• Title/Summary/Keyword: famine

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Assessment of Health and Nutritional Status of North Koreans Utilizing an Exhaustive Literature Search and Survey (문헌과 이탈 귀순자 설문조사를 통해 본 북한인의 보건영양상태)

  • 장남수
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.31 no.8
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    • pp.1338-1346
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    • 1998
  • North Korea has been experiencing a serious food shortage. However, the extent and magnitude of malnutrition and health problems are virturally unknown because a nationwide food and nutritional survey has never been conducted. To get a better udnerstanding of the situation., an exhaustive literature search on the health and nutritiona conditions of North Koreans was performed. We also obtained anthropometric data on 274 North Korean Defectors who are recently resettlers in the South. Some(137) measurements were taken at the time of entry to the South, and the remaining data was from the health and nutrition mail survey conducted by us on North Korean refugeee re-settlers. Health and inutritional status of North Koreans was found to be less than desirable as shown in high infant mortality rates, high mortality and morbidity rates of malnutriton-related infectious deseases, and smaller body sizes. Striking differences were noted in all of the above health and nutrition indicators between north and South Koreans. Considering the fact that North and South Koreans are homogeneous in their genetic back-ground, ours study results clearly demonstrate that the health and nutrition of North Koreas has deteriorated with the dhronic food shortage, which might have sorsened with a recent food crissi. The smaller and thinner adult stature proevailing in North Korea could play a significant negative role in the country's economy, since lower lean body mass has been associated with reduced work productivity that could hinder economic growth and development.

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The combination of the traditional and the modern medicine in North Korea (북한의 동.서의 결합)

  • Kim Chang-Yup;Lee Sang-Gu;Lim Byung-Mook
    • Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.108-118
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    • 2000
  • According to the North Korean documents , North Korean government have emphasized the development of the Koryo medicine (traditional korean medicine) and encouraged the combination of the Koryo and the modern medicine. It is regarded that this attitude arose from the ruler's will toward independency in the medical field and at the same time the lack of modern medical resources . Combinations of the Koryo medicine and the modern medicine in the clinical textbooks are classified as follows: first, mixed medication of the Koryo and the modern medicine. Second, combination of the traditional acupuncture(or moxibustion) and the medication of modern medicines. Third, injection of modern medicines at acupoints. Forth, an intramuscular or an intravenous injection of the Koryo medicine. Fifth, anesthesia using Koryo medicine. Sixth, simple surgery at the acupoints. Lastly, combination of injection and the traditional therapy(eg. acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping) Despite of many achievements in the field of combined medical treatment, recent economic failure and severe famine for several years caused collapse of the health care delivery system in North Korea, and it is hard to find combined practices actually.

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A Study on the Dwellings of Korean Diaspora in Yunhaju of Russia (러시아 거주 고려인의 주거에 관한 연구 -연해주 (Yunhaju: 연해주) 지역을 중심으로-)

  • 이영심;조재순
    • Journal of the Korean housing association
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.51-62
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    • 2004
  • Koreans had started moving to Yunhaju in Russia for escaping from the tyrannical rule and famine in 1860's in Korea. It had been veiled and nearly known about Korean's life there because of social and political situation of Russia until the Perestroyka. This study examined the dwellings of Korean Diaspora in Yunhaju through visiting their houses and having an interview. Results of research were as following: 1) Russian traditional houses which Koreans built was followed by Russian style basically and Koreans used the space slightly different way. Korean Diaspora have been adopted Russian life style with keeping their own traditional way of living. 2) Some Korean Diaspora still have been kept traditional heating system 'Ondol' in their houses until now in Yunhaju. Moreover over, it is known that people of Central Asia prefer to set 'Ondol' recently as a very specific and expensive heating system. 3) Korean's food style in Yunhaju is the one mixed with Russian, Korean, and Central Asian foods. This study could be a first step to supply for a basic information for studying of Korean Diaspora in Russia and it is needed to take more deep research in other areas in Russia.

Comparative analysis of key terms in consumer and family resource management in South and North Korea in preparation for unification (통일 대비 남북한 가정생활 용어 비교 분석: 소비자·가정경영 영역을 중심으로)

  • Lee, Yon-Suk;Han, Young-Sun;Jung, Min-Young
    • Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.119-140
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    • 2016
  • This study objectively analyzes the understanding of changes in North Koreans' home lives and the differences between the home life cultures of South and North Korea. A comparative analysis was conducted of terms related to consumer and family resource management to determine language differences and create a mutual understanding of social convergence unification. First, the analysis revealed that the North Korean language is not developed in certain areas, such as consumer welfare or consumer patterns related to resolving issues or complaints connected to consumptive lifestyles. In financial management, there were terms that referred to the collapsed North Korean economic conditions after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the North Korean famine. Second, terms reflecting North Korea's social, political, and economic structures were discovered, and it was found that South and North Korean languages differed from each other with regard to terms about kinship, sports, and art.

Shakespeare and Food: Examples of Sir Thomas More, Coriolanus, and Pericles (셰익스피어와 음식-『토마스 모어 경』, 『코리올레이너스』, 『페리클리즈』를 중심으로)

  • Han, Younglim
    • Journal of English Language & Literature
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    • v.57 no.4
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    • pp.651-674
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    • 2011
  • This paper approaches Sir Thomas More, Coriolanus, Pericles in terms of the relationship of food to national identity. These three plays examine ways in which food is essential to what constitutes English national identity, and food shortages give rise to riots thereby throwing everyday life into disorder. In Sir Thomas More food shortages are caused by foreign foodstuff and foreign habits of consumption. Rioting Londoners fear that the European foreigners' strange dietary habits would do harm on English food, the English body and English economy. In Coriolanus starvation is the primary trigger for the enmity between the senators and citizens. Menenius employs the fable of the belly to quell the hungry citizens' anger and to emphasize the senators' role as a store of nutrition to feed the body, that is, the citizens. Coriolanus' contempt for the body's need comes to a devastating end. In Pericles the famine is brought about by the gluttonous consumption of specific foods. The problem of greedy consumption becomes that of living in the cannibalistic situation where mothers are willing to eat their children and married couples one another. Pericles feeds the hungry people with bread, and is also saved from starvation by the fishermen after shipwreck. In this way the three plays provide the examples of Shakespeare's notion on healthy food and feeding.

Policy-making Process of Artists Welfare Law: Based on Kingdon's Policy Streams Model (예술인복지법 정책결정과정 연구: Kingdon의 정책흐름모형을 중심으로)

  • Choi, Jeong Min;Bae, Kwanpyo;Choi, Seong-Rak
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.13 no.5
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    • pp.243-252
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    • 2013
  • This study analyzes the policy-making process to promote the artists' welfare. In the problems stream, the artists have been found to suffer without any governmental support. In the policy stream, there have been various alternatives but they were not actualized. Meanwhile, a writer died of illness and famine in 2011. In the political stream, the public opinion to require the promotion of the artists' welfare, was strengthened. It made the policy-window open and resulted in the legislation of the Artists Welfare Law. Based upon these analyses, this article concludes that Kingdon's model is applicable to this case. Especially, this study shows that this policy was made with accidental events and the roles of informal participants such as netizen were more critical. However, it should be noted that the content of this Law was modified and trimmed because there was no policy entrepreneur to persuade the dissenters. It could made the policy-making process of this Law distinguished from others.

The Difference of Digestion, Sweat, Stool, Urination, Drinking, Coldness and Hotness Characteristics according to Sasang Constitutional Exterior and Interior Diagnosis (체질별 표리에 따른 소화, 땀, 대변, 소변, 음수, 한열 특성 차이)

  • Jang, Eun-Su;Baek, Young-Hwa;Park, Ki-Hyun;Lee, Si-Woo
    • Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.43-53
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    • 2012
  • 1. Objective : It is well-known that even if some people are born with same constitution, their symptoms can be different according to Exterior and Interior diagnosis. This study aimed to suggest different clinical symptoms according to Exterior and Interior group in individual Sasang constitution. 2. Methods : We collected 706 physiological and pathological data of subjects from August 2009 to July 2011 using case report form of Questionnaire. The Sasang constitutional diagnosis and Exterior and Interior diagnosis were conducted by Sasang constitutional experts. All data were analyzed with Chi-square test and significant p value was 0.05. 3. Results : There are different symptoms between Exterior and Interior group in Taeeumin as followed, the frequence of famine and burp, the part of sweat, brown or not in color of stool, painful or not in evacuating, the frequence of loose feces, the frequence of abdominal inflating, the costive feeling frequence after evacuating, foam in urine or not, urination times, amount of Coldness and Hotness in belly, the frequence of turning fale in face. Soeumin as followed, digestion well or not, amount of sweat in exercise, the brown or not in color of stool, the frequence of turning fale in face, athe frequence of clearness in urine and feeling hot. Soyangin as followed, amount of appetite, amount of sweat in hot weather, sweat in neck or not, the red color in urine or not, Coldness and Hotness in foot or not, amount of drinking. 3. Conclusions : We may suggest that physiological and pathological symptoms are different between exterior and interior group in individual Sasang constitution respectively.

Pre-Natal Epigenetic Influences on Acute and Chronic Diseases Later in Life, such as Cancer: Global Health Crises Resulting from a Collision of Biological and Cultural Evolution

  • Trosko, James E.
    • Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.394-407
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    • 2011
  • Better understanding of the complex factors leading to human diseases will be necessary for both long term prevention and for managing short and long-term health problems. The underlying causes, leading to a global health crisis in both acute and chronic diseases, include finite global health care resources for sustained healthy human survival, the population explosion, increased environmental pollution, decreased clean air, water, food distribution, diminishing opportunities for human self-esteem, increased median life span, and the interconnection of infectious and chronic diseases. The transition of our pre-human nutritional requirements for survival to our current culturally-shaped diet has created a biologically-mismatched human dietary experience. While individual genetic, gender, and developmental stage factors contribute to human diseases, various environmental and culturally-determined factors are now contributing to both acute and chronic diseases. The transition from the hunter-gatherer to an agricultural-dependent human being has brought about a global crisis in human health. Initially, early humans ate seasonally-dependent and calorically-restricted foods, during the day, in a "feast or famine" manner. Today, modern humans eat diets of caloric abundance, at all times of the day, with foods of all seasons and from all parts of the world, that have been processed and which have been contaminated by all kinds of factors. No longer can one view, as distinct, infectious agent-related human acute diseases from chronic diseases. Moreover, while dietary and environmental chemicals could, in principle, cause disease pathogenesis by mutagenic and cytotoxic mechanisms, the primary cause is via "epigenetic", or altered gene expression, modifications in the three types of cells (e.g., adult stem; progenitor and terminally-differentiated cells of each organ) during all stages of human development. Even more significantly, alteration in the quantity of adult stem cells during early development by epigenetic chemicals could either increase or decrease the risk to various stem cell-based diseases, such as cancer, later in life. A new concept, the Barker hypothesis, has emerged that indicates pre-natal maternal dietary exposures can now affect diseases later in life. Examples from the studies of the atomic bomb survivors should illustrate this insight.

Weather Characteristics and Efforts to Reduce Disasters during the Reign of King Sejo in the Chosun Dynasty (조선 세조대 기후특성과 재해 경감 노력)

  • Lee, Uk;Hong, Yoon
    • Atmosphere
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    • v.22 no.2
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    • pp.199-208
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    • 2012
  • This study was conducted in order to analyze weather characteristics during the reign of King Sejo in the Chosun Dynasty based on The Annals of the Chosun Dynasty. For this purpose, first of all, we need to determine whether The Annals of the Chosun Dynasty is a reliable material for research on weather characteristics. Thus, we compared weather phenomena during the reign of King Sejo with those in China and Japan in the same period. From the results, it was found that The Annals of the Chosun Dynasty is a useful material at least to grasp macroscopic trends in weather phenomena. Based on this assumption, we analyzed weather characteristics during the reign of King Sejo using data from The Annals of the Chosun Dynasty. During the days of King Sejo, the climate was not changed violently and there were not many disasters caused by abnormal climate such as bad harvests. This suggests that the climate was relatively stable during the period of King Sejo. As a consequence of stable weather, famine decreased markedly. However, this was not only because of stable climate but also because of the government's active efforts to reduce disasters. As droughts and floods were not frequent, social costs for recovery from disasters also decreased considerably and the saved money could be invested in the construction of social safety nets for the prevention of disasters. One of factors supporting the enthronement of King Sejo was a series of heavily damaging bad harvests during the reign of Kings Munjong and Danjong. The prevention of bad harvests was a historical mission given to the regime of King Sejo. During his reign, King Sejo promoted various policies in order to stop bad harvests. Such efforts included the government's active construction of embankments, introduction of seeds suitable for reclaimed lands, and inspiration of the consciousness of forceful farming enduring natural disasters such as floods. As a result, abnormal weathers such as floods and droughts did not lead directly to bad harvests.

Influences of changes in natural environments by natural hazards and human activities in ancient times in Korea on collapse of the Unified Silla Dynasty (자연재해와 인위적 환경변화가 통일신라 붕괴에 미친 영향)

  • Hwang, Sangill;Yoon, Soon-Ock
    • Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.580-599
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    • 2013
  • After the unification of Three Kingdoms, Silla Dynasty had been on the prosperity with continuous population growth during approximately 120 years. However, Unified Silla Dynasty experienced 11 times of famine and bad year by frequent droughts during 50 years since the late 8th century, and these caused to political, economic and social changes. It is evident that Silla Dynasty slowly declined by the droughts and famines, although ancient records described as still on glory days. Since then, national power of Unified Silla Dynasty was abruptly weakened by migration of residents, and 9 times of rebellion or revolt occurred during 50 years in the late 9th century. As a result, political and social agitations reached the maximum. These led to the collapse of the Unified Silla Dynasty, and King Gyeongsoon handed over the dynasty to King Wanggeon, a founder of Goryeo Dynasty. These resulted from the 500-year-cycle droughts and human activities that seriously devastated the vegetations by using trees as an energy source for hundreds of thousands people during several centuries. The devastation of vegetation destroyed farm lands and led to large changes in river and groundwater systems, and eventually, increased damages by droughts.

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