Abstract
There has been a tendency for Geomorphology and Climatology to be dominant in Physical Geography for 50 years in Korea. Physical Geography is concerned with the study of the totality of natural environment through the integrated approaches. But, an overall direction or a certain paradigm could not be found, because major sub-divisions of Physical Geography have been studied individually and the subjects and the approaches in studying Physical Geography are enormously diverse. A consensus of opinion could not also exist in deciding what kind of the sub-divisions should be included in the physical geography in general and how those should be summarized. Furthermore it would be considered imprudent to survey the studies of Physical Geography besides those of Geomorphology and Climatology due to the small number of researchers. Assuming that the rest of Physical Geographical studies with the exception of Geomorphological and Climatological studies are the Physical Geography in general, the studies of Physical Geogrpahy in general are summarized and several aspects are drown out as follows. First the descliption of all possible factors of natural environments was the pattern of early studies of Physical Geography and the tendency is maintained in the various kinds of research and project reports. Recently Physical Geographers have published several introductory textbooks or research monographs. In those books, however, the integrated approaches to Physical Geography were not suggested and the relationship between man and nature are dealt with in the elementary level. Second, the authentic soil studies of Physical Geographers are insignificant, because the studies of soil in Physical Geography have been mostly considered as the subsidiary means of Geomorphology Summarizing the studies of Soil Gegraphy by physical geographers and other Pedologists, the subjects are classified as soil-forming processes, soil erosions, soil in the tidal flat and reclaimed land, and soil pollution. Physical Geographers have focused upon the soil-forming processes in order to elucidate the geomorphic processes and the past climatic environment. The results of other subjects are trifling. Thirdy Byogeygrayhers and the results of studies are extremely of small number and the studies of Biogeography in Korea lines in the starting point. But, Biogeography could be a more unifying theme for the Physical-human Geography interface, and it would be expected to play an active part in the field of environmental conservation and resource management. Forth, the studies of Hydrogeography (Geographical Hydrology) in Korea have run through the studies of water balance and the morphometric studies such as the drainage network analysis and the relations of various kinds of morphometric elements in river. Recently, the hydrological model have introduced and developed to predict the flow of sediment, discharge, and ground water. The growth of groundwater studies is worthy of close attention. Finally, the studies on environmental problems was no mole than the general description about environmental destruction, resource development, environmental conservation, etc. until 1970s. The ecological perspectives on the relationship between man and nature were suggested in some studies of natural hazard. The new environmentalism having been introduced since 1980s. Human geographers have lead the studies of Environmental Perception. Environmental Ethics, Environmental Sociology, environmental policy. The Physical geographers have stay out of phase with the climate of the time and concentrate upon the publication of introductory textbooks. Recently, several studies on the human interference and modification of natural environments have been made an attempt in the fields of Geomorphology and climatology. Summarizing the studies of Physical Geography for 50 years in Korea, the integrated approaches inherent in Physical Geography disappeared little by little and the majol sub-divisions of Physical Ceography have develop in connection with the nearby earth sciences such as Geology, Meteorology, Pedology, Biology, Hydrology, etc been rediscovered by non-geographers under the guise of environmental science. It is expected that Physical Geography would revive as the dominant subject to cope with environmental problems, rearming with the innate integrated approaches.
해방후 50년간 우리 나라의 자연지리학 연구는 주로 지형학과 기후학에 의해 주도 되어 왔다. 자연지리학이 지니는 종합적인 학문적 성격에도 불구하고 개별 각론들이 독자적 으로 연구되어 왔고 그 연구 대상이나 연구 방법이 워낙 다양하기 때문에, 자연지리학 연구 의 전체적인 방향성이나 패러다임을 찾기가 힘들다. 지난 50년간 우리 나라 자연지리학 연 구중에서 지형학과 기후학을 제외한 나머지 연구를 자연지리학 일반으로 간주하고 이들 연 구를 자연지리학 총론, 토양지리학, 식물지리학, 수문지리학, 인간과 자연 환경이라는 주제로 구분해 정리하였다. 원래 자연지리학이 추구하던 통합적 접근방법이 점차 사라지고 자연지 리학 각론들이 각기 이웃한 지구과학과 밀접한 관계를 맺으면서 발전하여 왔다. 다학문적 해결책만이 유일한 대안이 되어 버린 환경 시대를 맞아, 자연지리학이 자연 환경에 대한 고 유의 통합적 접근 방법으로 재무장하여 환경 문제에 대한 주도적 학문으로 부활되기를 기대 한다.