• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.410-420
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• 2015

In order to estimate the influence of environmental factors on zooplankton communities in lentic freshwater ecosystems, 20 reservoirs and wetlands were monitored by season in 2013. A total of 109 species of zooplankton were identified during the study period. Zooplankton assemblage showed a different distribution in its density and diversity in accordance with the seasons. In particular, the density of zooplankton (98 species and 603ind. L-1) was the most in autumn when compared to the other seasons. In order to effectively analyze zooplankton distribution that are affected by various environmental factors, a Self-Organizing Map (SOM) was used, which extracts information through competitive and adaptive properties. A total of 11 variables (8 environment factors and 3 groups of zooplankton) were patterned on to the SOM. Based on a U-matrix, four clusters were identified from the model. Among zooplankton communities, rotifer displayed a positive relationship with water temperature, and cladocerans and copepod were positively related to conductivity, chlorophyll a, and nutrient factor (i. e. TN and TP). In contrast, high dissolved oxygen appeared to have a negative effect on zooplankton distribution. Consequently, the SOM results depicted a clear pattern of zooplankton density clusters partitioned by environmental factors, which play a key role in determining the seasonal distribution of zooplankton groups in lentic freshwater ecosystem.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.101-130
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• 2012

This study examines mortality change in North Korea and its association with state production and welfare systems. Two main subjects are analyzed. The first theme is to examine the reliability of mortality related data released by North Korea government authorities. Examining inner consistencies among mortality related statistics and comparing with mortality trends in other socialist societies, the study finds that mortality rate was under estimated. Under-estimation of mortality by North Korean authorities is regarded to result not only from political purpose which aims to propagate the regime's superiority but also from enumeration errors of vital statistics based on the residence registration. The second theme is to estimate the change in mortality of North Korean people since the establishment of DPRK, correcting errors of mortality data. Mortality of North Korean people is estimated to have improved largely by the early 1970s, to have been sluggish hereafter, and finally to have increased during the economic hardship period between 1993 and 2008. While large people died during the food crisis in the late 1990s, however the population loss caused by mortality increase was not so great as the proposition of the huge starvation was expected. It is partly because population turbulence occurred not just by mortality increase, rather it has progressed in the joint effects of fertility decline and exodus of North Korean people for food. It is also due to North Korean people's voluntary activities of informal economy. It is also worth noting the high mortality rate of North Korean men. The high mortality of North Korean men is likely due to men's mobilization for long time in army and labor with high risk of accident and their life styles.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.502-507
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• 2016

The transition from a carbon economy based on fossil fuels to a hydrogen economy is necessary to ensure energy security and to combat climate change. In order to pursue the transition to a hydrogen economy while achieving sustainable economic growth, a preliminary study into the establishment of the necessary infrastructure for the future hydrogen economy needs to be carried out. This study addresses the economic and environmental interactions in a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model focusing on the economic effects of the introduction of renewable energy into the Korean energy system. Firstly, the introduction of hydrogen results in an increase in the investment in hydrogen production and the reduction of the production cost, ultimately leading to GDP growth. Secondly, the mandatory introduction of renewable energy and associated government subsidies bring about a reduction in total demand. Additionally, the mandatory introduction of hydrogen energy into the power sector helps to reduce CO2 emissions through the transition from a carbon economy-based on fossil energy to a hydrogen economy. This means that hydrogen energy needs to come from non-fossil fuel sources in order for greenhouse gases to be effectively reduced. Therefore, it seems necessary for policy support to be strengthened substantially and for additional studies to be conducted into the production of hydrogen energy from renewable sources.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.227-242
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• 2000

Site characteristics, vegetation structure and dynamics of Kalopanax septemlobus forests in Mt. Heungjeong, Mt. Balwang and Mt. Gariwang were studied to provide the information need for national resources conservation and restoration of K. septemlobus forest in Gangwon-do of Korea. The K. septemlobus forests were distributed at 780m to 1,300m in altitude, steep slope, ridges-slope areas with facing northeast to northwest in good nutrition area. The annual diameter growth of those trees ranged 1.60mm to 2.41mm. Forty-three plots(20$\times$20m) were set up at three natural population of Kalopanax septemlobus forest and TWINSPAN method was used for vegetation structure analysis. The result of TWINSPAN ordination show that geographical features played a role in determining community types in the study areas. Community type of the study areas classified into three groups by TWINSPAN; K. septemlobus-Quercux mongolica- Acer mono community(Mt. Balwang), K. septemlobus-Q. mongolica- Tilia amurensis community(Mt. Heungjeong), K. septemlobus-Betula costata-Q. mongolica community(Mt. Gariwang). In most of the K. septemlobus forests, major woody species appeared predominantly were Q. mongolica, T. amurensis, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Lindera obtusiloba, A. mono, Magnolia sieboldii, Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. And also, Those species were surveyed in all the areas. Species diversity(H') of investigated areas ranged 0.3124~0.13992 and this value relatively higher than that of other forests with similar site. The range of similarity indices between surveyed areas was 64.1~64.54%. The distribution pattern of Morista's index show that Kalopanax septemlobus distributed randomly in tree and concentrated a few sample plots in subtree layer and shurb layer. K. septemlobus occupied 37.1~58.8% of tree layer story, 8.4~17.6% of subtree layer, 0~0.38% of shurb layer each surveyed area. The association analysis showed that Kalopanax septemlobus positively associated with Betula ermani, Deutzia glabrata, Carpinus cordata, Fraxinus mandshurica and negatively associated with Symplocos chinensis var. pilosa, Styrax obassia, Acer mono, Euonymus macroptera, Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. According to the diameter distribution of Kalopanax septemlobus community, the community of Mt. Gariwang will gradually decline and replaced by Quercus community. The communities of Mt. Heungjeong and Mt. Balwang has its seedlings and saplings, so it may be sustained.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.49-56
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• 2010

The Genetic Algorithm is one of the population surface modelling tool in the field of urban and environmental research based on the gridded population data. Taking the East-Hwasung area as the case, this study first builds a gridded population data based on the GIS databases as well as municipal population survey data. The study then constructs the attribute values of the explanatory variables by way of GIS tools. The regression model constructed with the same variables is also run as a comparative purpose at the same time. It is shown that the GenAlg output predicted as much consistent and meaningful coefficient estimates for the explanatory variables as the regression model, indicating that it is a very useful interdisciplinary research tool to find optimal solutions in urban problems.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.221-235
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• 2005

In this paper, we analyzed the dynamic structure of optimal tariff levied on importing non-renewable resources such as petroleum, iron, coal, etc. According to the previous literature that have studied this objective, the time inconsistent open loop tariff has been suggested to be imposed in order to improve the welfare level of importing country. We set up the efficient model to identify how to impose the optimal tariff over time. Based on this model, we have found that the previous literature ignored that the costate variable for the stock for non-renewable resource decomposed between the scarcity effect and the cost effect. On the basis of the role of costate variable, we, however, have found that the proposition of the previous literature has led into errors. Hence, we suggest that the dynamically consistent open loop tariff for non-renewable resources would improve the welfare level of importing country.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 2013

The storage quality of fresh Sulhyang strawberries packaged under modified atmospheres was investigated to examine the effect of high $O_2$ on the fruit. Fresh strawberries were packed into PP trays and top-sealed with PET/PP film. Initial gas compositions inside the packages were varied with air, 40% $O_2$/60% $N_2$, 60% $O_2$/40% $N_2$, and 80% $O_2$/20% $N_2$. Sealed packages in PE film bags with air and perforated PP trays were also used as another treatment and control, respectively. Quality attributes and viable cell counts of pathogenic bacteria were assessed during storage at $5^{\circ}C$ for 12 days. High $O_2$ concentration showed no significant effects on the physicochemical and microbial qualities of strawberries. Fruit packaged in PE film bags with 6-15% $O_2$ and 7-9% $CO_2$ during storage had the lowest viable cell counts of inherent microorganisms among the treatment samples. Growth of pathogenic bacteria was suppressed in perforated packages where molds occurred frequently. In an overall sensory aspect, the PE film packages exhibited higher scores than the others at the end of storage period. The experimental results suggested that gas-permeable film packaging with an appropriate combination of $O_2$ and $CO_2$ rather than gas-barrier tray packaging with an initially high $O_2$ concentration would be suitable for improving the storability of strawberries.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2017

The Hwasan wetland vegetation is observed at mountain basin (644~780 m a.s.l.) where had become a potential land for indigenous people since prehistoric period. We phytosociologically investigated old-growth alder (Alnus japonica) forests using the $Z\ddot{u}rich$-Montpellier School's method and analyzed their spatial distribution pattern by actual vegetation map. Species performance was determined by using coverage and r-NCD. Viburnum opulus var. calvescens-Alnus japonica community syntaxonomically belonging to the Alnetea japonicae was first described and composed of three subunits: Salix koreensis subcommunity, typical subcommunity, and Pyrus ussuriensis subcommunity. Present plant community was compared with vicariant syntaxa such as Molinia japonica-Alnus japonica community, Rhamno nipponicae-Alnetum japonicae, and Aceri-Salicetum koreensis. Hwasan's alder forest, an alluvial terrace vegetation type on valley fan in the montane zone, is evaluated as vegetation class [I], which is a sort of benchmark plant community potentially on mountain wetlands in southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula. Simultaneously we suggested an establishment of the national strategy for habitat conservation free from hydrologically radical transform due to military utilization.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.201-210
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• 2008

The government employment statistics show the close comovement of the whole domestic unemployment rate with the youth unemployment rate for the past 10 years, implying the dominant influence of the unemployment of the youth age. This study investigates the structure of the short-run variation and the process of the long-run adjustment in the unemployment rates of the youth and middle ages by formulating the dynamic equation system. The estimation result consistently reflects the vulnerability of the youth class in the aggravation of the employment condition. The effect of exogenous changes is found to be persistent in the unemployment rates of both ages, which appear to have similar structures of the long-run time path. However, the youth unemployment rate turns out to have a relatively long adjustment process to the long-run equilibrium.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data such as distribution status, growth characteristics, and the structural characteristics of forest stands for the systematic conservation and management of relict forest trees (stem girth of 300cm or larger) established naturally in Gangwon Province, Korea. The survey showed that 434 individuals of 19 species (conifers: 228 individuals of 4 species, broad-leaved trees: 206 individuals of 15 species) were distributed in Gangwon Province, and Taxus cuspidata was the most abundant among them with 203 individuals or about 46.7 % of the total. The stem girth was average of 404cm (conifers: 373cm, broad-leaves: 421cm), and Tilia amurensis with multi-stemmed growing on Sorak mountain range had the largest stem girth at 1,113cm. The average height and the crown width of relict forest trees were 15.4m and 10.0m, respectively. Although the environments of relict forest trees showed a slight difference by species, the relative appearance frequencies of most trees were high in the environments where the altitude was higher than 1,000 m, slope degree was greater than $25^{\circ}$, the slope faced north, and microtopography was at the upper of slopes. Regarding the stand characteristics of relict forest trees per unit area ($/100m^2$), the average total coverage was 294% (max. 475%), the total average number of species was 36 species (max. 60 species), the average species diversity index (H') was 2.560 (max. 3.593), the average canopy closure was 84.8% (max. 94.6%), and the average basal area (/ha) was $52.7m^2$ (max. $116.4m^2$, relict trees $30.0m^2$, and other trees $22.7m^2$). The analysis of the dynamics of the forest stands where relict forest trees were growing showed four types of the maintenance mechanisms of relict forest trees depending on the supply pattern of succeeding trees: "Low-density but persistent type (Quercus mongolica, Abies holophylla, Tilia amurensis, and Pyrus ussuriensis)," "Long ago stopped type (Pinus densiflora)," "Recently stopped type (Abies nephrolepis, Quercus variabilis, and Betula schmidtii)," and "Periodically repeated types of supply and stop (Salix caprea and Quercus serrata).".