• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.615-626
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• 2013

In this study, spatial patterns of the urban flood vulnerability index in Seoul are examined by considering climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability associated with floodings for recent 5 year (2006~2010) period by the smallest administrative unit called Dong. According to the results of correlation analyses based on the IPCC(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)'s vulnerability model, among many variables associated with urban flooding, rainwater tank capacity, 1-day maximum precipitation and flood pumping station capacity have statistically-significant, and relatively-high correlations with the number of flood damage in Seoul. The flood vulnerability map demonstrates that the extensive areas along Anyang and Joongnang streams show relatively high flood vulnerability in Seoul due to high sensitivity. Especially in case of Joongnang stream areas, climatic factors also contribute to the increase of flood vulnerability. At local scales, several Dong areas in Gangdong-gu and Songpa-gu also show high flood vulnerability due to low adaptability, while those in Gangnam-gu do due to high sensibility and climate factor such as extreme rainfall events. These results derived from the flood vulnerability map by Dong unit can be utilized as primary data in establishing the adaptation, management and proactive policies for flooding prevention within the urban areas in more detail.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1-13
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• 2015

This study was conducted to develop an environmental index for assessing the vulnerability of areas with invasive alien plants. To that end, "Regional Vulnerability Numerical Index" (RVNI) was developed with a spatial statistical technique and applied to Seoul and Gyeonggi-do area first. The results are as follows. First, RVNI was high in stream areas. Second, RVNI was lowest in mountain areas. It indicates that stream areas are vulnerable to invasive alien plants. In terms of regions, Guri City is most vulnerable and Gapyeong-gun is the least vulnerable. To expand and manage the invasive alien plants, a control protocol should be developed by considering the physiology and ecology by invasive alien plant. Also, related policies should be pursued based on the results. Thus, the findings of this study can be used as baseline data for setting policies for invasive alien species management.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.492-504
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• 2013

Objectives: This analysis seeks to evaluate the impact of environmental health factors (EHF; e.g. hospital beds per capita, employees of medical institutions) on extreme-heat vulnerability assessment in Busan Metropolitan City during 2006-2010. Methods: According to the vulnerability concept suggested by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), extreme-heat vulnerability is comprised of the categories of Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity (including EHF). The indexes of the Exposure and Sensitivity categories indicate positive effects, while the Adaptive capacity index indicates a negative effect on extreme-heat vulnerability. Variables of each category were standardized by the re-scaling method, and then each regional relative vulnerability was computed with the vulnerability index calculation formula. Results: The extreme-heat vulnerability index (EVI) excepting EHF was much higher in urban areas than in suburban areas within the metropolitan area. When EHF was considered, the difference in the EVI between the two areas was reduced due to the increase of the Adaptive capacity index in urban areas. The low EVI in suburban areas was induced by a dominant effect of natural environmental factors (e.g. green area) within the Adaptive capacity category. Conclusions: To reduce the vulnerability to extreme heat in urban areas, which were more frequently exposed to extreme heat than others areas, public health and natural environments need to be improved in sensitive areas.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.751-763
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• 2015

Both the selection of indicators and weights for them are critical issues in the vulnerability assessment. This study is to assess the air pollution vulnerability focused on ozone for 249 local jurisdictions using weights calculated by the entropy methodology and then examine the applicability of the methodology. We selected indicators for air pollution vulnerability assessment and standardized them. Subsequently, we calculated weights of each indicator using the entropy method and then integrated them into the vulnerability index. The exposure indicators consider meteorological and air pollution factors and the sensitivity of the local jurisdiction include variables on vulnerable areas and environments. The adaptive capacity contains socio-economic characteristics, health care capacities and air pollution managemental factors. The results show that Hwaseong-si, Gwangjin-gu, Gimpo-si, Gwangju-si, Gunpo-si are among the highest vulnerabilities based on the simple aggregation of indicators. And vulnerability-resilience (VRI) aggregation results indicates the similar spatial pattern with the simple aggregation outcomes. This article extends current climate change vulnerability assessment studies by adopting the entropy method to evaluate relative usefulness of data. In addition, the results can be used for developing customized adaptation policies for each jurisdiction reflecting vulnerable aspects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.6-6
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• 2004

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2021

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency posing unprecedented challenges for health authorities. Social media may serve as an effective platform to disseminate health-related information. This study aimed to assess the extent of social media use, its impact on preventive behavior, and negative health effects such as cyberchondria and information overload. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between June 10, 2020 and August 9, 2020 among people visiting the outpatient department of the authors' institution, and participants were also recruited during field visits for an awareness drive. Questions were developed on preventive behavior, and the Short Cyberchondria Scale and instruments dealing with information overload and perceived vulnerability were used. Results: The study recruited 767 participants with a mean age of about 45 years. Most of the participants (>90%) engaged in preventive behaviors, which were influenced by the extent of information received through social media platforms (β=3.297; p<0.001) and awareness of infection when a family member tested positive (β=29.082; p<0.001) or a neighbor tested positive (β=27.964; p<0.001). The majority (63.0%) of individuals often searched for COVID-19 related news on social media platforms. The mean±standard deviation scores for cyberchondria and information overload were 9.09±4.05 and 8.69±2.56, respectively. Significant and moderately strong correlations were found between cyberchondria, information overload, and perceived vulnerability to COVID-19. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the use of social media as an information- seeking platform altered preventive behavior. However, excessive and misleading information resulted in cyberchondria and information overload.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2006

The aim of the study is to assess groundwater pollution hazard of Pohang city using the DRASTIC system developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Hydrogeological spatial databases of the system include information on depth to groundwater, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topographic slope, hydraulic conductivity, lineament and potential pollution source. With GIS based on these hydrogeological databases and the DRASTIC system, the regional groundwater vulnerability of the study area was assessed. Then the vulnerability was overlaid with potential pollution source and the regional groundwater pollution hazard was assessed by administrative district. From the results of the study, areas where need the counter plan for groundwater pollution and where should be managed for the groundwater pollution, are identified.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.501-512
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• 2019

In this study, seismic vulnerability assessment and seismic isolation retrofit of Bayburt Yakutiye Mosque is investigated. Bayburt Yakutiye Mosque was built in the early 19th century at about 30-meter distance to Coruh river in the center of Bayburt in Turkey. The walls of historical masonry structure were built with regional white and yellow stones and the domes of the mosque was built with masonry bricks. This study is completed in four basic phases. In first phase, experimental determination of the regional white stone used in the historical structure are investigated to determine mechanical properties as modulus of elasticity, poison ratio and compression strengths etc. The required information of the other materials such as masonry brick and the regional yellow stone are obtained from literature studies. In the second phase, three dimensional finite element model (FEM) of the historical masonry structure is prepared with 4738 shell elements and 24789 solid elements in SAP2000 software. In third phase, the vulnerability assessment of the historical mosque is researched under seismic loading such as Erzincan (13 March 1992), Kocaeli (17 August 1999) and Van (23 November 2011) earthquakes. In this phase, the locations where damage can occur are determined. In the final phase, rubber base isolators for seismic isolation retrofit is used in the macro model of historical masonry mosque to prevent the damage risk. The results of all analyses are comparatively evaluated in details and presented in tables and graphs. The results show that the application of rubber base isolators can prevent to occur the destructive effect of earthquakes.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.79-87
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• 2015

The placement of Korean fire-fighting administrative power in urban areas shows regional unbalance. In an ideal system, all citizens would be provided with equal fire protection and rescue services, but this is usually difficult to realize due to regional conditions or budget problems. In the case of Busan Metropolitan City, we deduced that it is impossible for half of the buildings to receive rescue services within 5 min, and the conditions are much worse for areas with long or wide fire-fighting service regions. The approach vulnerability for the existing emergency rescue squad locations was assessed. The results revealed that if a rescue team's location is shifted, the improvement effect will be virtually insignificant because of their geographical position. Therefore, this study suggests the establishment of additional rescue squads. It is proven that adding 5 rescue centers in the following locations could solve the problem of approach vulnerability: Bukbu, Gangseo, Geumjeong, Gijang, and Haeundae, in order of effectiveness. The number of buildings in the areas is 53,546.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2023

Recently, the risk of snow disasters has been increasing South Korea. The damages of heavy snow were categorized into direct and indirect. Direct damage is usually the collapse of buildings as houses, greenhouse or barns. Indirect damage is various, for example, traffic congestion, traffic acident, drop damage, and so on. In South Korea, direct damage is severe in rural area, mosty collapse of greenhouse or barns. However, indirect damage such as traffic accident is mostly occurred in urban area. Therefore, the regional characteristics should be considered when vulnerability is evaluated. Therefore, in this study, the PSR and DPSIR method were applied by regional scale in South Korea. The PSR evaluation method is divided into pressure, state, and reaction index. however, the DPSIR evaluation method is divided into Driving force, Pressure, State, Impact, and Response index. the DPSIR evaluation method is divided into Driving force, Pressure, State, Impact, and Response index. Data corresponding to each indicator were collected, and the weight was calculated using the entropy method to calculate the snowfall vulnerability index by regional scale in South Korea. Calculated heavy snow damage vulnerabilities from the two methods were compared. The calculated vulnerabilities were validated using the recent snow damage in South Korea from 2018 to 2022. Snow vulnerability index calculated using the DPSIR method showed more reliable results. The results of this study could be utilized as an information to prepare the mitigation of heavy snow damage and to establish an efficient snow removal response system.