• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2011

The purpose of this research aims to evaluate the emergence of new business mode in the Chinese water market since the mid-2000s - Transfer-Operate-Transfer(TOT) Projects. The study pays special attention to the case of the Hefei Wangxiaoying Wastewater Treatment TOT Project, which was awarded to the consortium of Berlin Water International and its Chinese partner in late 2004. The consortium secured an exclusive operating right for 23 years on the basis of a TOT scheme and would take responsibility of all the profits and losses in the operation of the plant. The total investment for the transfer amounted to RMB 491 million(US$70 million). The price was more than 288% of the original value, RMB 170 million (US$24 million). The project can be regarded as a successful case because of the following three causes. First, the Hefei government followed a series of standardized procedures in the international bidding, which ignited best-performed international players' competition for the project. Second, the project will bring in cutting-edge operation skills and management know-how. Third, the government succeeded in raising public asset values, and thanks to this, the government is able to consider other similar projects not only in the water sector but also other sectors in public utility services. Nevertheless, Berlin Water's point of view, there are several challenges. First, the company took a risk to pay such a large amount of cash to the Hefei government. Although such premium can be recouped in the operation period of 23 years, whether or not the company would be able to recover the initial investment and realize profits is in question due to an uncertainty of socio-political circumstances in China. Second, Berlin Water should expect a steep rise of water tariffs over the contract period in order to get the investment back. Water pricing is still a sensible matter to Chinese authorities, and therefore, it is uncertain if such rise of water tariffs would be possible. Third, the TOT mode leads to creation of a large amount of cash to government officials, which might have caused corruption between those who are involved in TOT deals. Then, the final contract fee would soar, which often results in the burden of normal customers. As discussed, the TOT mode has drawn much attention of foreign investors as a new alternative to enter into the Chinese water market. But it is important to note that foreign investors should be aware of possible risks in water TOT projects, which reflects some features of the Chinese political economy landscape and social norms. The Hefei case indicates that benefits can overshadow risks in TOT projects, which will continue to attract foreign investors that are dedicated to establishing their strongholds in the Chinese water market.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.217-227
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• 2022

Since China adopted Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the water sector in the early 1990s, PPPs have played a key role in improving infrastructure development in China. As the Chinese water market became one of the most enormous and potential existing in the world, once a water player settles down in the market, the company tends to be the world-leading water player on the basis of the number of people served from water infrastructure. Unlike the early PPP period overwhelmed by several water transnational corporations, local water players began to dominate the domestic market and have recently expanded their influence overseas. The Chinese government has continuously intervened to promote private sector participation of local water players in the PPP development process in legal and institutional aspects. Thus this article examined the development of water PPPs in China and analyzed the successful elements of local water players' growth related to the government policy.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3D
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• pp.295-302
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• 2010

Since the late 1990s, the BOT mode in China has been extensively used in the water sector in order to attract private investment, improve technical and operational efficiency, and expand the coverage of water services. The BOT mode has been hailed as this provides a win-win structure between the government and private players through formalized procedures and an optimal risk allocation. However, recent market analyses show that some foreign investors are reluctant to participate in the market or even retreat due to uncertainties and risks in the market. This study aims to explore various risks in the Chinese water BOT market based on the thorough literature review, fieldwork, and the case studies on the two wholly foreign-owned BOT water projects: the Chengdu No. 6 and the Shanghai Dachang Water Supply BOT projects. The research results indicate that the Chinese BOT market embraces high risks in political, institutional and legal, and financial systems. The key to a successful takeoff of the BOT mode in the Chinese water market depends on the extent to which the government will be able to remove risky factors in political, institutional and legal, and financing systems. This research outcome will provide a useful reference to the Korean construction companies which consider expanding business to overseas water markets in the form of public private partnership.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.10-21
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• 2018

This study analyzes difficulties of enterprise activities in Chinese construction market by surveys on early entrants and interviews with experts. This study also suggests future strategy to enter the market by using inducement coefficient model. Korean construction companies in China are under heavy pressure to maintain requirement of licenses, despite recent deregulation. They are in dire predicament for market entry due to the Foreign Direct Investment System. It is almost impossible to participate in public projects and also it is not easy to do PPP projects. Therefore, Korean government should make more efforts to solve those issues through negotiations in FTA and GPA. For future expansion in Chinese construction market, it is highly recommended to boost cooperation models between Korea and China according to the empirical results of inducement coefficient model. Korean companies should collaborate with Chinese companies in some fields: smart city, environment and water treatment. Also, Korean government should support Korean companies by diplomatic means such as requesting for further opening of China's market. In GPA or GATS negotiation, Korean government should ask Chinese government that Korean companies can obtain order independently (without joint venture with Chinese companies) in China. Lastly, Korean construction companies should participate in construction projects ordered by international organizations such as ADB, AIIB.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.4D
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• pp.585-594
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• 2011

A variety of PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) schemes including BOT, TOT (Transfer-Operate-Transfer), and divestiture has been employed in the Chinese water sector. Although the two latter emerging models have been implemented in their full applications lately, there has been no follow-up for identification of opportunities and challenges inherent in those schemes in relation to the market participation of foreign investor. This study undertakes in-depth analysis on the TOT and divestiture projects in the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) matrix and measures the level of agreement on each SWOT through a survey among the Chinese water market experts. The findings can be used to support foreign investors in managing the weaknesses and threats that, unless properly managed, can be evolved into potential project risks, while fully benefiting from the strengths and opportunities of the two schemes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.328-332
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• 1994

The purpose of present paper is to compare and analyze the quality of imported Chinese products with the Korean local products in terms of proximate composition, character of external appearance , ingredient composition of dried bracken , dried radish cubers, meju , dried pollack, dried mussel , and dried brown seaweed(Undaria puinnatidifida) which were imported between Oct., and Dec. 1992 and distributed in the market. Moisture recovery of dried products resulted in changed shape and incomplete moisture recovery due to an excessive drying in consideration of hygroscopic property in the course of distribution. The amounts of water soluble brown pigment were two times greater in Korean dried pollack and bracken than those of Chinese products. The content of volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) were twice in Chinese dried pollack, and this may be due to foregin odor from a long transport time and distribution process. The contents of aflatoxin in Korean products were not detectable and these of Chinese products were 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$(%) in dried pollack, bracken and radish cuber. the remaining agricultural chemicals were not detectable in all products. Because of poor technique and facilities, the external appearance of Chinese products especially dried mussels and dried pollack were not uniformed in size and color. Discoloration and foregin substance such as hair, dust were checked , Korean products were mostly packed in small size in PP or bag, and Chinese products were packed in bulk size and distributed as a bulk.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.211-211
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• 2022

The marketization reform from the open-door policy in 1978 was not only booming export-oriented industries with foreign investment but also expanding the role of private actors in the Chinese water sector. Private Sector Participation (PSP) has become an important element in developing urban infrastructure by providing better services with advanced facilities. The rapid development of PSP-driven urban water infrastructure in China has a positive impacted on Chinese economic development, particularly in coastal areas. PPPs in some coastal areas have successfully spread out over China since China applied the first Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) mode in the water sector in the early 1990s. The market-oriented water and wastewater, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mechanism in the initial period of China has been transformed into a state-dominated PPP mechanism. The development pattern of the water and wastewater PPPs in China has been divided in four stages: the first period from 1984 to 2002, the second period from 2003 to 2008, the third period from 2009 to 2014, and the last period after 2015. The study aims to investigate the successful process of water and wastewater PPPs in local areas through five socioeconomic elements: export-oriented economic strategy, urbanization, cheap land policy, infrastructure investment, and water issues and climate change. In addition, the study focuses on analyzing the extent to which the Chinese government re-asserted its control over the PPP mechanism by classifying five elements in three different development Phases from early 2000 to 2020. The Jiangsu Province in the estern coastal area has actively invited PPP projects in the water and wastewater sectors. The successful introduction and rapid growth of PPPs in the urban water infrastructure has made the province an attractive area for a foreign investor.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5D
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• pp.695-703
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• 2008

China water market has huge potential for increased use of BOT mode and one of the most attractive markets of doing business. However, the current China water BOT market shows that many foreign companies are retreating from the market while Chinese water companies fast growing. From the view no domestic companies have track records in China BOT water market, the research identified twenty market access barriers in terms of construction laws, regulations, BOT-related policy and the recent market situation. These are evaluated based on interview results with 10 professionals direct or indirect having a China water BOT experience. All the factors are found to be highly influential to foreign company's decision on the market participation. Among those, no fixed return policy and low water price, difficulty in water price adjustment and approval, and no government guarantees, all directly related to the project viability and under the control of government, were the most critical factors, implying government's role is the key in increasing the market competition by attracting more foreign participation on the market. In addition, new construction law regulating foreign EPC contractor's construction work, namely Decree 113, and requirement of applying competitive bidding in selecting EPC contractor in a BOT project are also considered signigicant barriers on foreign participation, which contradicts international norm and therefore necessitates an adjustment on current decision process in domestic companies.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.81-94
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• 2010

This qualitative research was designed to explore the use of housing among Korean Chinese people in Harbin, China. Focusing on the use which based on the epistemology of housing adjustment, this was particularly designed to examine its cultural assimilation and acculturation on the way of life course, it employed the in-depth interview on the oral history of 5 interviewees in their 60s and 70s, individualized interviews were conducted from May 28 to 31 in 2010. Key findings were summarized as follows; 1. The free market reform in China resulted in privatization that allowed respondents to become homeowners, and the ownership was viewed as part of family asset centered upon a sense of solidarity. 2. Although homeowners in multi-story houses were responsible to decorate interior spaces, the common features in using interior spaces were found: entrance had no thresholds; kitchen was small, lack of storage cabinets, tile-flooring; washers were installed inside bathroom; and newly built apartment didn't have proper space to store Korean fermented foods. It was observed that housing adaptation outweighed housing adjustment. Those who used to live in Chinese houses with indoor-wearing-shoes or Russian houses with indoor-wearing-slippers were receptive to the use of dining table and bed, and the community heating system discouraged the use of individual electric water heater because of high electricity cost. 3. In daily life, eating habit wasn't much changed to the Chinese style, meals were shared, dish sterilizer was popular, and Kimchi fridge wasn't used. Because of the influence of the Chinese culture, such Korean traditions as ancestral rites and bedroom allocation tradition faded away, but traditional family values remained unchanged. In conclusion, Korean Chinese people experience normative housing deficits and adaptation selectively incurred. It's implied that residential design meets the needs resulting from the dual culture in terms of cultural assimilation and acculturation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.392-400
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• 2021

With the globalization of Korean education and the rise in the average level of education, the number of international students in Korea, especially those from China, is rapidly increasing every year. This study aimed to provide the basic information for healthy dietary education by evaluating the dietary and nutritional status of Chinese students living in Gwangju province of Korea. Data from 468 subjects who met the study participation criteria and who had given their written informed consent were used for analysis. Of the total subjects, 52.4 and 80.1% were non-drinkers and non-smokers, respectively (p<0.01). It was observed that women were more stressed than men when they did not have convenient access to a Chinese food market near their place of residence (p=0.032). The subjects with a high cultural adaptation consumed kimbap (p<0.001) and pizza (p=0.017) more frequently than the subjects with a low cultural adaptation. An analysis of the nutrient quotient revealed that male scores were higher than those of the females with regard to water intake (p=0.035) and exercise level (p=0.021). For Chinese students living in Korea to maintain proper dietary habits, it is necessary to educate them on how to purchase convenience foods and improve their lifestyle, including limiting drinking and smoking. It is also necessary to develop emotional support programs for stress management and cultural adaptation.