• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.15-15
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• 2003

In South Korea, marine terraces have been well developed along the eastern coastal zone, and previous researches on the marine terraces have also been focused on to this coastal zone. The marine terraces of the eastern coast of South Korea had been classified into three terrace groups, that is, the higher, middle, and lower surface ones, according to the heights of marine terraces by previous studies(Oh, 1981 ;Chang, 1987 ;Yoon et. al, 1999, 2003 ; Hwang and Yoon, 1996 etc.). Recently, however, it tends to classify the marine terraces based on the concept of geomorphic surface units(Lee, 1987 ; Kim, 1990 ; Choi, S. 2003; Choi S. et. al 2003a,b, etc). For example, it was proposed that the marine terrace surfaces of Eupcheon coast of the southeastern coastal area of Korea could be classified into 16 geomorphic surfaces, i.e., Eupcheon 1terrace(former shoreline height of 160m), 2(153m), 3(140m), 4(130m), 5(124m), 6(115m), 7(100m), 8(92m), 9(82m), 10(71m), 11(62m), 12(53m), 13(43m), 14(35m), 15(18m) and 16(10m) surfaces, in descending order, according to the former shoreline heights(Choi, S, 2003 ; Choi, S. et. al, 2003a,b). Among these terraces, Eupcheon 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 surfaces had not been reported in previous works. Among the above mentioned marine terraces, Eupcheon 15 terrace, the most widely and continuously distributed marine terrace have been identified as marine terrace of the Last Interglacial culmination period(oxygen isotope stage 5e) which was based on amino acid dates(124∼125ka BP) and geomorphological features such as red soil, pollen analysis, fossil cryogenic structures and crossing terrace concept. Eupoheon 15 terrace surfaces have also been proposed as the key surface for the identification and correlation of the so-called '5e' marine terrace in the eastern coast of South Korea. This terrace was reconfirmed as the Last Interglacial culmination period, which was based on the identification of Ata tephra, one of the wide-spread marker tephra which indicates the Last Interglacial culmination period in Japan by Sasaki et. al(2002). It was thought that marine terraces of the eastern coast of South Korea had been formed by the steady-state uplifting during the Quaternary glacio-eustatic sea level changes(Choi, 1997). The uprift rate of 10cm/1,000years had been proposed in the eastern coast of South Korea based on the former shoreline altitude(18m) of the above Eupcheon 15 terrace. Therefore, it can be estimated that Eupcheon 1 terrace had been formed in the early Pleistocene from the above uprift rate. The OSL dating for the samples of Eupcheon 7, 9, 13, 15 and 16 terraces and identification of marker tephra in the terrace deposits are in progress. It is expected that more elaborate chronology on themarine terraces of the eastern coast of South Korea could be established by these absolute dates and marker-tephra.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.3 s.114
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• pp.346-360
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• 2006

In order to analyze synthetically geomorphological processes of marine terrace in Korea, this study deals with the distribution of marine terraces, stratification of sedimentary layers, physicochemical properties of deposits, and formative ages of marine terraces based on OSL(Optically Stimulated Luminescence) absolute age at coastal area of Gwangyang Bay in central part of the South Coast. As a result of comparison with physicochemical properties on diverse geomorphic materials, there is not enough distinction in them, because of recycling and mixing of materials at Gwangyang Bay having a geomorphic closure. In Gwangyang bay coast, marine terraces are discovered at least 3 levels and have a small area. Formative age of 1st Terrace, as the lowest level ranging in $10{\sim}13m$ above the sea level, is estimated at MIS(Marine Isotope Oxygen Stage) 5a, based on OSL age dating and properties of deposits. Uplifting rate is calculated at 0.141m/ka in Gwangyang bay coast. For application to this rate, 2nd terrace($18{\sim}22m$) is estimated at MIS 5e, 3rd terrace($27{\sim}32m$) is latter part of MIS 7. Consequently, we might conclude that uplifting and geomorphic process of marine terrace in South Coast is similar to East Coast during the Late Pleistocene in Korea.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.67-79
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• 2019

This study documents the level of paleo-shoreline and the timing of formation of the lowest marine terrace (1st terrace) distributed in Dadaepo, Busan, South Korea. In the study area, the elevation of paleo-shoreline of the 1st terrace is clearly identified as 5 meters above mean high tide based on the elevation of wave-cut platforms and the elevation of boundary between marine and terrestial sediments. This is well consistent with the fact that are found along the Southern coast of the Korean Peninsula including Daepo-dong, Sacheon-si. The timing of formation of the 1st terrace in Dadaepo is confirmed to have been deposited around 70,000~80,000 years BP (MIS 5a) according to OSL and IRSL dating ages. However, because the formation age of the 1st terrace in Sacheon-si Daepo-dong (Southerm coast) and Pohang-si Umok-ri (Eastern coast) previously identified as about 90,000~100,000 years BP (MIS 5c), further discussion of what is needed. Possibly, it can be interpreted that the sub-interglacial (MIS 5a and 5c) sea-level records during the last interglacial period are likely to be selective on land depending on regions.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.875-886
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• 2016

The eastern coast of Seopo-myeon, Sancheon-si in the South Coast is a bay almost completely separated from open sea by Changseon and Namhae Islands. Marine terraces in this area can be classified into geomorphic surfaces with elevations of 10~12m, 15~18m, 20~24m, 25~28m, 30~33m, 35~38m, 40~45m, 45~50m and 54m. This marine terrace system is similar to the Boryeong area in the West Coast. The geomorphic surfaces distribute along ridges and show relatively small areas. The young and old surfaces show a mixed distributional pattern. This distributional pattern contrasts to the East Coast where the oldest surface farthest from the coastline is parallel to the coast and age of the surfaces increases with a distance from the coast. These seem to result in high energy waves by typhoon that developed wave-cut platform on hill areas with relatively complex relief in a short time.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.81-96
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• 2019

The Yeongdeok 53m marine terrace (Y₅₃mT), Y₄₃mT, Y₃₃mT, Y₂₄mT, Y₁₉mT and Y₁₁mT distributed along the Yeongdeok coast, southeastern Korean Peninsula are well compared with the thalassostatic terraces of the high terrace 1 (ℓHT₁ ; 51m of the relative heights from the river floor), high terrace 2 (ℓHT₂ ; 43m), middle terrace 1 (ℓMT₁ ; 32m), middle terrace 2 (ℓMT₂ ; 25m), lower terrace 1 (ℓLT₁ ; 18m) and lower terrace 2 (ℓLT₂ ; 10m) respectively, developed along the lower reaches of the Chucksan-cheon and Obo-cheon rivers, judging from the comparison of paleosols (red soils) between the above marine and thalassostatic terraces. Using the Y₁₉mT of the MIS 5e as the key surface, we propose that the terraces of the Y₅₃mT and ℓHT₁, Y₄₃mT and ℓHT₂, T₃₃mT and ℓMT₁, Y₂₄mT and ℓMT₂, Y₁₉mT and ℓLT₁, and Y₁₁mT and ℓLT₂ have been formed at the MIS 11, 9, 7e and 7a (or 7a), 5e and 5a respectively. The red soils have been developed at the Y₁₉mT and ℓLT₁ and above them, but not on the Y₁₁mT and ℓLT₂ surfaces.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.95-108
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• 2016

Several flights of marine terraces were developed along the Eastern coast of Korea (Gangneung-Donghae). Various dating techniques have been applied to determine the age of these terraces, with a view to better understand the regional uplift history. In this study, we compare the major element compositions of the terrace deposits and modern beach sediments to estimate the relative formation age of these terraces. We observed a discernible difference in major element geochemistry between modern beach sediments and various elevated terrace deposit (i.e. palaeobeach sediments). In general, weathering properties of marine terrace sediments are expected to be affected by the formation ages of terraces, and here, we confirm that the chemical composition are indicative of the relative age of the terraces in this region.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.703-713
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• 2016

This study documents the altitude of paleo-shoreline and formation age of the $1^{st}$ marine terrace emerged around Heunghae-eup Pohang City (South Korea). As a result, the $1^{st}$ terrace representing 10 m of the paleo-shoreline was formed at MIS 5c around 100,000 BP and was influenced repetitive sedimentation of sea-wave till regression of MIS 5a. The result is recognized as a definite truth for the $1^{st}$ terrace in the eastern coast of the Korean peninsula based on synthetic reviews of previous studies and cross-validation of absolute age data. Furthermore, this study deduces a sea stand at MIS 5c from the geomorphological contrast method, but precise determination of paleo-shoreline of the $2^{nd}$ terrace should be required to estimate that of MIS 5c.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2003

The southeasternmost coastal area of the Korean peninsula has been regarded as a seismologically stable area as neither Quaternary faults nor earthquake activity has been reported. To clarify whether the active tectonic movement has occurred or not, a digital marine terrace mapping and fracture mapping have been done in the coastal area. Bed rocks are composed of the Cretaceous volcanic and sedimentary rocks and the Paleogene granite. Wave-cut platform in the area is smaller and narrower relative to that of the northern coastal area. Most of the platforms in the area have little Quaternary sediment. The platforms except the Holocene terrace (1 st terrace) can be divided into three steps. The lowest platform (2nd terrace) has an altitude of 8-11 m. The broad middle one (3rd terrace) is 17 to 22 m high. The highest terrace (4th terrace) is a narrow and sporadic bench with an altitude of about 44 m high. The lowest terrace is correlated to the 2nd terrace of the northern area, which corresponds to the oxygen isotopic stage 5a. The uplift rate calculated from a graphic method is 0.19 m/ky. This low uplift is typical of an intra-plate, suggesting that the area is tectonically stable. The elevation of the platforms tends slightly lower from the north to the south in the survey area. The decreasing altitude of the platforms towards the south is interpreted to result from a local block tilting during the Latest Pleistocene. This also indicates that the eastern coast of the Korean peninsula has been suffering a subsidence to the south.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.57-70
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• 2018

This study restores onshore paleo-shoreline records and establishes the nature and strain rate of neotectonism by investigating the existence and formative age of paleo-coastal sediments emerged around Sacheon-si in the Southern part of the Korean peninsula. As a result, paleo-sand bars representing 5m of the paleo-shoreline from high tide level are formed in Sacheon-si, and the formation age of these is confirmed as MIS 5c at approximately 100,000 year BP through rock surface luminescence dating to rounded gravels in paleo-sand bars. Although it is difficult to establish the uplift rate of crust precisely due to incomplete restoration of sea level records during the last interglacial stage, the uplift rate along the Southern coast of the peninsula was assumed approximately 0.72 lower than the Eastern coast during the late Quaternary in comparison to the 1st marine terrace along the Eastern coast.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.187-195
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• 2014

In this paper, we report new OSL ages of the marine terrace sediments at Suryum fault site, using single grains of quartz, and briefly discuss their chronological implications on the timing of terrace formation along the southeastern coast of Korea. Of 1200 grains measured, 93 quartz grains were found to have OSL properties suitable for dating, the equivalent dose ($D_e$) values of which varied significantly, ranging from 50 Gy to 610 Gy with the overdispersion of $30{\pm}4%$. Applied to the Central Age Model (CAM) and Minimum Age Model (MAM), these quartz grains showed the OSL ages of $83{\pm}4ka$ and $60^{+3}{_{-7}}ka$, respectively, both of which are stratigraphically inconsistent with the previously reported OSL ages of lower $2^{nd}$ terrace (MIS 5a; ~80 ka). However, Finite Mixture Model (FMM) revealed that a small fraction of the measured quartz grains ($6{\pm}4%$) were of the ages ($194{\pm}24ka$) corresponding to MIS 7. Conclusively, based on single grain OSL ages, it would be prudent not to exclude the possibility that the marine terrace sediments at Suryum fault site have formed during MIS 7. Further, our single grain OSL ages imply that multiple grain(single aliquot) OSL dating methods are not applicable to the marine sediments at Suryum fault site.