• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.37-45
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• 2023

The surge in food delivery systems during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic necessitated this study of heavy metal migration from food contact materials (FCMs). A total of 104 samples of FCMs, comprising 51 polypropylene (PP), 21 polyethylene (PE), and 32 polystyrene (PS) samples of six different types of FCMs (containers, covers, table utensils, cups, pouches, and wrappers) used for food delivery distributed in Korea, were collected and investigated for migration of three heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and As) using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine whether they complied with Korea's Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers, and Packages. Acetic acid (4%, v/v) was used as the food simulant, and tests were performed at 100℃ (in harsh conditions) for 30 min. Linearity of Pb, Cd, and As showed acceptable results with a coefficient of determination (R²) value of 0.9999. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of Pb, Cd, and As were 0.001, 0.001, and 0.001 ㎍/L and 0.002, 0.003, and 0.003 ㎍/L, respectively. Accuracy and precision results complied with the criteria presented in the European Commission Joint Research Centre guidelines. The average concentration of Pb, Cd, and As migration detected in a total of 104 samples was 0.009-0.260 ㎍/L, which was very low compared with the migration specification set in the Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers, and Packages. The maximum level of Pb corresponded to 0.23% of the migration limit. There were no samples exceeding the limit. Thus, this study confirmed that the heavy metal contents of FCMs used for delivery food distributed in Korea were safely managed. The data from this study represent an invaluable source for science-based safety management of hazardous heavy metals migrating from FCMs used in the food delivery industry.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.21-35
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• 2023

Expectations surrounding generative AI technology and its profound ramifications are sweeping across various industrial domains. Given the anticipated pivotal role of the startup ecosystem in the utilization and advancement of generative AI technology, it is imperative to cultivate a deeper comprehension of the present state and distinctive attributes characterizing venture capital (VC) investments within this domain. The current investigation delves into South Korea's landscape of VC investment deals and prognosticates the projected VC investments by juxtaposing these against the United States, the frontrunner in the generative AI industry and its associated ecosystem. For analytical purposes, a compilation of 286 investment deals originating from 117 U.S. generative AI startups spanning the period from 2008 to 2023, as well as 144 investment deals from 42 South Korean generative AI startups covering the years 2011 to 2023, was amassed to construct new datasets. The outcomes of this endeavor reveal an upward trajectory in the count of VC investment deals within both the U.S. and South Korea during recent years. Predominantly, these deals have been concentrated within the early-stage investment realm. Noteworthy disparities between the two nations have also come to light. Specifically, in the U.S., in contrast to South Korea, the quantum of recent VC deals has escalated, marking an augmentation ranging from 285% to 488% in the corresponding developmental stage. While the interval between disparate investment stages demonstrated a slight elongation in South Korea relative to the U.S., this discrepancy did not achieve statistical significance. Furthermore, the proportion of VC investments channeled into generative AI enterprises, relative to the aggregate number of deals, exhibited a higher quotient in South Korea compared to the U.S. Upon a comprehensive sectoral breakdown of generative AI, it was discerned that within the U.S., 59.2% of total deals were concentrated in the text and model sectors, whereas in South Korea, 61.9% of deals centered around the video, image, and chat sectors. Through forecasting, the anticipated VC investments in South Korea from 2023 to 2029 were derived via four distinct models, culminating in an estimated average requirement of 3.4 trillion Korean won (ranging from at least 2.408 trillion won to a maximum of 5.919 trillion won). This research bears pragmatic significance as it methodically dissects VC investments within the generative AI domain across both the U.S. and South Korea, culminating in the presentation of an estimated VC investment projection for the latter. Furthermore, its academic significance lies in laying the groundwork for prospective scholarly inquiries by dissecting the current landscape of generative AI VC investments, a sphere that has hitherto remained void of rigorous academic investigation supported by empirical data. Additionally, the study introduces two innovative methodologies for the prediction of VC investment sums. Upon broader integration, application, and refinement of these methodologies within diverse academic explorations, they stand poised to enhance the prognosticative capacity pertaining to VC investment costs.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.129-143
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• 1993

The objective of this study is to understand the status of the water pollution in rural areas and to furnish a basic material for the management of the water pollution in rural areas. For this purpose, the Bokha river basin, Ichon-Gun, Kyungki-Do considering as a typical agricultural area was selected as a representative experimental watershed. The characteristics of water pollution in streams of the Bokha river basin was revealed by investigating and analyzing data collected for the source of pollution, water qualities in reaches of the stream, the degree of contribution to the river contamination by pollution mass produced from each source, and the status of the self-purification at the main stream. The most important source of the water pollution in investigated watershed was livestock, and the next important one were in the order of population, land use, and industry. The water quality of the Bokha river was relatively favorable judging from the BOD and COD concentration, however since the concentration of T-N and T-P showed significantly large values, it was concluded that the river was seriously contaminated by the nutrient material. The main cause of the river contamination was proved due to livestock waste. For the T-N, both land use and livestock were much more contributied to the pollution than any other source, which characterized the typical water pollution of rural areas. Run-off ratios for the Bokha river tributaries to the main stream were changed according to the similar trend to the variation of discharges in the branch streams. For the value of the self-purification constant at the main stream, it showed smaller value in the downstream reach than the middle-stream and upstream reaches, where could possibly have smaller reoxidation action due to slower velocity and deeper water depth.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.52-61
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of excessive sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fat consumptions by elementary school students through processed food's intake. A survey study was conducted with 384 fourth and sixth grade students and their mothers from two schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. The data were analyzed for the frequency analysis, chi-square test and Pearson correlation using the SPSS/Windows (ver. 15.0). Results showed that students consumed high amounts of sugars through processed milk and carbonated beverages, and yogurt. Additionally, they had high sodium and saturated fat levels in their diet through Ramen. There was significant correlation (p<0.01) between mothers' purchasing and students' intake of processed food. Overall, both students and mothers had some knowledge on the impact of sodium on human health. About 50 percent of the respondents did not have accurate information about cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fat. More than 50 percent of students and mothers had no nutritional education on the risk of excessive intake of sugar, sodium, cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fat. Top twenty percent of the students had 39.7 g of sugar, 940.1 mg of sodium, 17.8 mg of cholesterol, and 11.2 g of saturated fat through processed foods per day on the average. These results suggest that execution of nutritional education about processed food is needed for high risk group of elementary school students and their mothers. Moreover, government must enact the regulation and policy for the food industry to reduce the risky nutrients from children's favorite processed food.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.5-30
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• 2005

Globalization has conflicting effects on pharmaceutical policies. A change into a 'populist competitive nation' due to globalization strengthens policies to reduce drug manufacturing costs while the WTO's TRIPS Agreement that is affected by multinational pharmaceutical companies increases drug manufacturing costs by bolstering the patent rights on new drugs. Currently, the independency of populist nations' policies to reduce drug manufacturing cost is being compromised because multinational organizations(such as the European Union) which represents the interests of the multinational pharmaceutical companies put restrictions on the pharmaceutical policies of populist nations for purposes of promoting the industrial goals of the multinational companies. Korea is no exception. Up until the late 1990s, the main feature of the pharmaceutical policies in Korea was keeping the drug price at the cost level based on a growth-driven ideology, and this was Korea's unique policy tools as a developing nation. However, the increase in the power of multinational pharmaceutical companies currently infringes on the independency of Korea's pharmaceutical policies. Expensive imported drugs were originally covered by the national health insurance plan, but starting from 1999 such drugs began to be covered by the plan. After separation of medical and pharmaceutical services, the use of expensive drugs was increased, and the Korean government planned to introduce the reference price policy in order to contain the cost of the national health insurance plan. However, due to pressures from the U.S. government as well as multinational pharmaceutical companies, implementation of the policy has been postponed. In addition, due to a pressure from the U.S. government, a working group was created which would affect the health care policy of the Korean government. Discussions so far on globalization was about whether the change into populist competitive nations due to globalization resulted in the reduction of welfare spending. However, this study shows not only the reduction of health care cost through policies to reduce drug manufacturing costs but increase in welfare spending by raising the strengths of multinational pharmaceutical companies that are for-profit providers of welfare service. While focusing on the contradictory effects of globalization on pharmaceutical policies of a nation, this study looked at how these conflicting effects end up promoting the interests of multinational pharmaceutical companies by examining the Korean case.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.47-55
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• 2016

RHS is a core organization with huge influences on the expansion of the base for the garden culture and industry. This study aimed to examine the meaning and value of the professional charity's role through the appearance background and developmental process of RHS. The passion for plant collection in the Victorian Age of the $19^{th}$ century became the background of establishing the society. Such background of the times and the root of the society are deeply related to the British civil garden culture. The consideration of the forming process of RHS and the study can be summarized as below. First, the professional introduction of exotic plants by plant hunters was developed into an organization supporting professional plant research through collection, sampling, and records, which led to the development of horticulture techniques, growth of plant nursery businesses and established the foundation of the civil garden culture in the UK. Second, after John Loudon was involved in RHS, inspired by the press editing more practical information contents, middle-class and women became new patrons to gardening. Therefore, the care of gardens became a source of agreeable domestic recreation, especially to the female sex. Third, $19^{th}$ century plant collection and exhibition was seen in the Chelsea Flower Show which a key role beyond the UK garden culture. Fourth, those acts of RHS and modernity in $19^{th}$ developed British middle-class domestic gardens which have the character of the ordinary and national garden style in the UK. Such history and activities of RHS are connected to the national status as a country of gardens, which suggests clues to practical measures and values we should aim for in order to settle citizen-centered garden culture.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.1002-1008
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to provide the fundamental information for establishing the database needed to estimate total intakes of trans fatty acids in Korea. The amounts of trans fatty acids contained in 164 samples including 25 samples of margarines, 21 samples of shortenings, 19 samples of vegetable salad and cooking oils, 53 samples of confectionery products, 18 samples of bakery products, 19 samples of dairy products, and 9 samples of animal fats and meats were analyzed by capillary gas liquid chromatography. The average amounts of trans fatty acids in those foods were calculated and expressed as gram per one serving. Then, the average daily intakes of trans fatty acids per capita were estimated using the analyzed amounts of trans fatty acids and the amount of yearly production for those foods. The amounts of trans fatty acids per 100 g of lipids were $2.11{\sim}33.83%$ (14.66% on average) in margarines, $1.47{\sim}44.48%$ (14.21% on average) in shortenings, $0.18{\sim}3.82$ (1.54% on average) in vegetable salad and cooking oils, $0{\sim}45.81%$ (10.92% on average) in confectionery products, $0{\sim}18.32%$ (7.87% on average) in bakery products, $0.90{\sim}4.54%$ (2.27% on average) in dairy products, and $0.61{\sim}6.07%$ (2.24% on average) in animal fats and meats. Major isomers of trans fatty acid in the sample foods were $C_{18:1}$ and $C_{18:2}$. As a result, the korean average daily intake of trans fatty acids in korea was estimated to be 2.3 g per capita. The amounts of trans fatty acids consumed from each selected food were as follows: 0.35 g from margarines, 0.57 g from shortenings, 0.11 g from vegetable salad and cooking oils, 0.65 g from confectionery products, 0.07 g from bakery products, 0.14 g from dairy products and 0.21 g from animal fats and meats.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.28-36
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• 2009

While existing literature has focused extensively on the strengths and weaknesses of the Chaebol and their ownership and governance, there have been few studies of Korean non-Chaebol firms. However, Lee, Lee and Pennings (2001) did not specifically investigate the competitive strategies that non-Chaebol firms use to survive against the Chaebol in the domestic Korean market. The motivation of this paper is to document, through four exploratory case studies, the successful competitive strategies of non-Chaebol Korean companies against the Chaebol and then offer some propositions that may be useful to other entrepreneurial firms as well as public policy makers. Competition and cooperation as conceptualized by product similarity and cooperative inter.firm relationship respectively, are major dimensions of firm.level marketing strategy. From these two dimensions, we develop the following $2{\times}2$ matrix, with 4 types of competitive strategies for non-Chaebol companies against the Chaebol (Fig. 1.). The non-Chaebol firm in Cell 1 has a "me-too" product for the low-end market while conceding the high-end market to a Chaebol. In Cell 2, the non-Chaebol firm partners with a Chaebol company, either as a supplier or complementor. In Cell 3, the non-Chaebol firm engages in direct competition with a Chaebol. In Cell 4, the non-Chaebol firm targets an unserved part of the market with an innovative product or service. The four selected cases such as E.Rae Electronics Industry Company (Co-exister), Intops (Supplier), Pantech (Competitor) and Humax (Niche Player) are analyzed to provide each strategy with richer insights. Following propositions are generated based upon our conceptual framework: Proposition 1: Non-Chaebol firms that have a cooperative relationship with a Chaebol will perform better than firms that do not. Proposition 1a; Co-existers will perform better than Competitors. Proposition 1b: Partners (suppliers or complementors) will perform better than Niche players. Proposition 2: Firms that have no product similarity with a Chaebol will perform better than firms that have product similarity. Proposition 2a: Partners (suppliers or complementors) will perform better than Co.existers. Proposition 2b: Niche players will perform better than Competitors. Proposition 3: Niche players should perform better than Co-existers. Proposition 4: Performance can be rank.ordered in descending order as Partners, Niche Players, Co.existers, Competitors. A team of experts was constituted to categorize each of these 216 non-Chaebol companies into one of the 4 cells in our typology. Simple Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in SPSS statistical software was used to test our propositions. Overall findings are that it is better to have a cooperative relationship with a Chaebol and to offer products or services differentiated from a Chaebol. It is clear that the only profitable strategy, on average, to compete against the Chaebol is to be a partner (supplier or complementor). Competing head on with a Chaebol company is a costly strategy not likely to pay off for a non-Chaebol firm. Strategies to avoid head on competition with the Chaebol by serving niche markets with differentiated products or by serving the low-end of the market ignored by the Chaebol are better survival strategies. This paper illustrates that there are ways in which small and medium Korean non-Chaebol firms can thrive in a Chaebol environment, though not without risks. Using different combinations of competition and cooperation firms may choose particular positions along the product similarity and cooperative relationship dimensions to develop their competitive strategies-co-exister, competitor, partner, niche player. Based on our exploratory case-study analysis, partner seems to be the best strategy for non-Chaebol firms while competitor appears to be the most risky one. Niche players and co-existers have intermediate performance, though the former do better than the latter. It is often the case with managers of small and medium size companies that they tend to view market leaders, typically the Chaebol, with rather simplistic assumptions of either competition or collaboration. Consequently, many non-Chaebol firms turn out to be either passive collaborators or overwhelmed competitors of the Chaebol. In fact, competition and collaboration are not mutually exclusive, and can be pursued at the same time. As suggested in this paper, non-Chaebol firms can actively choose to compete and collaborate, depending on their environment, internal resources and capabilities.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 2006

The present mobile phone industry has significant effect on the domestic economy and has taken root as the core item that has the responsibility to lead the Korean economy for a considerable period of time. As the mobile phone market becomes gigantic, the mobile phone is being used by people in broader age bracket, and functions or designs preferred by people of various age are getting more diverse. Like that, as the mobile phone has greater effect on and meaning in our daily lives, consumers of mobile phone have growing expectation of the mobile phone Now, the core function of voice communication via the mobile phone is not a great concern to consumers. But the function, such as more convenient and friendly information input and output, processing and storage, and the design, which is more sophisticated and optimized for the user environment, are being demanded, not just the simple voice communication. And as the modern design is getting more similar to the objects of traditional high art consumed by consumers every day, the aesthetic aspect of design can play an important role, as the factor that differentiates the product, in creating new value which forms the spiritual and emotional value of human beings to improve the quality of living, and in addition, the willingness of consumers to buy is determined by the design that they prefer the most. Like that, a new design of mobile phone based on a new dimension and preferred by the consumers the most is urgently required to be developed by shedding light on the factors related to the preference of consumers on the basis of the analysis on the aesthetic aspect, which can be said to be the most critical factor in the design process. Therefore, this study aims to identity the common preference and different factors of aesthetic aspects through the analysis on the aesthetic aspects of the mobile phone preferred by users among countries, and figure out the formative artistic factors of aesthetic aspects that are considered to be important, in order to propose the guideline on the aesthetic aspect of mobile phone that can be applied to the design of mobile phone practically.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2013

Cultured products (callus and exopolysaccharide) were obtained from suspension culture of Aloe vera callus, and the extracts of callus were further prepared with cold water or 60% ethanol solution. The ethanol extract of callus (AC) and exopolysaccharide (ACP) of 10 mg/mL exhibited the relatively higher suppression activity of 43.2-52.1% against hyaluronidase activity. Thus, their anti-inflammatory effects were further investigated using animal cell (Raw 264.7) in vitro. Though AC shows a slight suppression effect of cell survival rate (97%) using MTT assay in the presence of $400{\mu}g/mL$ AC- dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), cell growth promotion was observed in the other samples of lower levels. It indicates that the ethanol extract of Aloe callus rarely affect cell survival rate in the ranges ($200-400{\mu}g/mL$) used in the study. Using Griess reagent, the suppression of NO production by the aloe callus extract was analyzed by measuring the amount of the nitrite produced in Raw 264.7 culture activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). As a result, supplementation of AC-distilled water (DW) and AC-DMSO produced higher levels of NO than the positive control LPS. However, the NO suppression effect by ACP-DW was so intense that lower amount ($80-100{\mu}g/mL$) suppressed NO production to the level of the control. The effect was attributed to the expression of the iNOS. Then, Raw 264.7 cells were stimulated with the LPS and expression of COX-2 protein level was analyzed depending on the Aloe suspension culture product treatment. The results showed that the ACP-DW supplemented medium did not express COX-2 by itself, and LPS stimulated COX-2 expression was slightly decreased. On the other hand, realtime-PCR analysis of the expression of inflammatory cytokine showed that IL-$1{\beta}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ expression was highly suppressed in the ACP- distilled water supplemented medium.