• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.129-155
• /
• 2008

The rate of antibiotics prescription for an acute airway infection significantly varies depending upon the diagnosis type, specialty, and the location of the hospital along with many other related factors. The objective of this study is to empirically investigate the possible relationship between the antibiotics prescription rates for an acute airway infection and the degree of competition in the hospital market regions of mainly the providers of primary medical care services such as clinics, internal medicines, pediatrics and otorhinolaryngology department. Using the data from Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) regarding the hospitals' antibiotics prescription rates for the acute airway infection and controlling for selected variables of demand and supply sectors, this study tries to figure out that the degree of competition in the hospital market, regardless of what type of competition indexes we employed, has a statistically significant effect on the variations of antibiotics prescription rate of the clinics in local areas. This result implies that as an economic consideration itself, the change in the degree of competition in the hospital market can play a crucial role influencing the treatment behaviors of the medical doctors. More specifically, this study reveals that as the degree of competition increases the antibiotics prescription rate goes up. This result means that if the market becomes more competitive in a specific region so that it might cause a reduction in doctor's income, doctors with rational decision-making process, recognize that the benefit created from inducing patients' seemingly unnecessary demand for medical care (income effect) would be higher than the costs associated with sustaining their targeted income (substitution effect). It is because that the doctors are more likely to prescribe antibiotics which create relatively higher margins than other medical care services in order to sustain their targeted income when the hospital market competition becomes tighter. Even though this study empirically confirms that antibiotics prescription can be affected by the economic incentives, it still raises following issues as limitations of the study: first issue is about the representativeness of the hospital regions segregated for this study, which might be weak in explaining whether these regions are mutually exclusive in reality. Patients actually consider the quality of services, transportation cost, time costs, and any other related factors choosing the doctors or hospitals, and in that sense, this study rules out 'border-crossing' in using the medical care services. Second issue arises in capturing the data of antibiotics prescription rate. Since we use the average rate for each medical institution, we cannot figure out the average rate for each patient so that we are not able to control for the variation of patients' medical conditions. It is because of the unavailability of data regarding each patient's medical condition from HIRA. Thirdly, since this study mainly analyzes the medical institutions providing primary care such as clinics, internal medicines, pediatrics, and otorhinolaryngology department, it is skeptical of whether those institutions can represent the hospital market in respective regions and truly reflect the degree of competition. It needs to extend the study areas and disease types as well as any micro data for future studies.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.272-287
• /
• 2019

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was established in 1953 by the Korean War Armistice Agreement. It extends from the estuary of the Imjin River, in the west, to the coast of the East Sea. It is 4 km in width and 148 km in length. However, the ecosystems of the civilian control zone (CCZ) located between the southern border of the DMZ and the civilian control line (CCL) and the CCZ in the estuary of the Han River and the Yellow Sea are similar to those in the DMZ, and, therefore, the ecosystems of the DMZ and the CCZ are collectively known as the "ecosystems of the DMZ and its vicinities." The flora in the DMZ and its vicinities is composed of 1,864 species, which accounts for about 42% of all the vascular plant species on the Korean Peninsula and its affiliated islands. Conducting a detailed survey on the vegetation, flora, and fauna in the DMZ is almost impossible due to the presence of landmines and limitations on the time allowed to be spent in the DMZ. However, to assess the environmental impact of the Munsan-Gaesong railroad reconstruction project, it was possible to undertake a limited vegetation survey within the DMZ in 2001. The vegetation in Jangdan-myeon, in Paju City within the DMZ, was very simple. It was mostly secondary forests dominated by oaks such as Quercus mongolica, Q. acutissima, and Q. variabilis. The other half of the DMZ in Jangdan-myeon was occupied by grassland composed of tall grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis, M. sacchariflorus, and Phragmites japonica. Contrary to the expectation that the DMZ may be covered with pristine mature forests due to more than 60 years of no human interference, the vegetation in the DMZ was composed of simple secondary forests and grasslands formed on former rice paddies and agricultural fields. At present, the only legal protection system planned for the DMZ is the Natural Environment Conservation Act, which ensures that the DMZ would be managed as a nature reserve for only two years following Korean reunification. Therefore, firstly, the DMZ should be designated as a site of domestic legally protected areas such as nature reserve (natural monument), scenic site, national park, etc. In addition, we need to try to designate the DMZ as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve or as a World Heritage site, or as a Ramsar international wetland for international cooperation. For nomination as a world heritage site, we can emphasize the ecological and landscape value of the wetlands converted from the former rice paddies and the secondary forests maintained by frequent fires initiated by military activities. If the two Koreas unexpectedly reunite without any measures in place for the protection of nature in the DMZ, the conditions prior to the Korean War, such as rice paddies and villages, will return. In order to maintain the current condition of the ecosystems in the DMZ, we have to discuss and prepare for measures including the retention of mines and barbed-wire fences, the construction of roads and railroads in the form of tunnels or bridges, and the maintenance of the current fire regime in the DMZ.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.25-35
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to re-exam of the modern values of a moat to utilize it with various functions such as a military defense on the outskirts of the castle, dividing the space by its boundary, controlling the micro-climate in the worsening modern environment with temperature rise due to climate change and habitat reduction of animals, and providing the habitat of animals to modern urban space, etc. The scope of the study is focusing on the castles with the moat installed to prevent the enemy from accessing directly to the wall using a pond or water path for military defense on the outskirts of the castle or to divide it into boundaries. In the Orient, the Nakan Eupseong, Haemi Eupseong, Gyeongju Wolseong in Korea and the Forbidden City in China, and Nijo Castle and Osaka Castle in Japan were selected. In the West, Edinburgh Castle in Britain, Blois Castle in France, Chillon Castle in Switzerland, and Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark were selected for the study. As a research method, literature research and field research were conducted. For the Orient, it was conducted in parallel with the literature research and field research. For the western, it was mainly conducted with literature research. For the literature research, the origin of the moat, the concept of the moat, the function of the moat, the history and culture of the western moat are based on the data from the related institutions and previous studies. For the Orient field research, exploring was conducted in two to three times from Jan. 2016 to Dec. 2016 in each of the target areas of Nakan Eupseong, Haemi Eupseong, Gyeongju Wolseong in Korea and the Forbidden City in China, and Nijo Castle and Osaka Castle in Japan. The contents of the research were analyzed through interviews, photographs, measurements, and observations on the function, size, and characteristics of the moat of each target. The results of this study are as follows. The moat was a structure installed to set a boundary for military defense facilities on the outskirts of a castle and it played an important role as a part of the city in the ancient times of Asia and the West through the Middle Ages. The role of the moat is gradually disappearing due to the disappearance of the purpose of military defense. However, moats are excluded from modern landscape planning, despite the fact that a moat filled with water is a hydrophilic space with great historical and cultural value such as various cultural activities and providing habitats for animals. By reflecting on the moats various functions in modern cities and utilizing it, it is expected to be utilized to bring pleasant air into the city where the circulation of air is blocked and energize the city as a hydroponic element.

• Journal of the Geological Society of Korea
• /
• v.54 no.6
• /
• pp.587-603
• /
• 2018

3-D petroleum system modeling was performed on the Jeju Basin, offshore southern Korea to analyze the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation as well as the generation and expulsion of the hydrocarbon, based on subsurface structure maps of respective sedimentary formations. The lowermost formation deposited in Eocene time was assigned as a source rock, for which a mixed kerogen of type II and III was input in the modeling of oil and gas generation in consideration of the sedimentary environment of fluvio-lacustrine condition. Initial TOC was 4% as an input, based on the analysis of the well data and sedimentary environment. The modeling results show that a considerable amount of hydrocarbons was generated and expelled from the source rocks at the western Joint Development Zone (JDZ) sub-block 4, where the hydrocarbons was migrated to the above reservoir rocks at 20 Ma. The oil and gas in the reservoir rocks of the JDZ sub-block 4 are accumulated into the prospects with closure structures that has already been formed at the nearby areas. Another generation of hydrocarbon occurs from the source rock at the eastern border area of JDZ sub-block 1 and 2, where the expulsion of the hydrocarbons occurs at 10 Ma from the source rock into the above reservoir rocks, in which the accumulation also is expected. The generation, migration and accumulation were retarded at the eastern area of the JDZ sub-block 1 and 2, compared with the area of the western JDZ sub-block 4. Based on the modeling results, it is estimated that gases migrated laterally and vertically in long distance whereas oil migrated laterally in shorter distance than gases. A substantial amount of hydrocarbon could have seeped out of the reservoir formations to the surface since the migration of oil and gas actively occurred in Miocene time before the formation of seals. However, the modeling shows that the hydrocarbon could be accumulated smoothly into the closed structures that can be formed locally by alternation of sand and shale beds.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.355-378
• /
• 2019

We investigated the flora of vascular plants in Mt. Papyeong which is located in the northern part of Paju and the border of western DMZ through 13 surveys from April 2016 to August 2019. The vascular plants of Mt. Papyeong include 410 taxa; 361 species, 9 subspecies, 36 varieties, and 4 forms from 257 genera of 91 families. Among 410 taxa, we characterize endemic species, rare and endangered plants, floristic regional indicator plants, and climate change adapted plants in Korea. Specifically, there are 9 Korean endemic plants designated by Korea National Arboretum and 6 taxa by Korean Ministry of Environment. According to IUCN evaluation, there are 13 rare and endangered plants in Mt. Papyeong. On the other hand, 2 taxa were listed in a red list suggested by Korean Ministry of Environment. The floristic regional indicator plants include 46 taxa which are composed of 2 species of IV degree, 13 taxa of III degree, 11 taxa of II degree, and 20 taxa of I degree. Also, 27 naturalized plants were identified, and the percentage of Naturalized Index (NI) and Urbanization Index (UI) were 6.58%, and 8.43%, respectively. We hope that this investigation provide a valuable data for applying the further studies on the biodiversity and strategy of conservation of environment in the DMZ and Paju areas.

• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
• /
• no.32
• /
• pp.131-169
• /
• 2016

We will study cultural sprauchling about Pungmul-Kut to find out the sphere of "Gui-myeong-gui" alongside Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do western coast. In this area, there are some traits and terms about Gui-myeong-gui, a sort of Pungmul-Kut and Goon-go. Several Pungmul-Kuts which border the sphere of Gui-myeong-gui are Goon-gui in a southern direction, Unnyeongnongak of Honamudonongak in a eartern direction, and Yeongmujangnongak. The acculturation occurs in two ways. One is the possible acculturation with Goon-gi or Goon-go in coastal areas. The other is the acculturation with Honamudonongak. Especially, this phenomenan appears in double-way interaction. At first, there is the influence of Gui-myeong-gui in Honamudonongak. Kim Bau's style, which might relate to Gui-myeong-gui in Geommopojin, incorporate one of Panje of Honamudonongak through Park Namsik. This phenomenon is porved by the affinity between Eunjijaetji Galag of Honamudonongak GeollibKut and Eungmagaenggaeng Galag of Goon-go, and by the similarity to Neonari-Galag. In case of Neonari-Galag, the role of Jing in Neonari-Galag is replaced by Janggu in Honamudonongak, because of the geatest popularity of Janggu in those days. Secondly, there is the influence of Honamudonongak in Gui-myeong-gui. Northern sphere of Gui-myeong-gui like Buan-gun, Okgu-gun has been influenced since early $20^{th}$ century. In addition, the phenomenon which the sphere of Gui-myeong-gui accepts actively Honamudonongak could occur. So this thesis fragmentarilly checks the existence and traits of Gui-myeong-gui. Based on it, we would be able to reveal and reconstitute the nature of Gui-myeong-gui by understanding acculturation of Pungmul-Kut and by comparing Goon-go with Honamudonongak and Yeongmujangnongak in several regions. Also this thesis draws attention about meanings and effects of Yeonhuinongak's acceptace of Goon-beop.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
• /
• v.39
• /
• pp.137-174
• /
• 2021

The main theme of this paper centers on how to promote Three Major Works of Daesoon Jinrihoe, charity aid, social welfare, and education projects, during the unification period. Determining the best methods of promotion is crucial because the Three Major Works must be carried out after unification, and the works must remain based on the practice of the philosophy of Haewon-sangsaeng (the Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence). The idea of Haewon-sangsaeng is in line with the preface of the U.N. Charter and the aim of world peace. North Korean residents are suffering from starvation under their devastated economy, which is certain to face a crisis of materialistic deficiency during reunification. In this study, the peaceful unification of Germany, unification under a period of sudden changes in Yemen, and the militarized unification of Vietnam were taken as case studies to diagnose and analyze the conditions which would affect the implementation of the Three Major Works. These three styles of unification commonly required a considerable budget and other forms of support to carry out the Three Major Works. Especially if unification were to occur after a period of sudden changes, this would require solutions to issues of food, shelter, and medical support due to the loss of numerous lives and the destruction of infrastructure. On the other hand, the UNHCR model was analyzed to determine the implications of expanding mental well prepared and sufficiently qualified professionals, reorganizing standard organizations within complex situations, task direction, preparing sufficient relief goods, budgeting, securing bases in border areas with North Korea, and establishing networks for sponsorship. Based on this, eight detailed tasks in the field of system construction could be used by the operators of the Three Major Works to prepare for unification. Additionally, nine tasks for review were presented in consideration of the timing of unification and the current situation between South and North Korea. In conclusion, in the event of unification, the Three Major Works should not be neglected during the transition period. The manual "Three Major Works during the Unification Period" should include strategic points on organizational formation and mission implementation, forward base and base operation, security and logistics preparation, public relations and external cooperation, safety measures, and transportation and contact systems.

• 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.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.68 no.4
• /
• pp.236-245
• /
• 2023

We investigated the basic vegetative phase (BVP), photoperiod-sensitivity (PS), and thermo-sensitivity (TS) of 40 rice varieties to characterize their heading ecology that is adaptable to North Korean rice production areas. The ranges were 12 - 43 days for BVP, 0 - 74 days for PS, and 15 - 33 days for TS, depending on the variety. The number of days from transplanting to the heading stage (DTH) was significantly correlated with PS in the 13 major rice production regions where all 40 varieties (including early-, middle-, and mid-late-maturing varieties) were tested. DTH was significantly correlated with BVP and TS but not with PS in the 10 low-temperature regions where only 28 early-maturing varieties were tested. The heading ecology of the adaptable varieties for each region could be characterized by an exponential equation between the BVP and PS of varieties that headed at the border of the safe marginal heading date (SMHD) for each of the seven regional environments (Kaesong, Haeju, Yongyon, Singye, Sariwon, Nampo, and Pyongyang). A PS of 25 - 30 days or less was an additional adaptive trait in the Sariwon and Pyongyang environments. The varieties that reached the heading stage not later than the SMHD in six regional environments (Anju, Kusong, Sinuiju, Changjon, Wonsan, and Supung) and those that reached the heading stage not later than the late marginal heading date (LMHD) in four regional environments (Hamhung, Pyonggang, Huichon, and Kanggye) had both a PS of 26 days or less and a BVP of 25 - 28 days or less. In the Yangdok, Sinpo, and Chunggang environments, varieties that reached the heading stage not later than the LMHD for each region had a BVP of 15 - 20 days or less. The results suggested that a shortened BVP trait should be introduced to existing early-maturing rice varieties to reduce the duration of growth period to reach the heading stage.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.54-79
• /
• 2024

The purpose of this research is to fill the vacuum created by the tendency of bias towards China among the curators of Korean museums who plan exhibitions focusing on Balhae, and to share with researchers in the countries concerned various supplementary research materials that could deepen their understanding of the history of Balhae. These materials are based on analyses of the details of exhibitions about Balhae held in a particular Russian museum and the characteristics of and changes in the museum's operational policy. Thus, this research focuses mainly on the permanent and special exhibitions held by the Far East History Museum and Reserve, whose collection represents the archaeological achievements of Russia regarding the history of Balhae. The first part of the research focuses on the layout of the exhibitions presented by the museum and the museum's operational policy. It reveals that the museum's permanent exhibitions follow a diachronic arrangement of the local history, while the first and second special exhibitions featured exhibits that were selected from the collections of the Russian Academy of Sciences and arranged according to specific themes. It also examines the museum's policy for operating the exhibitions, focusing on the operational rules, the human resources deployed to run them, and the related educational and PR programs. The second part of the research examines such issues as local politics, economy, education and culture related to the exhibitions on Balhae's history, and connects them to the background and development of the exhibitions. This study reveals that the permanent exhibitions were intended to promote historical awareness of the local area by museum visitors, particularly those who visited the exhibitions while the city was hosting important events such as international summits. It also reveals that the museum's first special exhibition led to the promotion of Korea-Russia cooperation on exchanges in the fields of culture and tourism, whereas the second special exhibition involved no PR efforts or related events, which was probably due to the changes that have occurred in the relationship between Russia and its neighboring countries since then. The final part of the study focuses on the characteristic features of the exhibition narratives, and compares school textbooks on local history and history books for general readers with the contents of the exhibitions. The analysis of the narratives based on the development of time shows that the history of the Mohe (or Malgal) tribes has been combined with that of Balhae, while they are treated separately in school textbooks. As regards political history, the narrative was largely focused on officials in Balhae's central government rather than on Mohe warriors in the border areas. The maps of Balhae presented in the exhibitions highlight the importance of accumulating empirical data. As for the exhibition of material cultures, this study suggests that the museums should obtain more archaeological floral and faunal remains related with agriculture and hunting. It also points out that the narrative on the theme of foreign relations deals with the archaeological relics of Unified Silla together with those of the Turkic tribes. As for the theme of philosophy and culture, the narrative focused on the state ceremonies and rituals of Goguryeo, a theme that has attracted little attention among Korean academic circles and which consequently requires further study. In conclusion, this study is meaningful in that it suggests a number of research topics regarding the development of exhibitions and exhibition narratives about the history of Balhae by a prestigious Russian museum that specializes in this subject.