• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.272-287
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• 2019

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was established in 1953 by the Korean War Armistice Agreement. It extends from the estuary of the Imjin River, in the west, to the coast of the East Sea. It is 4 km in width and 148 km in length. However, the ecosystems of the civilian control zone (CCZ) located between the southern border of the DMZ and the civilian control line (CCL) and the CCZ in the estuary of the Han River and the Yellow Sea are similar to those in the DMZ, and, therefore, the ecosystems of the DMZ and the CCZ are collectively known as the "ecosystems of the DMZ and its vicinities." The flora in the DMZ and its vicinities is composed of 1,864 species, which accounts for about 42% of all the vascular plant species on the Korean Peninsula and its affiliated islands. Conducting a detailed survey on the vegetation, flora, and fauna in the DMZ is almost impossible due to the presence of landmines and limitations on the time allowed to be spent in the DMZ. However, to assess the environmental impact of the Munsan-Gaesong railroad reconstruction project, it was possible to undertake a limited vegetation survey within the DMZ in 2001. The vegetation in Jangdan-myeon, in Paju City within the DMZ, was very simple. It was mostly secondary forests dominated by oaks such as Quercus mongolica, Q. acutissima, and Q. variabilis. The other half of the DMZ in Jangdan-myeon was occupied by grassland composed of tall grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis, M. sacchariflorus, and Phragmites japonica. Contrary to the expectation that the DMZ may be covered with pristine mature forests due to more than 60 years of no human interference, the vegetation in the DMZ was composed of simple secondary forests and grasslands formed on former rice paddies and agricultural fields. At present, the only legal protection system planned for the DMZ is the Natural Environment Conservation Act, which ensures that the DMZ would be managed as a nature reserve for only two years following Korean reunification. Therefore, firstly, the DMZ should be designated as a site of domestic legally protected areas such as nature reserve (natural monument), scenic site, national park, etc. In addition, we need to try to designate the DMZ as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve or as a World Heritage site, or as a Ramsar international wetland for international cooperation. For nomination as a world heritage site, we can emphasize the ecological and landscape value of the wetlands converted from the former rice paddies and the secondary forests maintained by frequent fires initiated by military activities. If the two Koreas unexpectedly reunite without any measures in place for the protection of nature in the DMZ, the conditions prior to the Korean War, such as rice paddies and villages, will return. In order to maintain the current condition of the ecosystems in the DMZ, we have to discuss and prepare for measures including the retention of mines and barbed-wire fences, the construction of roads and railroads in the form of tunnels or bridges, and the maintenance of the current fire regime in the DMZ.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.629-646
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• 2023

Host rock of Cheonjeon-ri petroglyph is shale belonging to the Daegu Formation of Cretaceous Gyeongsang Supergroup. The rocks were hornfelsified by thermal alteration, and shows high density and hardness. The petroglyph forms weathered zone with certain depth, and has difference in mineral and chemical composition from the unweathered zone. As the physical deterioration evaluations, most of cracks on the surface appear parallel to the bedding, and are concentrated in the upper part with relatively low density. Breakout parts are occurred in the upper and lower parts of the petroglyph, accounting for 6.0% of the total area and occurs to have been created by the wedging action of cracks crossing. The first exfoliation parts occupying the surface were 23.8% of the total area, the second exfoliations covered with 9.3%, and the exfoliation parts with three or more times were calculated as 3.4%. It is interpreted that this is not due to natural weathering, and the thermal shock caused by the cremation custom here in the past. As the ultrasonic properties, the petroglyph indicates highly strength in the horizontal direction parallel to bedding, and the area with little physical damage recorded mean of 4,684 m/s, but the area with severe cracks and exfoliations showed difference from 2,597 to 3,382 m/s on average. Physical deterioration to the Cheonjeon-ri petroglyph occurred to influence by repeated weathering, which caused the rock surface to become more severe than the inside and the binding force of minerals to weaken. Therefore, it can be understood that when greater stress occurs in the weathered zone than in the unweathered zone, the relatively weathered surface loses its support and exfoliation occurs.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2020

A "Scenic Site" is an official heritage category legally defined as a "scenic site of outstanding artistic value with excellent scenic views." However, the subjective interpretation of the term causes several problems. This study suggested a systematic, organized process of designating a listed area as a scenic site after careful and detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis. Indicators were identified for each of the two analyses, and then scored and weighted. Quantitative indicators were distributed within 5 points for each indicator. Water, which is a natural indicator, based on distance from river boundaries. Forest landscapes were assigned in consideration of forest physiognomy and age class. Land use was allocated in consideration of land cover type and, in case of development site, '-' score was assigned. Cultural heritage conservation area, which is historical and cultural indicator, was distributed by distance within a maximum of 500 meters. Visibility, an indicator of landscape value, was assigned according to the frequency of visibility. The weight of each indicator was calculated by considering the value of each item. The weight of distribution of cultural resources is relatively high, while other items were set the same. In case of land use, however, '-' score was given according to the grade. Qualitative indicators, on the other hand, were considered terrain, landscape zone, ownership, intellectual boundary, and land category. The applicability of the proposed process and method was examined by applying the existing methods and criteria used for designating scenic spots. Opinions of subject-matter experts were incorporated in the identification of the indicators and in the result review stage. In the future, it is necessary to apply this method while designating scenic sites so as to establish an objective, scientific designation process.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.306-333
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• 2010

Previous studies on Wolseong fortress have focused on capital system of Silla Dynasty and on the recreation of Wolseong fortress due to the excavations in and around Wolseong moat. Since the report on the Geographical Survey of Wolseong fortress was published and GPR survey in Wolseong fortress was executed as a trial test in 2004, the academic interest in the site has now expanded to the inside of the fortress. From such context, the preliminary research on the fortress including geophysical survey had been commenced. GPR survey had been conducted for a year from March, 2007. The principal purpose of the recent 3D GPR survey was to provide visualization of subsurface images of the entire Wolseong fortress area. In order to obtain 3D GPR data, dense profile lines were laid in grid-form. The total area surveyed was $112,535m^2$. Depth slice was applied to analyse each level to examine how the layers of the remains had changed and overlapped over time. In addition, slice overlay analysis methodology was used to gather reflects of each depth on a single map. Isolated surface visualization, which is one of 3D analysis methods, was also employed to gain more in-depth understanding and more accurate interpretations of the remain The GPR survey has confirmed that there are building sites whose archaeological features can be classified into 14 different groups. Three interesting areas with huge public building arrangement have been found in Zone 2 in the far west, Zone 9 in the middle, and Zone 14 in the far east. It is recognized that such areas must had been used for important public functions. This research has displayed that 3D GPR survey can be effective for a vast area of archaeological remains and that slice overlay images can provide clearer image with high contrast for objects and remains buried the site.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.896-906
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• 2020

Wood deterioration experiments were carried out for 6 months in an intertidal zone of South Korea to monitor the changes in the chemical properties of two types of species, Korean red pine and sawtooth oak. The results of FT-IR spectra and XRD patterns have shown that the chemical properties of the wood did not change significantly during the 6-month burial period. However, the brightness of the surface decreased after burial; the value of the sawtooth oak sample was lower than that of the Korean red pine sample owing to an accumulation of inorganic compounds in cell lumen as observed by ICP analysis. Among the inorganic compounds, sodium and sulfur concentrations increased significantly over the burial period compared with the control. Further, the maximum moisture content decreased from 199% to 136% in the Korean red pine and 62% to 60% for the sawtooth oak. Nevertheless, the major chemical composition of both the wood species did not change significantly during the 6-month burial period, whereas, the crystallinity decreased with an increasing burial period owing to an accumulation of inorganic compounds in the lumen.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.497-510
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• 2022

Monthly monitoring, 3D scan survey, and electrical resistivity survey were conducted from January 2018 to August 2022 to identify the cause of rockfall occurring in Daljeon-ri Columnar Joint (Natural Monument No. 415), Pohang. A total of 3,231 rocks fell from the columnar joint over the past 5 years, and 1,521 (47%) of the falling rocks were below 20 cm in length, 978 (30.3%) of 20-30 cm, and 732 (22.7%) of rocks over 30 cm. While the number of rockfalls by year has decreased since 2018, the frequency of rockfalls bigger than 30 cm tends to increase. Large-scale rockfalls occurred mainly during the thawing season (March-April) and the rainy season (June-July), and the analysis of the relationship between cumulative rainfall and rockfall occurrence showed that cumulative rainfall for 3 to 4 days is also closely related to the occurrence of rockfall. Smectite and illite, which are expansible clay minerals, were observed in XRD analysis of the slope material (filling minerals) in the columnar joint, and the presence of a fault fracture zone was confirmed in the electrical resistivity survey. In addition, the confirmed fault fracture zone and the maximum erosion point analyzed through 3D precision measurement coincided with the main rockfall occurrence point observed by the BTC-6PXD camera. Therefore, the main cause of rockfall at Daljeon-ri columnar joint in Pohang is a combination of internal factors (development of fault fracture zones and joints, weathering of rocks, presence of expansive clay minerals) and external factors (precipitation, rapid thawing phenomenon), resulting in large-scale rockfall. Meanwhile, it was also confirmed that the Pohang-Gyeongju earthquake, which was continuously raised, was not the main cause.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.20
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• pp.43-54
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• 2007

The Muryangsa temple five-storied stone pagoda (Treasure No. 185) was geographically located in the area of the Baekje Kingdom. The architectural style of the Muryangsa temple five-storied stone pagoda is the pagoda at the early Goryeo Dynasty that was succeeded technique of the Baekje Kingdom and form of the Shilla Kingdom. Because this pagoda is located outside during old time that it received serious petrological and biological weathering in rock blocks and occurred the center subsidence in the upper capstone. This study executed ground stability interpretation in order to know what central subsidence in the upper capstone occurred for soft ground. The ground stability interpretation used seismic survey, electrical resistivity survey and GPR survey by non-destructive method. As the result, the ground appeared in the condition which is good. Specially, high resistance zone appeared from electric resistivity survey which come to seem with ground reinforcement harden. Consequently, central subsidence condition in the upper capstone is not by the instability of ground, and is judged with the thing by the structure instability in rock blocks over the upper capstone. This will be applied basic data with the long-term monitoring or preservation countermeasure of the pagoda.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.74-91
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• 2014

The stone statues in the site of Mireuksaji Temple(Iksan, South Korea) were created after the stone pagoda was built in 639. They, transitional statues between animal sculptures and human shaped statues made from the late Goryeo dynasty until the early Joseon dynasty, were set up at the four corners of the stone pagoda by way of guardians. In the case of three statues, their surfaces were denudated and their iconographies have been indiscernible. However, the one in the southwest clearly shows its iconography. It is inferior in properties to the other three statues in the northwest, the northeast and the southeast respectively, but on the other hand its iconography has been well maintained. The reason is related to exposure to harmful environments; specifically, the retaining wall, built around the stone pagoda in the 17th century, had the southwest statue inside and could naturally worked as a buffer against harmful environments. As a result, for about 400 years there has been difference in weathering conditions between the three stone statues and the southwest statue, which brought denudation, the consequent indiscernibleness of iconography and biological invasion to the three statues, notwithstanding superior properties(northwest statue:$176kgf/cm^2$, northeast statue:$109kgf/cm^2$, southeast statue:$273kgf/cm^2$). In contrast, the southwest statue significantly shows its iconography with black contaminants and granule decomposition, despite inferior properties($133kgf/cm^2$). Defenseless exposure to external environment is not recommended for the stone statues, because it is hard to preserve the extant iconography. Herein lies the application of the data on microclimate around Mireuksaji Temple. As regards the weathering zone in which the stone statues are located, Conservation increases in acidity and frequency as years go by, Hereat, in the approach to the Conservation of stone statues, the first consideration needs to be morphological historicity rather than geographical location.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to analyze the risk of the forest fire, considering the topography and the forest, for establishing disaster prevention measures of cultural heritage, Uireung, over in Cheonjang-mountain. To do that, we estimate the occurrence and spread of the forest fire over in Cheonjang-mountain through a forest fire probability model(logistic regression), using the space characteristic data($100m{\times}100m$). The factor, occurrence of the forest fire, are diameter class, southeast, southwest, south, coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forest. We assume the probability of the fire forest in each point as follow : [1+exp{-(-4.8081-(0.02453*diameter class)+(0.6608*southeast)+(0.507*southwest)+(0.7943*south)+(0.29498*coniferous forest)+(0.28897*deciduous forest)+(0.17788*mixed forest))}]$^{-1}$. To divide dangerous zone of the big forest fire, we make the basic materials for disaster prevention measures, through the map of coniferous forests, deciduous forests, and mixed forest. The damage of cultural heritage caused by a forest fire will be reduced through the effective preventive measures, by forecast a forest fire to using this study.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.24-47
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• 2013

This study focused on the constructional concepts, landscape design techniques and changes made of the Sandan(山壇) area in the rear garden of Changdeokgung Palace based on the spatial organization of the zone. The results of this study are as below. Constructional layers that have been maintained throughout the centuries from King Injo(仁祖), King Sukjong(肅宗), King Sunjo(純祖), the Japanese colonial period to the present, were found in the Sandan area. The Sandan area, which was developed with the establishment of Chuiseungjeong(取勝亭) during the ruling of King Injo(仁祖), was created as a resting place for the King, and its usage continued until King Sukjong(肅宗) built Nakminjeong(樂民亭). However, the whole area was reorganized to host ritual ceremonies, where ancestral rites were performed for the mountain gods, after Sandan and Baekunsa(白雲社) were built during King Gojong's reign, before the drawing of 'Painting of Eastern Palaces(東闕圖).' The architectural component used then appears to have been designed to serve ancestral ritual formalities for the god of land, or to satisfy the religious desires of the royal family not fulfilled by Confucian courtesy. These are characteristics that define the Sandan area. Meanwhile, the analysis of the ground plan of the Changdeokgung Palace revealed that the Sandan had been maintained until the Japanese colonial era, but was removed sometime after liberation. The area underwent extensive reform in the early 1970s, when the whole area was developed into a tourist destination called Bingcheon(氷泉). Then, a new road that runs through Bingcheon was laid, and the present condition reflects the construction result of the time. An interview with a person who had taken part in the repair work in the 1970s confirmed that the construction work at the time had the goal of establishing two drainage systems for drinking water and copied the Okryuchon(玉流川) well.