• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine people's awareness of health insurance in a bid to help improve the management of dental health insurance coverage. The subjects in this study were 1,036 people who included experts in that field and medical consumers. The findings of the study were as follows: 1. In regard to the demographic characteristics of the expert group including gender and age, the female experts outnumbered the males, as the former accounted for 84.7 percent. And the experts in their 20s made up the largest age group, followed by the 30-39 age group and those in their 40s. As to the demographic characteristics of the medical consumers, the rates of the men and women stood at 49.8 percent and 50.2 percent respectively, which were similar. By age, the largest number of the medical consumers were in their 20s, followed by in their 30s and in their 40s. 2. Concerning opinions on the procurement of finance for health insurance, many respondents in both groups agreed that the health insurance coverage should be enlarged by securing more finance, and that items involved in the coverage should be prioritized again. Regarding a means of securing financial resources, the experts placed the most emphasis on extended budgetary support from the government, followed by establishing a social security system and budget compilation by local governments. The medical consumers attached the most importance to extended budgetary backing from the government, followed by budget compilation by local governments and determining contribution according to income level. 3. As for general view of the dental health insurance, the experts believed that the amounts of copayment and self-payment by the insured were appropriate(2.47), and they found the number of benefitted items to be proper(2.29) as well. The medical consumers thought that the benefit percentage of the dental health insurance in the overall health insurance budget was appropriate(2.26), and they also considered the number of benefitted items adequate(2.16). But this group didn't give a lot of marks to the appropriateness of those things. 4. As to perception about the dental health insurance, both groups took a similar view of it. Specifically, they felt the strong need for a dental health insurance system. In terms of satisfaction level, both groups were dissatisfied with it, and there was a strong tendency for them to be discontented with the health insurance coverage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.106 no.4
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• pp.487-496
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• 2017

The marketization in North Korea is spreading rapidly. This study proposes forest rehabilitation strategy for North Korea in light of their major shift toward market economy. This current trend of marketization in North Korea is now affecting the forest sector, especially the way the residents utilize small forest land. For analyzing the influence of marketization on forest management in North Korea, we reviewed the official documents issued by North Korea and related materials of North Korean marketization. The government of Kim Jong Eun has set up policies and systems regarding the spread of marketization, such as guaranteeing individuals a right to dispose certain products on their own and establishing a special economic zone to attract foreign investments. In the forestry sector, the North Korean government has been trying to fully implement its forest restoration plan by carrying out measures like re-claiming of sloping lands that had been previously used by residents. However, as marketization progresses, it is expected that there lies much difficulty in government-led massive mobilization for forest restoration due to the increase of illegal logging to meet high demand for timber, illegal firewood harvesting, collecting non-timber products for livelihoods and illegal crop cultivation to sell in the market. Therefore, South Korea's support for forest restoration should also consider the recent marketization phenomenon in North Korea. It is necessary to formulate strategic measures such as conducting joint commercialization project on agroforestry management using cooperative farming unit, helping to improve income source from small forest lands, and to activate a comprehensive mountain village special economic zone by utilizing forest business. We do hope that our proposed forest rehabilitation strategy in this paper regarding the changes in North Korea's marketization and forest policy can give a meaningful suggestion on supporting forest restoration in North Korea in an effective way.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2017

Rice quality should be considered as a primary consumer requirement. Regarding marketing, characteristics such as appearance, physicochemical properties, and palatability of brand rice are of high economic importance. Therefore, this study was conducted to select the optimal rice cultivars representing the commercial rice brands of Gyeongsangbuk-do province in Korea. Various rice grain quality components, grain appearance, several physicochemical properties of rice grain, and texture or palatability of cooked rice grains of ten cultivars (namely 'top quality rice') cultivated at three different locations, such as inland mountainous and southern plain areas of Gyeongsangbuk-do province in 2013~2014, were evaluated, and the obtained data was analyzed. 'Hiami' showed slightly higher protein contents and lower palatability of cooked rice than the other rice cultivars. Rice production and head rice yield produced at Gumi were the highest. The protein content of milled rice produced at Andong, an inland mountainous region, was approximately 0.3% point lower than that from other locations, whereas the amylose content of milled rice was approximately 1% point higher than those from the other plain regions, Daegu and Gumi. We evaluated the texture, Glossiness value determined using a Toyo teste meter and palatability of cooked rice of ten cultivars. The hardness of cooked rice produced in Andong was slightly lower than that produced in Daegu and Gumi, and additionally, the palatability of cooked rice produced in Andong was the best, followed by that producted in Gumi and Daegu. Considering rice yield and grain quality in the major rice cultivation areas of Gyeongsangbuk-do province, the rice cultivars that may be suitable for each region could be recommended mid-late maturation: 'Younghojinmi' and 'Mipum' in Daegu, 'Daebo', 'Samgwang', Chilbo' and 'Younghojinmi' in Gumi, 'Samgwang', 'Jinsumi' and 'Sukwang' in Andong. These results obtained in this study imply that the selected cultivars with high yield and quality could be recommended with high priority to rice farmers in the regions.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.85-112
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• 2013

This study aims to understand the developmental trajectories of life satisfaction among retirees and to examine what factors differentiate different trajectory classes. This study used three waves of longitudinal data from Korean Retirement and Income Study and data collected every two years(2005, 2007, and 2009). Subjects were respondents aged 50-69 who identified to be retired between wave 1 and wave 2. Finally, this study used 243 respondents for final data analysis. Life satisfaction was measured by seven items. The latent class growth model and multiple logistic regression model were used for data analysis. This study identified three distinct trajectory classes: high stable class(47.7%), high at the early stage but decreased class(42.8%), and low at the early stage and then decreased class(9.5%). This study founded that approximately 50% of the retirees experienced the decline of life satisfaction after retirement and about 10% of the sample was the most vulnerable group. This study analyzed what factors make different among the distinct trajectory groups. As a results, retirees who experienced the improvement in health change were more likely to be in 'high stable class' compared to 'hight at the early stage but decreased class'. In addition, retirees who were less educated, maintained the same health status rather than the improvement, worked as a temporary or a day laborer, and had less household income were more likely to belong to 'low at the early stage and then decreased class' relative to 'high stable class'. This study suggests that there are distinct three trajectories on life satisfaction among the retirees and finds out factors differentiating between trajectory groups. Based on these findings, the study discusses the implications for social work practice and further study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.56
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• pp.133-164
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• 2016

This study investigated the effect of housing poverty in childhood on adolescents' subjective well-being. Specifically, this study examined whether the major factors that have been known to affect adolescents' well-being (i.e., family relationships, peer relationships, school adjustment etc.) mediated the relationship between housing poverty and adolescents' well-being. And then this study aimed to present an empirical evidence for establishing policies against housing poverty in order to enhance adolescent's subjective happiness. Data were derived from the $1^{st}$, $4^{th}$, and $7^{th}$ surveys of the Korea Welfare Panel Study(KOWEPS), and the sample included. 512 high school children in the $7^{th}$ survey. This study utilized structural equation modeling. Housing poverty was measured by the sub-minimum standard housing condition and the household's burden of housing expenditure. Family relationship, as a mediator, was measured by parental involvement in education, parental monitoring, and family conflicts. Another mediator, school adjustment was measured by school environment and school bonding, and the last mediator, peer relationship was measured by friend attachment and peer attachment. The results showed that housing poverty had significant negative effects on the adolescents' subjective well-being. The sub-minimum standard housing condition with inadequate size and facilities negatively affected adolescents' relationships with family directly and subjective well-being indirectly. In addition, the negative family relationships due to the sub-minimum standard housing condition negatively affected adolescents' subjective well-being through school adjustment and peer relationships. The greater the proportion of income a household spends on housing expenditure, the less likely for adolescents to report positive well-being. The sub-minimum standard housing condition had indirect effects through family relationships, whereas the household's housing expenditure directly affected adolescents' subjective well-being. This study suggested the necessity of interventions to alleviate housing poverty for adolescents' families and lays the groundwork for housing poverty policies in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.95-110
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• 2011

As global economic conditions are getting uneasy and polarization of our economy is intensified, the economic sentiment of small businesses is still low and unstable. The collapse of worldwide banking systems due to sub prime crisis in 2007 became the catalyst that shakes financial industries in each country in the world; the most sentiment people, small businesspersons, also have hard time facing survival way out, facing a great crisis. All organizing powers including manufactures, wholesales and retails are being gradually greater in mutual relations and dependence, and unstable factors about risks are also increasing. For exterior environmental and physical risk factors which cannot make small businesses survive themselves by developing ways out are eventually increasing, those who cannot cope with these factors face a great crisis. Although the government tries hard to overcome this situation conducting many ways, the effect does not continue. It is the real state that independent business markets including overall employment and establishing business have vicious cycle that they cannot be improved, due to increase of employment centered on short-term labors which lack durability in creation of employment and decline of household income. Recently, growth shows indication of slowdown because of multinational risk factors including financial crisis in each country in Europe, the death of Kim Jung-il, relationship with North Korea, and unstability of war situation in the Middle East Asia. Experts expect that growth rate will be about 4%, and independent business that ordinary people feel is still gloomy. It's reality that there is no adequate alternative for lack of jobs, unstable employment and a means of living after retirement. Also, the fact that large companies enter the market which is narrow and in the excessive competition should be an environmental factor that makes the situation worse. The business concept, a franchise, is the part we should think about whether it is the institutional solution that can guarantee independent businessmen stable life. Major companies are frightfully entering the market today, breaking the barrier to entry and shouting of a win-win with independent businesses. It's the small businesspersons who go through painful domestic recession, cannot predict the future and manage confusing and unstable independent business. It's very important to restore the domestic economy through wisely boosting consumption as soon as possible. It's also important to lead the situation by gathering powers of the government and related organizations, agonizing, suggesting solutions, and establishing accurate directions. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to suggest ways to strengthen competitiveness of small businesspersons by examining small business support policies which are currently implemented.