• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.79-101
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• 2004

This study is performed to understand and resolve psychologically the issue of North Korea-South Korea's cultural heterogeneity which is treated importantly in unification debates. We collected data from 181 North Korea Defectors through survey, and found out that the North Korea Defectors perceived cultural heterogeneity so much especially at the early settlement stage. However, this fact itself didn't give a serious suggestion, What is significant was how much South Korean cultural orientation they had as a coping strategy. When they coped with South Korean cultural orientation, they showed high level of self-efficacy, and furthermore they demonstrated high level of psychological adaptation. By the way, this psychological adaptation level was not significantly correlated with positive index such as life satisfaction, but correlated with negative index such as depression. That is, low self-efficacy group showed high level of depression and 43% of them could be classified as a depression-symptom group. Thus, we can conclude that it is rather helpful for the North Korean Defectors to have South Korean cultural orientation for overcoming North Korea-South Korea's cultural heterogeneity, and coping strategy is more important than cultural heterogeneity itself.

• 보건세계
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2011

<보건세계> 원고 부탁을 받고 하나원에서 간호사로 12년 넘게 근무하면서 만났던 북한이탈주민들 중 간호했던 한 결핵환자와의 인연을 떠올리게 되었습니다. '지금 그녀는 어떻게 살고 있을까?' 그들 가운데 가장 기억에 남는 K에 관한 얘기를 기억 속에서 꺼내보려 합니다. 이 글은 북한사회의 경제적 어려움 때문에 결핵 진단을 받고도 약을 구할 수 없어 치료를 방치하다 결핵균이 뇌막염을 일으켜 하반신 마비라는 영원한 장애를 갖게 된 이야기입니다. 영화 갈이 멀기만 한 이야기가 바로 오늘 우리와 함께 사는 탈북민의 이야기이며, 우리가 그들과 함께 더불어 살아야하는 이유입니다.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2012

Objective : Psychiatry in North Korea is believed to seem very different from psychiatry in South Korea. However, there is nearly no information regarding psychiatry in North Korea until now. Our study aimed to get information about North Korean psychiatry. Methods : Three North Korean defectors in South Korea, whose clinical experience as medical doctors in North Korea was over 10 years, were recruited. They underwent the semi-structured interview, content of which included the clinical experience with psychiatric patients, the details of psychiatry, the treatment of psychiatric patients, the stigma of mental illness, and the suicide, in North Korea. Results : In North Korea, psychiatric department was called as 49th(pronounced as Sahsip-gu-ho in Korean). Only patients with vivid psychotic symptoms came to psychiatric department. Non-psychotic depression or anxiety disorders usually were not dealt in psychiatry. The etiology of mental illness seemed to be confined to biological factors including genetic predisposition. Psychosocial or psychodynamic factors as etiology of mental illness appeared to be ignored. Psychiatry was apparently separated from political or ideological issues. The mainstay of psychiatric treatment is the inpatient admission and out-of-date therapy such as insulin coma therapy. Stigma over mental illness was common in North Korea. Suicide is considered as a betrayal to his/her nation, and has been reported to be very rare. Conclusion : The situation of psychiatry in North Korea is largely different from that of South Korea. Although some aspects of North Korean psychiatry are similar to psychiatry in former socialist countries, North Korean psychiatry is considered to have also its unique characteristics.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.64
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• pp.21-50
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• 2020

The main purpose of this study is to present a map for setting a new direction for future North Korean ministry by applying Russell's theory on Christian education as a mission. As is well known, Russell was the first Christian educator who interpreted Christian education from a mission's perspective. According to her, Christian education is not a mere instrument for church to maintain and nurture new believers, but it is part of 'Missio Dei' in a broader sense. In other words, it is a way for everyone to accept Christ's invitation, and join in 'Missio Dei' that restores true humanity through reconciling with God and our neighbors. Based on the understanding of Russell's Christian education theory, the study examined up-to-date North Korean mission's situation, analysis, and limitations in the introduction. In chapter 2, the researcher reviewed approaching methods for understanding North Korea as well as prior studies on North Korean mission and unification within the field of Christian education. In chapter 3, Russell's theory on Christian education for humanization was briefly introduced. In chapter 4, the study attempted to apply Russell's theory in North Korean mission in the following areas: what is the true meaning of restoring humanity for North Koreans (including the refugees) and what are some of the specific ministry ideas; what is a realistic and sustainable humanization ministry; what environment can foster North Koreans to reconcile with both God and their neighbors; what are the ways to explain that such ministry is an invitation from Christ; what should the people involved in the ministry prepare; in what areas can Russell's theory be more effective in North Korean mission compared to other methods in terms of Christian education for humanization. Finally, a conclusion was drawn in chapter 5.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.285-289
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• 2006

Background : North Korea's economic and public health problems began in the early 1990s as a result of the gradual loss of economic support from its communist allies, combined with an inordinate number of natural disasters. The decline in public health has increased the incidence of tuberculosis in North Koreans and refugees. This study investigated tuberculosis situation in North Korean refugees in order to prepare for the future impact of tuberculosis control in Korea. Material and Methods : From 2001 to 2005, tuberculosis patients among North Korean refugees who were diagnosed before or after arriving in South Korea, based on the official records of OO hospital, were enrolled in this study. The demographic and clinical data of the cases were evaluated retrospectively. Results : A total of 42 TB cases were reviewed during the study period. Of these, 37 (88.1%) cases were pulmonary TB. based on the cases identified among the number of North Korean refugees' arriving each year, the annual incidence of pulmonary TB were 900 per 100,000 in 2004, 700 in 2003, The number of smear-positive patients was 20 (47.6%) and the number of culture-positive patients was 18 (42.9%). Of the M. tuberculosis isolates, 2 cases were found to be susceptible to all anti-TB drugs available, 4 were resistant to isoniazid, and 3 were multi-drug resistant. Conclusion : The prevalence of pulmonary TB in North Korean Refugees is high. In addition, North Korean refugees suffer from more severe tuberculosis in bacteriological and radiological aspects.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.3
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• pp.423-431
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• 2011

The changes of forest degradation in North Korea have closely been related to political, economic and social conditions at all different times. The deforestation by local people for their livelihood has been accelerated when the recession has been worsened due to the 1990's collapse of socialism and the years of natural disasters, and the fall of the centralized and planned economy system. The serious recession in the 1990's has brought many changes in the North Korean society since the 2000's. Not only the underground economy, but also the market in which personal trades are occurred have been expanded as the distribution system of the planned economy system had fallen. In addition, even many state institutions have also increased timber harvest for export to acquire insufficient foreign currency. Eventually, North Korea felt the limits of utilization of forest resources under socialism then started to seek measures to restore devastated forest, while realizing the need of support from the international society. Therefore, some NGOs of South Korea started to give financial support on building tree nurseries in which seedlings for planting are produced to help the rehabilitation of the degraded forests in North Korea. Therefore, Planning of the basic directions for forest rehabilitation programs considering to economic and social conditions of North Korea are needed based on the successful rehabilitation experience of South Korea in the 1970's. First of all, relationships which was built after collapse of centrally planned economy between districts, businesses and workers must be consider to rehabilitate forests in North Korea. Secondly, due to the nature of forest rehabilitation projects this is very needs voluntary participation of resident for a long time, and then forest rehabilitation projects can create jobs for local resident, they can obtain continuous income on the forest rehabilitation projects field in order to promote resident's work in forest rehabilitation projects. Thirdly, the rate dependence on forests of the residents living must keep the level down by rural development projects going side by side with forest rehabilitation projects. Fourthly, use of exsisting forest management system in North Korea is also needed to ensure administrative power and labor for grand scale plantations in a short period of time. Meanwhile after the success of Forest Rehabilitation, it is very important to improve exsisting forest management system.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.42
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• pp.205-227
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• 2015

The Korean Peninsula is put in a position to carry out a highly strategic game vis-a-vis nK, which is asserting itself as a nuclear power amongst Northeast Asia's complex dynamics. While the international community recognizes nK's possession of nuclear weapons as released secret based on nK's three nuclear tests, shrewd strategic thinking is needed by ROK to secure itself as a non-nuclear nation in order to assume a responsible role to the international community, while simultaneously being ready to respond at all times for nK's military provocations. ROK must continue with its twofold strategy, by firm response to military confrontation with nK and maintaining flexible policy of tolerance in the areas of economy and ethnicity. Various strategic options to overcome nK's nuclear threats have been presented to ROK, whose possession of nuclear weapons have been difficult, and nK's nuclear capability is a real threat to ROK's national security. We must be able to respond to nK's nuclear threats strictly from ROK's national security perspective. This thesis aims to propose a response policy for nK's nuclear capability and nK's nuclear attack based on analysis of such nuclear damage, ROK Government's response posture against nK's nuclear threats, centered around ROK Government's non-military response posture.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.43
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• pp.67-102
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to analyze the human rights found in the North Korean Constitution and their core problem by focusing on elements of human rights suggested by Daesoon Jinrihoe's doctrine of Haewon-sangsaeng (解冤相生 the Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence). Haewon-sangsaeng is seemingly the only natural law that could resolve human resentment lingering from the Mutual Contention of the Former World while leading humans work for the betterment of one another. Haewon-sangsaeng, as a natural law, includes the right to life, the right to autonomous decision-making, and duty to act according to human dignity (physical freedom, the freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of press, etc.), the right to equal treatment in one's social environment, and the right to ensure the highest level of health through treatment. The North Korean Constitution does not have a character as an institutional device to guarantee natural human rights, the fundamental principle of the Constitution, and stipulates the right of revolutionary warriors to defend dictators and dictatorships. The right to life is specified so that an individual's life belongs to the life of the group according to their socio-political theory of life. Rights to freedom are stipulated to prioritize group interests over individual interests in accordance with the principle of collectivism. The right to equality and the right to health justify discrimination through class discrimination. The right to life provided to North Koreans is not guaranteed due to the death penalty system found within the North Korean Criminal Code and the Criminal Code Supplementary Provisions. The North Korean regime deprives North Koreans of their right to die with dignity through public executions. The North Korean regime places due process under the direction of the Korea Worker's Party, recognizes religion as superstition or opium, and the Korea Worker's Party acknowledge the freedoms of bodily autonomy, religion, media, or press. North Koreans are classified according to their status, and their rights to equality are not guaranteed because they are forced to live a pre-modern lifestyle according to the patriarchal order. In addition, health rights are not guaranteed due biased availability selection and accessibility in the medical field as well as the frequent shortages of free treatments.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide base data for preparing plans that North Korean (NK) Refugees can adjust themselves to our society with a healthy mind after they get over their health problems using the Health Belief Model, knowing the relationship between individual characteristics and health beliefs, and health behavior. Methods: The subjects were 304 NK adult refugees in Hanawon. Data were collected by demographic questionnaire, health behavior scale, self-efficacy scale, perceived benefit scale, perceived barrier scale, perceived seriousness, perceived sensibility, and individual characteristics. Results: The factors influencing the health behavior of NK refugees were perceived benefits, self-efficacy, the period in the third country and experience in being expelled to NK, and these variables were describing 31.4% of the health behaviors of refugees. Conclusion: The perceived benefits and self-efficacy of health belief and specific experiences related to refugee affected NK refugees' health behavior.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2003.04c
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• pp.501-503
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• 2003

이 연구는 남한의 방언과 북한의 방언 및 세계의 여러 나라에서 쓰이고 있는 한국어 방언을 컴퓨터로 검색할 수 있는 도구를 개발하여, 21세기 지식 기반 사회에서 우리 민족 구성원들이 상호 의사소통을 신속 정확하게 할 수 있도록 하고 또 통일 이후에는 남북한 주민들이 의사소통을 원만하게 할 수 있도록 한다는 데에 목적을 두고 있다. 이를 통해서 민족 구성원간의 유대를 다지고 나아가 민족의 정체성을 확립하며 민족문화의 창달에 기여할 수 있을 것이다. 본 연구는 한국 방언 검색 프로그램 개발 과제의 일부로서 2001년에 남한 방언 검색 시스템을 개발하고, 2002년에 북한 방언 검색 시스템을 개발하였다. 본 논문에서는 북한 방언 검색 시스템의 개발 개요와 방언 검색 방식에 대해서 다룬다.