• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.89-102
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• 2002

Genetically modified foods may be defined as the foods deemed as safe by current technology among the many kinds of agricultural and stockbreeding products that are now under research and development using contemporary gene-modification techniques. This study examines hotly debated arguments, both for and against genetically modified- foods, in various countries. This study also investigates consumers'rights and responsibilities. Countries that are developing and exporting genetically modified organisms(GMO) have maintained that GMO can help produce more crops while reducing labor and other production-related costs, and that the genetically modified foods signify ″the second green revolution,″ which will solve future food and environmental problems by strengthening specific nutritive substances and extending shelf-life. But consumer groups, environmental organizations. and food-importing countries are more cautious about importing and consuming those foods because the potential dangers of GMO to human bodies and the environment have not been tested thoroughly yet. South Korea, following suit with others such as EU, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, introduced a law on 'Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods', which went in effect in March, 2001, on the basis of customers'rights to make informed choices. The law takes the ″precautionary principle″ into consideration, rather than stopping at insuring ″substantial equivalence″ in developing and consuming GM foods. The actual impact of the law will depend on the level of citizens'Participation more than on the government's willingness to carry out the law. So far the level of Korean consumers'consciousness about genetically modified foods is very low. Therefore, it is hard to expect consumers to exercise their ″rights not to buy″ foods that are potentially unsafe. The Korean government must devise an effective plan to inform and educate the people about the labeling of genetically modified foods.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.63-70
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• 2001

To identify and evaluate the benzidine-DNA adducts in liver and bladder, we exposed the 80 ppm benzidine to 40 sprague-dawley rats by drinking water for 4 weeks(6.2 mg/kg body wt./day). Only one benzidine-DNA adduct was found at the same site of thin layer chromatogram of $^{32}$ P-postlabeling method in the liver and bladder of exposed rats. So we know the DNA adduct formed at liver and bladder were similar to each other, which was N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-N'-acetylbenzidine. Relative adduct labeling(RAL) of DNA adduct was similar to each other for 1 and 2 weeks, but that in liver was significantly higher than in bladder for 3 and 4 weeks. RAL$\times$10$^{9}$ of DNA adduct were 84.45$\pm$11.31 and 152.8$\pm$5.53 in liver, and were 24.76$\pm$7.06 and 38.00$\pm$10.57 in bladder for 3 and 4 weeks, respectively. Regression equation between liver and bladder was Y=-3.801+2.507 X(r=0.6036, p<0.01). In conclusion, benzidine-DNA adduct formed in liver was significantly higher than that in bladder, with the similar compound structure in sparague-dewley rates treated benzidine in drinking water.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2014

In recent years, Korean government has focused on improving the environmental impact of products in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to achieve their energy goals. The government has been conducting the following polices such as green procurement inducement and certification system. After carbon labeling was conducted in 2009, among a total of 1,065 items, 97 building materials have been given a certification: finishing materials items have the highest weight (56%). The increase in the certification numbers shows that there has been considerable technical efforts in the building material industry. At the awareness of carbon label and purchase of low carbon product, however, customers are aware of carbon labeling but the purchasing rate of carbon product is low. In this paper, we suggest that low carbon activities must also be considered in order to create client value by adding the concept of ecological efficiency. The objective of this study to measurer the eco-efficiency of carbon labeled building materials on the basis of environmental aspects of the product with the perspective of economy for purchasing the excellent products.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2004

The major purpose of this study was to investigate purchasing behavior of environmental products by Korean consumers, which will ultimately help foster sustainable consumption. Environmental consciousness, environmental behaviors, level of awareness of environmental products, and purchasing of environmental products were examined. Mean differences between purchasers and non-purchasers of environmental products were compared in terms of environmental consciousness and behaviors, and the level of awareness of environmental products. A survey was conducted on 310 consumers in the greater Seoul metropolitan area. The data were analyzed by frequencies, percentages, logistic regression, and t-tests using a variable for interval scale and a variable for nominal scale. There were significant mean differences between purchasers and non-purchasers of environmental products on three variables of environmental consciousness and behaviors. Those who were educated on environmental issues showed a higher preference in purchasing environmental products. Among socio-demographic variables, the income level was the only variable that showed a significant mean difference between the two groups. Also, there was a remarkable difference in purchasing behavior between the two groups. For the purchasers of environmental products, the purchasing decisions took into account environment-friendliness of products. Non-purchasers of environmental products put more emphasis on price or quality of products. The results of the logistic regression analysis indicated that those who had higher education, who viewed environmental pollution as a serious problem, and who are more cognizant of the environmental labeling tend to purchase more environmental products.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2010

This paper evaluates potential environmental impacts and external costs on rice production of Korea. The investigation is based on LCA in agricultural area which estimates inputs and outputs of rice production system in quantitative way. The results show that environmental impacts on organic rice(4.49E-08 DALY/kg) is level on 4.5% out of conventional rice(9.97E-07 DALY/kg). The external costs of organic and conventional rice are 4.04won/kg and 89.52won/kg respectively. The balance of both organic and conventional rice which is 85.48won/kg represents monetary value on improvement of environmental effects as producing organic rice.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.139-148
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• 1999

This study was conducted to develop an image processing system which can classify the pig's thermoregulatory behavior under the different environmental conditions. The 4 pigs of 25kg were housed in the environmentally controlled chamber(1.4m$\times$2.2m floor space). Postural behavior of the pigs was captured with an CCD color camera. The raw behavioral images were processed by thresholoding, reduction, separation of slightly contacted pigs, labeling, noise removal, computation of number of labels, and classification of the pig's behavior. The correct classification rate of the image processing system was 97.8%(88 out of 90 testing images). The results of this study showed that the image processing system could be used for a behavior-based automatic environmental controller.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.371-381
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• 2006

New proteomic techniques have been pioneered extensively in recent years, enabling the high-throughput and systematic analyses of cellular proteins in combination with bioinformatic tools. Furthermore, the development of such novel proteomic techniques facilitates the elucidation of the functions of proteins under stress or disease conditions, resulting in the discovery of biomarkers for responses to environmental stimuli. The ultimate objective of proteomics is targeted toward the entire proteome of life, subcellular localization biochemical activities, and the regulation thereof. Comprehensive analysis strategies of proteomics can be classified into three categories: (i) protein separation via 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) or liquid chromatography (LC), (ii) protein identification via either Edman sequencing or mass spectrometry (MS), and (iii) proteome quantitation. Currently, MS-based proteomics techniques have shifted from qualitative proteome analysis via 2-DE or 2D-LC coupled with off-line matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and on-line electrospray ionization (ESI) MS, respectively, toward quantitative proteome analysis. In vitro quantitative proteomic techniques include differential gel electrophoresis with fluorescence dyes. protein-labeling tagging with isotope-coded affinity tags, and peptide-labeling tagging with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation. In addition, stable isotope-labeled amino acids can be in vivo labeled into live culture cells via metabolic incorporation. MS-based proteomics techniques extend to the detection of the phosphopeptide mapping of biologically crucial proteins, which ale associated with post-translational modification. These complementary proteomic techniques contribute to our current understanding of the manner in which life responds to differing environment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2008

The use of chemical products to enhance and improve life is a widespread practice worldwide. But alongside the benefits of these products, there is also the potential for adverse effects to people or the environment. As a result, a number of countries or organizations have developed laws or regulations over the years that require information to be prepared and transmitted to those using chemicals, through labels or Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). While these existing laws or regulations are similar in many respects, their differences are significant enough to result in different labels or MSDS for the same product in different countries. Given the reality of the extensive global trade in chemicals, and the need to develop national programs to ensure their safe use, transport, and disposal, it was recognized that a Globally harmonization system of classification and labeling of chemicals(GHS) would provide the foundation for such programs. This study offered complementary details of GHS classification criteria adopted in Korea by analyzing the differences in chemical classification system between UN and Korea Ministry of Labor. Also it is proposed that mutual agreement of information DB used is required by comparing classification results of chemicals in Korea, Japan, and EU. We offered the lists of information sources useful for chemical classification.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.942-951
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• 2015

This study compared nutrition knowledge, dietary behaviors, and checking behaviors of food and nutrition labels between Korean and Chinese university students to obtain useful data for development of an education program for healthy dietary life. The data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire in Korea and China. Frequencies, t tests, ${\chi}^2$ tests, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$, and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis were conducted by SPSS Win. V.21.0. The levels of nutrition knowledge and dietary behaviors were not high. Korean students showed higher percentage of correct answers about nutrition knowledge and levels of dietary behaviors than Chinese students. The means of degree of checking contents of food labels were 3.46 points for Korean students and 3.11 for Chinese students. Both groups of students showed the highest degree of checking milk and dairy products. The degree of understanding nutritive component labeling of Chinese students was higher than that of Korean students. Both groups of students showed higher than normal levels of confidence about nutritive component labeling and necessity of education on food and nutrition labels. The most preferred method of education on food and nutrition labels was broadcast media for both groups of students. In addition, there were significant correlations among nutrition knowledge, dietary behaviors, checking degree of food labels, checking degree of nutritive component labeling, and experience of nutrition education.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.331-343
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• 2011

A survey of consumer awareness and attitudes was conducted about genetically modified (GM) foods and the labeling regulations. The questionnaires were distributed to 4,620 consumers who lived in a variety of areas in Korea, and 4,076 people responded. The consumers were asked about knowledge, labeling information, and the source of obtaining information about GM foods. More than 11.5% of the consumers had never heard about GM foods and 86.9% of consumers had less than a normal level of knowledge about GM foods. No statistically significant relationship was found between genders, but the teachers group had moderate knowledge (p<0.001). In total, 28.4% of consumers did not know the GMO labeling regulations. They answered that the reason to buy GM food was do not know>nothing wrong>create benefit>think as safe>inexpensive. The answers to the question of what was the first benefit were: solve food shortage>functional and nutritious food>cultivate in bad condition>nothing>various cultivars. They answered that the worst factor was the next generation effect>environmental disruption. Regarding the development of GM food in Korea, males answered do not know>stronglyrecommend>defer>strongly suppress. Female answered: don't know>defer>strongly recommend>strongly suppress. More than half of the respondents did not have much information about GM foods; 88.3% of respondents answered they did not have educational experience about GM food.