• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2017

Background: Despite considerable efforts made in recent years, the industrial accident rate and the fatality rate in the Republic of Korea are much higher than those in most developed countries in Europe and North America. Industrial safety policies and safety regulations are also known to be ineffective and inefficient in some cases. Methods: This study focuses on the quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of direct safety regulations such as safety certification, self-declaration of conformity, and safety inspection of industrial machines in the Republic of Korea. Implications on safety policies to restructure the industrial safety system associated with industrial machines are also explored. Results: Analysis of causes in industrial accidents associated with industrial machines confirms that technical causes need to be resolved to reduce both the frequency and the severity of such industrial accidents. Statistical analysis also confirms that the indirect effects of safety device regulation on users are limited for a variety of reasons. Safety device regulation needs to be shifted to complement safety certification and self-declaration of conformity for more balanced direct regulations on manufacturers and users. An example of cost-benefit analysis on conveyor justifies such a transition. Conclusion: Industrial safety policies and regulations associated with industrial machines must be directed towards eliminating the sources of danger at the stage of danger creation, thereby securing the safe industrial machines. Safety inspection further secures the safety of workers at the stage of danger use. The overall balance between such safety regulations is achieved by proper distribution of industrial machines subject to such regulations and the intensity of each regulation. Rearrangement of industrial machines subject to safety certification and self-declaration of conformity to include more movable industrial machines and other industrial machines with a high level of danger is also suggested.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.51-65
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• 2003

Objectives： To examine the regional mortality differences in The Republic of Korea according to geographic location. Methods： All 232 administrative districts of the Republic of Korea in 1998 were studied according to their geographic locations by dividing each district into three categories； "metropolis," "urban," and "rural". Crude mortality rates for doth sexes from total deaths as well as the three major causes of death in Korea (cardiovascular disease, cancer, and external causes) were calculated with raw data from the "1998 report on the causes of death statistics" and resident registration data. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated using the indirect standardization method. Poisson regression analyses were performed to examine the effects of geographic locations on the risk of death. To correct for the socioeconomic differences of each region, the percentage of old ($\geq$ 65 years old) population, the number of privately owned cars per 100 population, and per capita manufacturing production industries were included in the model. Results： Most SMRs were the lowest in the metropolis and the highest in the rural areas. These differences were more prominent in men and in deaths from external causes. In deaths from cancer in women, the rural region showed the lowest SMR. In Poisson regression analysis after correcting for regional socioeconomic differences, the risk of death from all causes significantly increased in both urban (OR＝1.111) and rural (OR＝1.100) regions, except for rural women, compared to the metropolis region. In men, the rural region showed higher risk (OR＝1.180) than the urban region (OR＝1.l51). For cardiovascular disease and cancer, significant differences were not found between geographic locations, except in urban women for cardiovascular disease (OR＝1.151) and in rural women for cancer (OR＝0.887), compared to metropolis women. In deaths from external causes, the risk ratios significantly increased in both urban and rural regions and an increasing tendency from the metropolis to the rural region was clearly observed in both sexes. Conclusions： Regional mortality differences according to geographic location exist in The Republic of Korea and further research and policy approaches to reduce these differences are needed. to reduce these differences are needed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2001

A nationwide survey was performed to know the distribution and prevalence of human Gymnophalloides seoi infection on western and southern coastal islands in the Republic of Korea. A total of 4,178 fecal specimens were collected Iron) residents on 45 (24 western and 21 southern) islands, and examined by Kato-Katz and formalin-ether sedimentation techniques. Eggs of G. seoi were detected from 160 (3.8%) people living on 22 (13 western and 9 southern) islands. The prevalence varied by the location of islands; higher on western islands than on southern islands . The highest prevalence was found on Amtaedo (25.3%), followed by Cheungdo (25.0%), and Anchwado (20.9%) (Shinan-gun). A little lower prevalence was observed on Munyodo (13.3%), Shinshido (12.9%), and Sonyudo (10.3%) (Kunsan-shi). Of the remaining islands, tile regions showing the prevalence greater than 5% included Kohado, Dallido (Mokpo-shi) . Pyeongildo, Kogumdo (Wando-gun) and Keogumdo (Kohung-gun). A strong age predilection was noted (p < 0.05): 95% of the infected people were over 40 years old. Females showed a little higher prevalence than males. The results indicate that human G. seoi infection is more widely distributed than previously considered. Nine of 11 islands (excluding the 2 known areas Munyodo and Sunyudo) that showed greater prevalence than 5% are regarded as new endemic foci of G. seoi.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.385-392
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• 1997

This paper attempted to describe the relationships among agricultural extension, rural adult education and community development, which has developed as a disciplinary major (ag. extension in 1971, rural adult education in 1990 and community development in 1997) at the College of Agriculture and Life Science, Seoul National University. Reviewing the related literatures and observing the practical rural development in the Republic of Korea, conclusion was made in such a way that agricultural extension - rural adult education - community development be natural series of disciplinary development process as well as practical development in industrializing and urbanizing country like the Republic of Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2017

Background: Despite the recent efforts to prevent industrial accidents in the Republic of Korea, the industrial accident rate has not improved much. Industrial safety policies and safety management are also known to be inefficient. This study focused on dynamic characteristics of industrial safety systems and their effects on safety performance in the Republic of Korea. Such dynamic characteristics are particularly important for restructuring of the industrial safety system. Methods: The effects of damping and elastic characteristics of the industrial safety system model on safety performance were examined and feedback control performance was explained in view of cost and benefit. The implications on safety policies of restructuring the industrial safety system were also explored. Results: A strong correlation between the safety budget and the industrial accident rate enabled modeling of an industrial safety system with these variables as the input and the output, respectively. A more effective and efficient industrial safety system could be realized by having weaker elastic characteristics and stronger damping characteristics in it. A substantial decrease in total social cost is expected as the industrial safety system is restructured accordingly. Conclusion: A simple feedback control with proportional-integral action is effective in prevention of industrial accidents. Securing a lower level of elastic industrial accident-driving energy appears to have dominant effects on the control performance compared with the damping effort to dissipate such energy. More attention needs to be directed towards physical and social feedbacks that have prolonged cumulative effects. Suggestions for further improvement of the safety system including physical and social feedbacks are also made.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 2019

Currently, the development of evaluation technology for vibration and shock load characteristics and spent nuclear fuel structural integrity under normal conditions of transport is being conducted in the Republic of Korea. This is the first such research conducted in the Republic of Korea and, thus, previous international studies need to be investigated and will be referred to in the ongoing project. Before 2000, several studies related to measurement of vibration and shock loads on spent nuclear fuel were conducted in the US. US national research institutes conducted uniaxial fuel assembly shaker tests, concrete block tests, and multi-axis fuel assembly tests between 2009 and 2016. In 2017, multi-modal transportation tests including road, sea, and rail transport were also performed by research institutes from the US, Spain and the Republic of Korea. Therefore, test preparation procedures, acceleration and strain measurement results, and finite-element and multi-body dynamics analysis were investigated. Based on the measured strain data, the preliminary conclusion was obtained that the measured strain was too small to cause damage to spent nuclear fuel rods. However, this conclusion is a preliminary conclusion that only reviews part of the results; a detailed review is being conducted in the US. The investigation of international studies on spent nuclear fuel structural integrity tests considering vibration and shock loads under normal conditions of transport in the US will be useful data for the project being conducted in the Republic of Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.509-513
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• 2018

Present study was performed to survey infection status of digenetic trematode metacercariae in 2 alien fish species, Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) and Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill), in 2 rivers draining Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. A total of 107 largemouth bass and 244 bluegills were caught in Daecheong-ho (ho=lake) and Musim-cheon (a branch of Geum-gang), in Chungcheongbuk-do April-July 2015. Additionally, 68 native fish of 5 species, i.e., Zacco platypus, Hemibarbus longirostris, Carassius auratus, Pseudogobio esocinus and Puntungia herzi, were caught from the same water bodies. All of the fish collected were examined by artificial digestion method. The metacercariae of Centrocestus armatus, Clinostomum complanatum, Metagonimus sp. and Diplostomum spp. were detected from 4 out of 5 native fish species in Daecheong-ho. However, any metacercariae were not found from 87 M. salmoides and 177 L. macrochirus in Daecheong-ho. In Musim-cheon, metacercariae of Exorchis oviformis and Metacercaria hasegawai were detected from 78% Z. platypus and 34% L. macrochirus, but any metacercariae not found in M. salmoides. We report here that the 2 alien fish species were less infected with the metacercariae than the native ones. Surveys on the metacercariae in the alien fish species in geographically various rivers should be undertaken for better understanding on the role of alien fish species in the trematode infections in Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.293-301
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• 2016

Objectives: This paper presents the current development progress of environmental health indicators (EHIs) in the Republic of Korea and discusses the utilization, limitations and prospects of EHIs. Methods: The development process and assessment criteria of EHIs were established based on the DPSEEA (Driving force-Pressure-State-Exposure-Effect-Action) framework with reference to that of the World Health Organization-Europe. In order to explore the applicability of EHIs, a case study was performed to compare the atmospheric environmental health status between the Republic of Korea and European region countries using six indicators. Results: Through the development process, 23 indicators in five areas including air quality, indoor air quality, climate change, chemicals, and water quality were developed, mostly using national statistical data. As a result of the case study comparing environmental health indicators in air quality between the Republic of Korea and Europe, it could be useful to understand the different situation of air pollution source, emission, exposure and health effects. Conclusion: In order for EHIs to compare environmental health status and be used as an environmental health policy development tool for vulnerable areas and related factors, it is necessary to develop further indicators for various issues other than air quality and conduct additional research on their interpretation and related implications, such as policy implementation effects.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.299-307
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• 2012

This study is aimed to validate errors for detected suspicious temperature data using various quality control procedures for 61 weather stations in the Republic of Korea. The quality control algorithms for temperature data consist of four main procedures (high-low extreme check, internal consistency check, temporal outlier check, and spatial outlier check). Errors of detected suspicious temperature data are judged by examining temperature data of nearby stations, surface weather charts, hourly temperature data, daily precipitation, and daily maximum wind direction. The number of detected errors in internal consistency check and spatial outlier check showed 4 days (3 stations) and 7 days (5 stations), respectively. Effective and objective methods for validation errors through this study will help to reduce manpower and time for conduct of quality management for temperature data.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.1 s.137
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• pp.27-33
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• 2006

Two species of Cryptosporidium are known to infect man; C. hominis which shows anthroponotic transmission between humans, and C. parvum which shows zoonotic transmission between animals or between animals and man. In this study, we focused on identifying genotypes of Cryptosporidium prevalent among inhabitants and domestic animals (cattle and goats), to elucidate transmittal routes in a known endemic area in Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea. The existence of Cryptosporidium oocysts was confirmed using a modified ZiehlNeelsen stain. Human infections were found in 7 $(25.9\%)$ of 27 people examined. Cattle cryptosporidiosis cases constituted 7 $(41.2\%)$ of 17 examined, and goat cases 3 $(42.9\%)$ of 7 examined. Species characterizations were performed on the small subunit of the rRNA gene using both PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis. Most of the human isolates were mixtures of C. hominis and C. parvum genotypes and similar PCR-RFLP patterns were observed in cattle and goat isolates. However, sequence analyses identified only C. hominis in all isolates examined. The natural infection of cattle and goats with C. hominis is a new and unique finding in the present study. It is suggested that human cryptosporidiosis in the studied area is caused by mixtures of C. hominis and C. parvum oocysts originating from both inhabitants and domestic animals.