• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 2021

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea did not have direct legislation on natural environmental conservation until the early 1970s when the regime was still in the early stage. The Law on Land was enacted in 1977 to provide the legal basis for protecting the natural environment, including land protection, protection zones, and forest formation and protection. The enactment of the Law on Environmental Protection in 1986 made progress on environmental conservation in the DPRK. The constitutional amendment in 1992 stipulated "the preservation and creation of the natural environment as the responsibility of the state." Based on the Framework Law on Environmental Protection, subordinate statutes in various fields were enacted after the1990s. While the committee designated and managed the protected zones in the early days, the Framework Law on Environmental Protection established the ground for the designation of legally protected areas, and the Law on Protection of Scenic Spots and Natural Monuments enacted in 1995, and the Law on Environmental Protection enacted in 2009 provided the details. Furthermore, the types of nature reserves include biosphere reserves, primeval forest reserves, animal reserves, plant reserves, and scenic reserves. The 2nd National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan established in 2007 based on the Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD) stated 326 protected zones in the DPRK. However, the 2018 United Nations list of Protected Areas shows only 31 registered zones, indicating the need to establish basic information on protected areas in DPRK. This study can provide basic information for a better understanding of the nature conservation system in the DPRK. Considering that environmental protection activities such as protection of endangered species and recovery of environmental pollution are subject to exceptions under the current sanctions against North Korea (UN Security Council, the United States), it will be possible to contribute to identifying possible inter-Korean cooperation projects in the field of the natural environment.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2022

This study surveyed the characteristics of fish communities in Hwapocheon Wetland, Korea, from May to September 2020. The survey collected 735 objects in 21 species belonging to 7 families from 8 survey stations. The dominant and subdominant species were Hemiculter eigenmanni(23.8%) and Micropterus salmoides(10.3%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Zacco platypus(9.5%), Carassius auratus(9.4%), Pseudorasbora parva(9.0%), Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae(6.7%), Acheilognathus macropterus(5.4%), Lepomis macrochirus(5.2%), Pseudogobio esocinus(4.1%), Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis(3.7%), and Carassius cuvieri(3.3%). Among the fish species collected, one species, Culter brevicauda, was class II endangered wildlife designated by the Ministry of Environment, and one species,S. c. tsuchigae(4.8%), was endemic to Korea.Additionally, three exotic species (M. salmoides, L. macrochirus, and C. cuvieri) and one landlocked species (Rhinogobius brunneus) were collected. Compared to previous studies, the proportion of fish living in the running water area tended to decrease, the proportion of fish living in the water purification area tended to increase, and ecosystem-disturbing species (M. salmoides and L. macrochirus) tended to increase gradually. Results of fish community analysis showed that the mainstream stations (St. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8) had low dominance, but high diversity and richness, and other stations (St. 2 and 7) had high dominance but low diversity and richness. The river health (index of biological integrity) evaluated using fish was assessed as bad (6 stations), normal (1 station), and very bad (1 station). The water quality grade was assessed as slightly bad due to the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic content (TOC), suspended solid (SS), and total coliforms (TC). The annual water quality showed a gradually increasing trend of biological oxygen demand (BOD), COD, SS, and chlorophyll-a. The stable life of fish and the improvement of river health in Hwapocheon Wetland require water quality improvement and the systematic management of ecosystem-disturbing species (M. salmoidesand L. macrochirus).

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2023

When carrying out development projects around Ardeidae breeding habitats, we intend to devise a plan for sustainable coexistence by presenting measures to select and reduce key evaluation items so that conflicts can be prevented in advance at the environmental impact assessment stage. The results of the study are as follows. The main evaluation items are animal and plant items for preservation of Ardeidae breeding habitats and odor and noise items that can evaluate the effects of odors and noise in Ardeidae breeding habitats. First, the scope of the survey in animals and plants categories is not limited to legal guardian species, but includes egrets breeding and feeding grounds corresponding to major species breeding grounds and migratory birds, and preservation measures are established according to the reduction of the area of breeding and feeding grounds. Second, in the odor category, the irradiation period includes the period when the odor generation is the highest from the end of June to the end of July. The odor evaluation standard is based on the complex odor discharge standard, which is a concentration regulation, and the odor concentration felt by humans shall be 2 to 5OU/m³ and the frequency shall be 2% or less. Third, in the noise category, the timing of the survey is measured every month from May to August, including when the sound of egrets and young birds is combined to maximize noise generation. Since the noise of Ardeidae, a bird in summer, occurs only for a certain period of time, measures are taken to reduce noise by securing separation distances, securing buffer green areas, and installing construction rather than installing artificial structures such as soundproof walls. In order for existing Ardeidae breeding sites to maintain an appropriate density of populations and not move populations elsewhere, it is necessary to manage nesting tree and maintain stable habitat quantity and quality.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.246-262
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• 2024

The survey conducted from 2018 to 2020 aimed to investigate the changes in fish fauna and community characteristics in the upper reaches of the Seomgang River, Korea. During the survey period, 35 sites were selected, resulting in the collection of 7,817 fish belonging to 12 families and 40 species. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus, with a relative abundance of 34.5%, followed by Z. platypus at 28.7%. Other significant species included Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (10.2%), Pungtungia herzi (5.3%), and Squalidus gracilis majimae (4.3%). Notably, four protected species - Acheilognathus signifer, Gobiobotia brevibarba, and Cottus koreanus, designated as class II endangered wildlife by the Ministry of Environment- were identified. These species predominantly inhabit the middle and lower reaches, except for Gobiobotia brevibarba, which is found in the upper reaches. Nineteen species, accounting for a 47.5% endemism rate, were endemic to Korea. The study also noted the presence of one climate-sensitive species, Cottus koreanus, and two exotic species, Carassius cuvieri and Micropterus salmoides. Community analysis indicated a trend of decreasing dominance and increasing diversity and richness from upstream to downstream, with a distinct division into uppermost reaches, upper reaches, middle and lower reaches, and lakes. The construction of the Hwaseong Dam has had a significant direct and indirect impact on the fish community. The habitat and abundance of endangered species such as R. pseudosericeus, A. signifer, and G. brevibarba decreased dramatically immediately after the dam's construction, transforming the submerged area from lotic to lentic environments. Approximately 20 years later, the habitats have stabilized, leading to an increase in the fish population and a recovery of the previously diminished endangered species. The river health (FAI) was also evaluated, with 27 sites rated as very good (A), seven as good (B), and one as fair (C). However, endangered species such as A. signifer continue to face threats from dam and river construction, while C. Koreanus has experienced a severe population decline due to river works. Additionally, the presence of the ecosystem-disrupting species M. salmoides in Hwaseong Lake raises concerns. To ensure a stable habitat for fish in the upper reaches of the Seomgang River, it is crucial to avoid indiscriminate river construction, urgently implement restoration policies for endangered species such as A. signifer, and develop management strategies to control the spread of invasive species such as bass.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.95-131
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• 2012

This study examines whether the executive turnover and the executive resignation during the term of office affect the performance of Korean state-owned enterprises. The executive turnover in the paper means the comprehensive change of the executives which includes the change after the term of office, the change after consecutive terms and the change during the term of office. The 'resignation' was named for the executive change during the term of office to distinguish from the executive turnover. The study scope of the paper is restrained to the comprehensive executive change itself irrespective of the term of office and the resignation during the term of office. Therefore the natural change of the executive after the term of office or the change after consecutive terms is not included in the study. Spontaneous resignation and forced resignation are not distinguished in the paper as the distinction between the two is not easy. The paper uses both the margin of return on asset and the margin of return on asset adjusted by industry as proxies of the performance of state-owned enterprises. The business nature of state-owned enterprise is considered in the study, the public nature not in it. The paper uses the five year (2004 to 2008) samples of 24 firms designated as public enterprises by Korean government. The analysis results are as follows. First, 45.1% of CEOs were changed a year during the sample period on the average. The average tenure period of CEOs was 2 years and 3 months and 49.9% among the changed CEOs resigned during the term of office. 41.6% of internal auditors were changed a year on the average. The average tenure period of internal auditors was 2 years and 2 months and 51.0% among the changed internal auditors resigned during the term of office. In case of outside directors, on average, 38.2% were changed a year. The average tenure period was 2 years and 7 months and 25.4% among the changed internal directors resigned during the term of office. These statistics show that numerous CEOs resigned before the finish of the three year term in office. Also, considering the tenure of an internal auditor and an outside director which diminished from 3 years to 2 years by an Act on the Management of Public Institutions (applied to the executives appointed since April 2007), it seems most internal auditors resigned during the term of office but most outside directors resigned after the end of the term. Secondly, There was no evidence that the executives were changed during the term of office because of the bad performance of prior year. On the other hand, contrary to the normal expectation, the performance of prior year of the state-owned enterprise where an outside director resigned during the term of office was significantly higher than that of other state-owned enterprises. It means that the clauses in related laws on the executive dismissal on grounds of bad performance did not work normally. Instead it can be said that the executive change was made by non-economic reasons such as a political motivation. Thirdly, the results from a fixed effect model show there were evidences that performance turned negatively when CEOs or outside directors resigned during the term of office. CEO's resignation during the term of office gave a significantly negative effect on the margin of return on asset. Outside director's resignation during the term of office lowered significantly the margin of return on asset adjusted by industry. These results suggest that the executive's change in Korean state-owned enterprises was not made by objective or economic standards such as management performance assessment and the negative effect on performance of the enterprises was had by the unfaithful obeyance of the legal executive term.