• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.157-165
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• 2023

In Korea, a major contaminant of farmland soils in the vicinity of abandoned mines is arsenic, for which the general soil reclamation method is contaminated soil stabilization and cover the stabilized soil with clean soil at a thickness of 40 cm. In a previous pot experiment study we confirmed the feasibility of a lower thickness (20 cm) of covering soil for such reclamation in abandoned coal mines, where arsenic contamination levels are generally lower than in metal mines. In this subsequent study a field experiment including rice plant cultivation in field test plots was conducted. For over 4 months, the transfer of arsenic from the contaminated soil to the unpolished rice grains was reduced by 44% when a clean soil covering with a thickness of 20 cm was applied. The maximum decrease (56%) was shown when the stabilization process was performed before the covering. These results reveal a lower thickness of clean soil covering has a high feasibility and it can increase cost-efficiency in the reclamation of an abandoned coal mine.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2023

Uiseong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, one of the representative small rain regions, has developed a traditional irrigation farming system while overcoming and adapting to unfavorable agricultural environments from the days of the ancient nation of Jomunguk to the present. In 2018, its value was recognized and designated as Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage System No. 10. This study was conducted with the purpose of examining the characteristics of the traditional irrigation farming system in Uiseong from the viewpoints of irrigation facilities, irrigation communities, and agricultural activities. The research results are as follows. Uiseong-gun has been expanding irrigation facilities for agriculture since long ago, and it has been investigated that a total of 6,227 irrigation facilities are currently distributed along the Wicheon water system that crosses Uiseong-gun from east to west. Irrigation facilities appear differently depending on the topography. The irrigation facility has a 'su-tong' as an irrigation passage and a corkscrew structure 'mot-tchong' as a water quantity control device, so the amount of water was adjusted as needed. Through this facility, surface water with warmer temperature is supplied to the farmland to prevent cold damage to crops. Uiseong has developed activities to organize irrigation communities in one village or several villages to secure agricultural water from an early age. Currently, this tradition continues, and a total of 213 irrigation communities manage 375 irrigation facilities (6.0% of all irrigation facilities). Through this organization, called Mong-ri-gye, water for agriculture is obtained, managed, and distributed equitably. In order to increase agricultural production, Uiseong implemented double cropping by converting rice fields and fields. In the case of Mt. Geumseong, double cropping of rice and barley was mainly carried out until the 1970s, but since the 1980s, double cropping of rice and garlic has been implemented with higher income. One of the unique features of the agricultural system of this region is the spectacular landscape that changes simultaneously from field to rice field in spring and from rice field to field in autumn.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.143-160
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• 2023

This study applied the stream physical habitat assessment system to obtain basic information for river restoration and watershed management in high-gradient and mid-gradient streams in the Naeseongcheon basin. The total length of high-gradient and mid-gradient streams in the Naeseongcheon basin is about 273 km, and as a result of the assessment, it was analyzed that suboptimal reach was about 8.2 km, normal reach was 180.3 km, and marginal reach was 84.7 km. In addition, the physical habitat quality of high-gradient streams was analyzed to be normal condition with an average of 106 points (53%), and in particular, the score of channel/hydraulic category, which is the most important for the habitat of aquatic animals, was analyzed to be normal, close to the limit, with an average of 54 points (45%). The physical habitat quality of mid-gradient streams was found to be in normal condition with an average of 90 points (45%), and the score of channel/hydraulic category was in marginal condition with an average of 39 points (32%). Overall, among 165 reaches of high-gradient and mid-gradient streams in the Naeseongcheon basin, 4 reaches (3%) were evaluated as suboptimal, 119 reaches (72%) were normal, and 42 reaches (25%) were considered marginal. These results showed that the physical habitat of Naeseongcheon was significantly disturbed. Disturbance of stream physical habitat in the Naeseongcheon basin occured due to farmland around stream, urbanization, reservoir construction, and river maintenance.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.6_1
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• pp.1427-1435
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• 2023

Vegetation indices based on selected wavelength reflectance measurements are used to represent crop growth and physiological conditions. However, the anisotropic properties of the crop canopy surface can govern spectral reflectance and vegetation indices. In this study, we applied an ensemble of bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) models to high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and compared the differences between correction results before and after reflectance. In the red and near-infrared (NIR) band reflectance images, BRDF-corrected outlier values appeared in certain urban and paddy fields of farmland areas and forest shadow areas. These effects were equally observed when calculating the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and 2-band enhanced vegetation index (EVI2). Furthermore, the outlier values in corrected NIR band were shown in pixels shadowed by mountain terrain. These results are expected to contribute to the development and improvement of BRDF models in high-resolution satellite images.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.28-50
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• 2024

A fact-finding survey of the Demilitarized Zone can be said to be a very meaningful academic survey linked to previous index surveys of protected military areas and municipal and excavation surveys of ruins and military sites on Mount Dora. Not a few ruins were first discovered in this survey, and the locations, structures, and restoration artifacts of the previously investigated ruins were confirmed differently, raising the need for a detailed investigation. In particular, it is noteworthy that various relics from the Paleolithic Age to the Joseon Dynasty were recovered from relics dispersion sites such as Josan-ri and Cheorwon Gangseo-ri in Paju, and Hoengsan-ri Temple Site is also a Buddhist relic in the Demilitarized Zone. However, in the case of some graveyards and relics sites in the Paju region, it was an opportunity to understand the reality that they are not safe from cultivation and development, and the ruins of Cheorwon Capital Castle, Seongsanseong Fortress, Jorangjin Bastion, and Gangseo-ri Bastion were damaged during the construction of military facilities, and an urgent investigation is needed. Also, farmland and hilly areas around the ruins of Jangdan, Gunnae-myeon, and Gangsan-ri have not been properly investigated for buried cultural assets due to small-scale development. Therefore, it is an important time for the relevant authorities and agencies to cooperate more closely to establish special management and medium- to long-term investigation measures for the cultural heritage in the Demilitarized Zone based on the results of this fact-finding investigation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2012

The stabilization using limestone ($CaCO_3$) and steel making slag as the immobilization amendments for Cu and Pb contaminated farmland soils was investigated by batch tests, continuous column experiments and the pilot scale feasibility study with 4 testing grounds at the contaminated site. From the results of batch experiment, the amendment with the mixture of 3% of limestone and 2% of steel making slag reduced more than 85% of Cu and Pb compared with the soil without amendment. The acryl column (1 m in length and 15 cm in diameter) equipped with valves, tubes and a sprinkler was used for the continuous column experiments. Without the amendment, the Pb concentration of the leachate from the column maintained higher than 0.1 mg/L (groundwater tolerance limit). However, the amendment with 3% limestone and 2% steel making slag reduced more than 60% of Pb leaching concentration within 1 year and the Pb concentration of leachate maintained below 0.04 mg/L. For the testing ground without the amendment, the Pb and Cu concentrations of soil water after 60 days incubation were 0.38 mg/L and 0.69 mg/l, respectively, suggesting that the continuous leaching of Cu and Pb may occur from the site. For the testing ground amended with mixture of 3% of limestone + 2% of steel making slag, no water soluble Pb and Cu were detected after 20 days incubation. For all testing grounds, the ratio of Pb and Cu transfer to plant showed as following: root > leaves(including stem) > rice grain. The amendment with limestone and steel making slag reduced more than 75% Pb and Cu transfer to plant comparing with no amendment. The results of this study showed that the amendment with mixture of limestone and steel making slag decreases not only the leaching of heavy metals but also the plant transfer from the soil.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 2004

Removal efficiencies of soil washing and soil improvement processes to remediate farmland soils and stream deposits around Goro abandoned mine were investigated with batch and column experiments. For As-contaminated farm-land soils around Goro mine, batch tests to quantify As extraction rate from contaminated soils and lime treated contaminated soils were performed. The contaminated soil mixed with lime decreased As extraction rate less than one fourth, suggesting that the soil improvement method mixed with lime dramatically decrease As extraction rate. A storage dam will be constructed in the lower part of the main stream connected to Goro abandoned mine and the amount of As extracted from the bottom soils of reservoir could be the main source to contaminate water of reservoir. The decrease of As extraction amount from the bottom in reservoir, caused by the application of the soil improvement method was investigated from the physically simulated column experiment and results showed that As extraction rate decreased to one forty when 1％ lime mixed soil improvement was applied to contaminated soils. For contaminated stream deposits connected Goro mine, the removal efficiency of the soil washing method was investigated with batch experiments. Hydrochloric acid, citric acid, acetic acid and distilled water were used as soil washing solution and 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 N of washing solution were applied to extract As. When washing with 0.05 N of hydrochloric acid or citric acid, more than 99.9% of As was removed from stream deposits, suggesting that As contaminated stream deposits around Goro mine be successfully remediated with the soil washing process. Total volumes of contaminated soils and deposits needed for remediation were calculated based on three different reme-diation target concentrations and the operation cost of soil washing for calculated soil volumes was estimated. Results from this research could be directly used to make a comprehensive countermeasure to remediate contaminated area around Goro mine and also many contaminated areas similar to this research area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.73-86
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• 2004

In order to estimate the post-ingestion bioavailability of heavy metals and to assess the risk of adverse health effects on human exposure to toxic heavy metals, environmental geochemical surveys were undertaken around the Dogok Au-Ag-Cu and the Hwacheon Au-Ag-Pb-Zn mine sites. Human risk assessment of toxic heavy metals was performed with the results of the SBET(simple bioavailability extraction test) analysis for soil and chemical analytical data for crop plant and water. Arsenic and other heavy metals were highly elevated in tailings from the Dogok(218 As mg/kg, 90.2 Cd mg/kg, 3,053 Cu mg/kg, 9,473 Pb mg/kg, 14,500 Zn mg/kg) and the Hwacheon(72 As mg/kg, 12.4 Cd mg/kg. 578 Pb mg/kg, 1,304 Zn mg/kg) mines. These significant concentrations can impact on soils and waters around the tailing dumps. The quantities of As, Cd and Zn extracted from paddy soils in the Hwacheon mine using the SBET analysis were 55.4%, 20.8% and 26.4% bioavailability, respectively, and for farmland soils in the Dogok mine, 40.8%, 37.6% and 33.0% bioavailability, respectively. From the results of human risk assessment, HI(Hazard Index) value exceeded 1.0 for As in the Hwacheon mine and for Cd in the Dogok mine. Thus, toxic risks for As and Cd exist via exposure(ingestion) of contaminated soil, water and rice grain in these mine sites. The cancer risk for As by the consumption of rice and groundwater in the Hwacheon mine area was 8E-4 and 1E-4, respectively. This risk level exceeds the acceptable risk(1 in 100,000) for regulatory purpose. Therefore, regular ingestion of locally grown rice and ground-water by the local population can pose a potential health threat due to long-term arsenic exposure.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 2009

The method to generate a digital elevation model(DEM) from contour lines causes a problem in which the low relief landform cannot be clearly presented due to the fact that it is significantly influenced by the expression of micro landform elements according to the interval of contours. Thus, this study attempts to develop a landcover burning method that recovers the micro relief landform of the DEM, which applies buffering and map algebra methods by inputting the elevation information to the landcover. In the recovering process of the micro landform, the DEM was recovered using the buffering method and elevation information through the map algebra for the landcover element for the micro landform among the primary DEM generation, making landcover map, and landcover elements. The recovering of the micro landform was applied based on stream landforms. The recovering of landforms using the buffering method was performed for the bar, which is a polygonal element, and wetland according to the properties of concave/convex through generating contours with a uniform interval in which the elevation information applied to the recovered landform. In the case of the linear elements, such as bank, road, waterway, and tributary, the landform can be recovered by using the elevation information through applying a map algebra function. Because the polygonal elements, such as stream channel, river terrace, and artificial objects (farmlands) are determined as a flat property, these are recovered by inputting constant elevation values. The results of this study were compared and analyzed for the degree of landform expression between the original DEM and the recovered DEM. In the results of the analysis, the DEM produced by using the conventional method showed few expressions in micro landform elements. The method developed in this study well described wetland, bar, landform around rivers, farmland, bank, river terrace, and artificial objects. It can be expected that the results of this study contribute to the classification and analysis of micro landforms, plain and the ecology and environment study that requires the recovering of micro landforms around streams and rivers.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.519-534
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• 2019

When the fresh water from the artificial lakes (Ganwolho and Bunamho) were discharged to Cheonsu Bay in summer to prevent the flood over the reclaimed farmland near the lakes, the impact on water qualities (nutrients, organic matters, trace metals) within the bay was investigated through four surveys (June, July, August and October, 2011). Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) increased about as much as 3-4 times over the whole water column when the freshwater was discharged. And the main species composition of DIN changed from ammonia to nitrate. Dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) decreased as much as 2 times in surface waters, but increased as much as 1.5 times in deep waters, and also silicate concentrations increased as much as 3-4 times in deep waters of the inner bay. The N/P ratios in Chunsu bay seawaters were much higher (2 to 7 times) than the Redfield ratio when the freshwaters were discharged, which indicated the phosphorus limiting in the phytoplankton growth. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) increased as much as about 2 times. In addition, particulate organic matters (POC, PON, POP, Bio-Si) increased as much as above 2 times in the surface waters of the inner bay. Trace metals (Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu) increased in the surface waters of the inner bay, but dissolved Cd concentrations decreased as much as 2 times. Therefore, when the contaminated fresh waters from the artificial lakes were discharged into the bay, nutrients, organic matters and trace metals generally increased compared to normal period. Since the phytoplankton bloom occurred in the surface waters of the inner bay, dissolved oxygens at the surface waters were oversaturated and hence hypoxic in the deep waters. Highly enriched nutrients concentrations were found in deep waters of the inner bay, which was accompanied with the hypoxic condition. Finally, the water quality in the inner bay of the Chunsu bay was deteriorated from less than grade 3 in normal periods to grade 5 when the freshwaters from the artificial lakes were discharged in summer.