopping's operating income continued to increase in 2005, GS Home Shopping observed its operating income declining which resulted in the increasing income gap with CJ Home Shopping. While CJ Home Shopping with the largest market share in home shopping industryis engaged in aggressive marketing, GS Home Shopping due to its stability-driven management strategies falls behind CJ again in the ratio of operation income to sales in spite of its favorable management environment including its large capital. Companies in the Group B were established in the same year of 2001. NS Home Shopping was the first in the Group B to shift its loss to profit. Woori Home Shopping has continued to post operating loss for three consecutive years and finally was sold to Lotte Group in 2007, but since then, has registered a continuing increase in net income on sales. Third of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of gross cost to sales cost is as following. Since home shopping falls into sales business, its cost of sales is much lower than that of other types of business such as manufacturing industry. Since 2002 in gross costs including cost of sales, SG&A expense, and non-operating expense, cost of sales turned out to have remarkably decreased. Group B has also posted a notable decline in the same sector since 2002. Fourth of all, the result of the trend analysis on the ratio of gross cost to SG&A expense is as following. Due to its unique characteristics, the home shopping industry usually posts ahigh ratio of SG&A expense. However, more than 80% of SG&A expense means the result of lax management and at the same time, a sharp lower net income on sales than other industries. Last but not least, the result of the trend analysis on ROI is as following. As for CJ Home Shopping, the curve of ROI looks similar to that of its investment on fixed assets. As it turned out, the company's ratio of fixed assets to operating income skyrocketed in 2004 and 2005. As far as GS Home Shopping is concerned, its fixed assets are not as much as that of CJ Home Shopping. Consequently, competition in the home shopping industry, at the moment, is among CJ, GS, Hyundai, NS and Woori Home Shoppings, and all of them need to more thoroughly manage their costs. In order for the late-comers of Group B and other home shopping companies to advance further, the current lax management should be reformed particularly on their SG&A expense sector. Provided that the total sales volume in the Internet shopping sector is projected to grow over 20 trillion won by the year 2010, it is concluded that all the participants in the home shopping industry should put strategies on efficient management on costs and expenses as their top priority rather than increase revenues, if they hope to grow even further after 2007.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.1-19
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• 2016

The researchers in strategic management have focused on identifying the effects of CEO's demographic characteristics and experience on the strategic choices and performance of firms. On the other hand, they have failed to identifying the effects of CEO's psychological characteristics on them because of the difficulties over data collection and measurement for variables. To overcome this limitation of prior researches, this study is designed to achieve two specific objectives. The first is to examine the effect of CEO narcissism on diversification strategy and performance of listed corporations on Korean securities market in an economic downturn. The other is to examine the moderating effects of various corporate governance systems that are related to board and/or ownership structures on those relationships. The empirical setting for this study was drawn from a multi-year(2011~2014) sample of large listed corporations in Korean securities market. To achieve the objectives, the hypotheses of research are analyzed by implementing multiple regression analyses in two separate models. The results of these analyses show that CEO narcissism is positively related to the diversification of listed large corporations in Korean securities market. Regrading the moderating effects, the stake of institutional investors weakens the positive relationship between CEO narcissism and firm's diversification. The findings of this research imply that CEO narcissism can intensify the tendency of Korean corporations to adopt high-risk and high return strategy in an economic downturn. Thus, firms might be able to use CEO narcissism to drastically restructure the business portfolio in an economic downturn. However, Korean corporations should be very cautions to maximize the positive effect of CEO narcissism. They might be use the institutional investors as their corporate governance system to monitor and control the opportunism of CEO in the decision for diversification in an economic downturn.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.5-35
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• 2004

This research is about the change of the occupation and the income of the subscriber of the medical expenditure due to the economic influence on them. The data of this study are based on 4,215 of medical cost payers among respondents of the survey on "Health and Retirement", which was the fourth additional research of Korea Labor and Income Panel Survey. The main findings of this study are as follows: First, the average medical cost is 5.5% of the income. The ratio of the medical cost to an earned income is highly different between low-income group and high income group. For the low income group, the medical cost reaches up to 1/3 of the total family income. That proves that the medical cost si a heavy burden on them. The group with the high medical expenditure seems to be supported by their own private property and other family members whenever it is needed. But it doesn't show the exact sources of the property, which includes the fund from the interests and real estates. On the other hand, only 14.4% of the subscribers changed their job status on the 5th year, and 85.6% of those kept their job status until the 5th year from the 4th year. This shows that the amount of the medical cost could be the important factor for them to change their job; for example, it is crucial whether the medical expenditure is over the average rate or not. Furthermore, the change of the occupation caused by the medical cost has the negative influence on the gross income. It makes the economic conditions of the family get worse. Therefore, the health insurance in Korea is lack of the compensational function, which substitutes the family income reduced by the change of the job status due to the high medical cost.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.369-378
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• 2003

Statement of Problem: Recently, resin cements have become more widely used and have been accepted as prominent luting cements. Current resin cements exhibit less microleakage than conventional luting cements. However, the constant contact with water and exposure to occlusal forces increase microleakage even in resin cements inevitably. Most bonding resins have been modified to contain a hydrophilic resin such as 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) to overcome some of the problems associated with the hydrophobic nature of bonding resins. By virtue of these modifications, bonding resins absorb a significant amount of water, and there may also be significant stresses at bonding interfaces, which may adversely affect the longevity of restorations. Therefore the reinforcement of water stability of resin cement is indispensable in future study. Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the influence of water retention on microleakage of two resin cements over the period of 6 months. Materials and Methods: 32 extracted human teeth were used to test the microleakage of a single full veneer crown. Two resin cements with different components and adhesive properties - Panavia F (Kuraray Co., Osaka, Japan) and Super-Bond C&B (Sun Medical Co., Kyoto, Japan)- were investigated. The storage medium was the physiological saline solution changed every week for 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. One group was tested after storage for 1 day. At the end of the each storage period, all specimens were exposed to thermocycling from $5^{\circ}C$ to $55^{\circ}C$ of 500 cycles and chewing simulation of 50,000 cycles, and then stained with 50% silver nitrate solution. The linear penetration of microleakage was measured using a stereoscopic microscope at ${\times}40$ magnification and a digital traveling micrometer with an accuracy of ${\pm}3{\mu}m$. Values were analyzed using two-way ANOVA test, Duncan's multiple range tests (DMRT). Results : Statistically significant difference of microleakage was shown in the 3-month group compared with the1-day or 1-month group in both systems (p<0.05) and there were statistically significant differences in microleakage between the 3-month group and the 6-month group in both systems (p<0.05). The two systems showed different tendency in the course of increased microleakage during 3 months. In Panavia F, microleakage increased slowly throughout the periods. In Super-Bond C&B, there was no significant increase of microleakage for 1 month, but there was statistically significant increase of microleakage for the next 2 months. For the mean microleakage for each period, in the 3-month group, microleakage of Super-Bond C&B was significantly greater than that of Panavia F. On the other hand, in the 6-month group, microleakage of Panavia F was significantly greater than that of Super-Bond C&B (p<0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitation of this study, water retention of two different bonding systems influence microleakage of resin cements. Further studies with the longer observation periods in viro are required in order to investigate water stability and the bonding durability of the resin cement. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Microleakage at the Cement-tooth interfaces did not necessarily result in the failure of the crowns. But it is considered to be a major factor influening the longerity of restorations. Further clinical approaches for decreasing the amount of microleakage are required.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 1977

Anderson(1937), Power and Barnes(1941) reported a study concerning a method of tubal sterilization in association with peritoneoscopy or laparoscopy in which they cauterized the tubes. There appears to have been a hiatus of interest in sterilization (cold or hot) associated with laparoscopy until reintroduction by Palmer(1963), Frangenheim(1964) and Steptoe(1967). On the other hand, for interval female sterilization, however, minilaparotomy is relatively new. By Saunder and Munsick(1972), John Lyle(1974), Frank Stubb(1974), Vitoon(1973) and B.C. Bai(1975), their own technique for interval female sterilization requires 2.0 to 2.5cm, incision at the margin of the mons pubis. In Korea, female sterilization by means of minilaparotomy firstly reported by B.C. Bai using Bai's uterine elevator, of his own device, early in 1975. Recently inteval female sterilization by laparoscopy and minilaparotomy are widely accepted throughout the world especially in Asian countries. Minilaparotomy is carried out from 1974, laparoscopic sterilization from 1976, and in this study each of 250 cases of those were analysed and discussed for the comparison at Seoul Red Cross Hospital. (1) In the age distribution, numerous clients were in their age of $31{\sim}35$ in laparoscopy as well as minilaparotomy. Average 33.7 years in L and 33.2 years in M. (M=minilaparotomy, L=laparoscopic sterilization) (2) As regarding living children, women having 3 children represented the greatest number, 113 cases out of 250 in M group and 102 cases out of 250 in L group. Average No. of child are 2.9 in Land 3.1 in M. (3) Concidering the operation day in the menstrml cycle, the greatest number of cases, those who underwent tubal sterilization during the days of $26{\sim}$, next during the $6{\sim}10$ days of the cycle in both group. (4) Concidering the operation time, 188 cases by laparoscopy were performed in $6{\sim}10$ minutes, 33 cases within 5 minutes and 24 cases in $11{\sim}15$ minutes. Maximum 50 minutes, minimum 4 minutes and average 8.3 minutes. The majority of cases (154 cases) by minilaparotomy required $6{\sim}10$ minutes and 67 cases $11{\sim}15$ minutes, 6 cases within 5 minutes. Maximum 30 minutes, minimum 4 minutes and average 10.4, minutes. In both groups, most of the reasons for the extra length were surgical difficulties such as thick abdominal wall, pelvic adhesion, less cooperation of patients in early period of this study. (5) Hospital stay after operation in L group required $3{\sim}4$ hours in 125 cases, $2{\sim}3$ hours in 41 cases, $4{\sim}5$ hours in 32 cases out of 250. Maximum 8 hours, minimum 1 hour and average 3.8 hours. In M group hospital stay required $6{\sim}7$ hours in 100 cases, over 7 hours in 85 cases, $5{\sim}6$ hours in 46 cases and so on. Maximum 14 hours, minimum 2 hours and average 6.5 hours. (6) The time between operation and gas passing in the majority cases of both groups, were $12{\sim}36$ hours. A veragetime 20.3 hours in L and 27.2 in M. (7) Laparoscopic sterilization coincident with induced abortion were carried out in 27 cases, laparoscopy with minilaparotomy to control for mesosalpingeal hemorrhage in 1 case. Minilaparotomy coincident with induced abortion were performed in 65 cases, D and C whit polypectomy, menstrual regulatian, and remaval of IUD in 1 case respectively. (8) In L group, 1 case of mesosalpingeal hemorrhage, 1 case of abdominal wall infection were complicated during operation. In M group, 1 case of uterine perfaration, 1 case of abdominal wall infection, 1 case of hemorrhage from omentum and 1 case of bloody vaginal discharge were complicated. No intensive medical treatment was required for those minor complications in both groups. (9) No failure has been recognized and these two sterilization techniques might be the simple, safe and the most effective method for permanent contraception at present time. There is no significant clinical defference between L and M group in this study.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-32
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• 2005

The optimum population of a society or country can be defined as 'the population growth path that maximizes the welfare level of the society over the whole generations of both the present and the future, under the paths allowed by its endowments of production factors such as technology, capital and labor'. Thus, the optimum size or growth rate of population depends on: (i) the social welfare function, (ii) the production function, and (iii)demographic economic interrelationship which defines how the national income is disposed into consumption(birth and education of children included) and savings on the one hand and how the demographic and economic change induced thereby, in turn, affect production capacities on the other. The optimum population growth path can, then, be derived in the process of dynamic optimization of (i) under the constraints of (ii) and (iii), which will give us the optimum population growth rate defined as a function of parameters thereof. This paper estimates the optimum population growth rate of Korea by: specifying (i), (ii), and (iii) based on the recent development of economic theories, solving the dynamic optimization problem and inserting empirical estimates in Korea as the parametric values. The result shows that the optimum path of population growth in Korea is around TFR=1.81, which is affected most sensitively, in terms of the size of the partial elasticity around the optimum path, by the cost of children, share of capital income, consumption rate, time preference, population elasticity of utility function, etc. According to a survey implemented as a follow up study, there are quite a significant variations in the perceived cost of children, time preference rate, population elasticity of utility across different socio-economic classes in Korea, which implied that, compared to their counterparts, older generation and more highly educated classes prefer higher growth path for the population of Korea.