• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-36
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• 2019

In line with the international community's movement to reduce greenhouse gas emission, Korea implemented FIT(Feed in Tariff) in 2002 as part of its renewable energy development project. Although the policy had shifted to full-scale RPS(Renewable Portfolio Standards) in 2012, policymakers are still seeking changes due to policy ineffectiveness. While previous studies explain sudden policy changes through external factors, recent research sheds light on internal factors in the process of policy transition. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that are responsible for rapidly changing policies in latecomer nations. In order to find this, we look at the case of transition from the FIT to the RPS in Korea's expansion of renewable energy policy. As a result of the research, it is confirmed that the Top-Down decision making system of Korea and the external regulatory change cause rapid policy transition. By looking at these variables, we propose useful implications for policymakers to minimize the policy failure in future policy design and evolution.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.30-39
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• 2020

The purpose of this paper is to present a solution to the conflict when hydrogen energy is used for national energy transition through design thinking methodology. Research shows that design thinking enables joint design of policies for hydrogen energy transition between government and stakeholders. This is a macro approach based on empathy and cooperation, and can form consensus on the policy design process in the early stages. Starting with an understanding of hydrogen energy conflicts, ideas can be found based on the experiences gained from conflicts of stakeholders, disputes or lawsuits. And based on this, additional ideas on hydrogen energy transition will be verified the realization of the ideas. Collaboration with stakeholders to improve conflicts can create new values. In the process of reconfiguring the definition of energy transition problems, the opinions of stakeholders can be integrated with continuous empathy. Through design thinking methodology, we can integrate opinions of stakeholders and prevent conflicts.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.470-498
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• 2022

Recently, the world has been considering hydrogen energy as the primary energy transition means to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In order to achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Korea is also promoting a clean hydrogen economy. However, it is necessary to introduce various clean hydrogen from overseas so that the projected demand can not meet the domestically produced. For this study, we conducted the policy comparison approach between countries other than the generally considered technical and economic approaches. The finding proposes the direction of bilateral cooperation for a strategy of securing overseas clean hydrogen from a geopolitical perspective. Germany was a target country for the policy comparison since it has a high proportion of manufacturing, like Korea, and is taking the lead in the renewable-based energy transition policy. According to the survey and analysis of the policy establishment status and new projects of the two countries, Germany is promoting bilateral international cooperation in the hydrogen area with about 33 countries based on 7 types of activities. In comparison, Korea is involved in bilateral cooperation with about 12 countries on relatively few activities. Among the types of bilateral cooperation, R&D cooperation with advanced countries for hydrogen technology was a common activity type. Germany preemptively promotes cooperation for demonstration and commercialization, considering geopolitical means and strengthening manpower training and assistance on policy and regulation to preoccupy the market for the future. Therefore, it is necessary to consider establishing a network of an entire life cycle of supply and demand network that links the future market with securing clean hydrogen considering the geopolitical distribution. To this end, Korea also needs to expand bilateral cooperation countries by activity type, and it seems necessary to seek various geopolitical-based bilateral cooperation and support measures for developing countries to diversify the supply sources of hydrogen.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-28
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• 2016

Current Korean innovation system is facing a new turning point while the growth-oriented and S&T provide-oriented development strategy. Accordingly, there are needs for not only system transition in various area, such as sustainable energy, agriculture, and rural area but also STI policy paradigm shift to create a new innovative pathway. Living lab is being discussed in European country as a new innovative model based on user participation and as a niche experiments for sustainable system transition. This study attempts to analyze the living lab cases which are for the purpose of energy transition, agriculture rural areas system transition, and STI policy paradigm shift. Based on this analysis, the implications were derived in Korea. European Suslab project, C@R project, and Taiwan living lab, promoted diverse transitional experiments successfully by collecting users' background and experiences from pre-planning stage and by maintaining the user-driven innovative actions within the whole development process. This result provides various suggestions to current Korean situation that central government and local governments are considering the introduction of living lab. Living lab can also be utilized as a strategic niche experiments for socio-technical system transition in region or country, as a mean of policy integration, and as a new regional innovation model. In addition, it can be an important platform to realize the policy integration reflecting the user and demand-side which are highlighted in recent innovative policy paradigm.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.221-248
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• 2016

In this study, we conducted an in-depth literature review of the innovation characteristics of nuclear technology. We understood that the main issue may be a transition of fourth generation nuclear energy technology. We also analyzed a present status of Korean policy on nuclear energy technology and identified some implications for a successful settlement of the fourth generation nuclear energy technology. This study could provide some policy implications for maintaining the sustainable competitiveness of the fourth generation nuclear energy technology in Korea. According to our study, the factors that influence on a transition of nuclear energy technology are a policy-induced market for technical application and demonstration, stable and long-term resource allocation, constant interaction among stakeholders of innovation, accumulation of skill and know-how for an entire system. In addition, we conducted a case analysis on policy for Korean fourth generation nuclear energy technology. According to this case study, it would be necessary for Korea to pursue systematic training of human resources, active response to a social acceptance and reaction, establishment of specific plan for technical demonstration, long-term policy suggestion, and active promotion of constant interaction between stakeholders.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.291-333
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• 2019

The regional innovation policies so far have been separated from the social problems facing the local communities. The regional innovation policies, regarding the region as the location of the business, have focused on the invigoration of business innovation activities. However, as the recent emergence of the new paradigm of innovation policy aiming the sustainability, 'transformative innovation policy,' has led to a search for regional innovation policies that begin with solving the local social problems. This research paper deals with regional innovation theory that starts from searching for solutions and system transformation for social problems such as climate crisis and energy problems. The objective is to present a new framework called 'transformative regional innovation policy' and to improve its content through case studies by combining the results of the transformative innovation policy and the regional innovation policy studies. In particular, the contribution of this paper is to analyze and discuss the concept of the transition platform, which aims to solve the local social problems, through the case studies of Gussing, Austria and Esbjerg, Denmark. Lastly, it discusses the derived implications of the cases applied in Korean society.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.153-174
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• 2019

South Korea's energy policy has been historically established through an energy production structure that relies on thermal and nuclear power generation in relation to a centralized 'Hard Energy System'. However, climate change issues are forcing the transition to renewable energy, and it is crucial for local governments to enable this. This study analyses Seoul city's local energy governance, which is known as One Less Nuclear Power Plant Initiative, by applying the collaborative governance framework inspired by Ansell and Gash (2008) and the Reflexivity framework of Confucianism. It is considered that the local energy governance model of Seoul city can be used as a model by other local governments, and it will eventually lead to a decentralized energy system in this era of energy transition.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.177-200
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• 2019

Energy demand forecast which serves as an essential input in energy policy is exposed to multiple factors of uncertainty such as GDP and weather forecast uncertainty. The Master Plan of Electricity Market in Korea which is biennially prepared is critically based on fluctuating energy demand forecast whereas its resulting proposal on electricity generation mix is substantially irreversible. The paper provides a real options model to evaluate energy transition policy by considering Knightian uncertainty as a measure to study multiple uncertainties with multiple set of probability distributions. Our finding is that the current energy transition policy under the master plan is not robust in terms of securing stable management of electricity demand and supply system.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 2013

This work identifies the key factors influencing the success of multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary R&D projects in transition economies by integrating knowledge management, organizational, inter/intra-collaboration (open-innovation), and leadership perspectives, while also addressing the perspective of the science of team science, which is an integrative approach to R&D. This is followed by providing the major sub-constructs of team science and policy implications to better facilitate multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary R&D projects in knowledge-based transition economies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.139-147
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• 2016

Nuclear energy is considerably cheap and clean compared to other fossil fuels. Yet, there are rising safety concerns of nuclear power plants including the possibility of radiation releasing nuclear accidents. In light of the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, Japan has been re-evaluating their existing energy policies and increasing the share of alternative energy. This paper first tracks the major historical changes of energy policy in Japan by time period. Next, energy security, reignited concerns and alternative energy are covered to examine Japan's energy security situation and its transition after the Fukushima disaster. Lastly, a short survey based on thematic analysis was conducted in South Korea and Japan to understand the public awareness of nuclear. This paper postulates that the case of Fukushima will contribute to establish and operate a safe-future nuclear program in South Korea, given that the country is not only geographically neighbouring Japan but also the world's fourth largest producer of nuclear energy.