• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2024

Korea is facing a significant problem with historically low fertility rates, which is becoming a major social issue affecting the economy, labor force, and national security. This study analyzes the factors contributing to the regional gap in fertility rates and derives policy implications. The government and local authorities are implementing a range of policies to address the issue of low fertility. To establish an effective strategy, it is essential to identify the primary factors that contribute to regional disparities. This study identifies these factors and explores policy implications through machine learning and explainable artificial intelligence. The study also examines the influence of media and public opinion on childbirth in Korea by incorporating news and online community sentiment, as well as sentiment fear indices, as independent variables. To establish the relationship between regional fertility rates and factors, the study employs four machine learning models: multiple linear regression, XGBoost, Random Forest, and Support Vector Regression. Support Vector Regression, XGBoost, and Random Forest significantly outperform linear regression, highlighting the importance of machine learning models in explaining non-linear relationships with numerous variables. A factor analysis using SHAP is then conducted. The unemployment rate, Regional Gross Domestic Product per Capita, Women's Participation in Economic Activities, Number of Crimes Committed, Average Age of First Marriage, and Private Education Expenses significantly impact regional fertility rates. However, the degree of impact of the factors affecting fertility may vary by region, suggesting the need for policies tailored to the characteristics of each region, not just an overall ranking of factors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.3
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• pp.510-518
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• 2014

Conflicts between humans and wild boars (Sus scrofa) have increased because of causing crop damage and appearing in downtown. Management to reduce population size has mostly been implemented on pests, but knowledges about ecological values are very rare. Rubbing trees by wild boar was investigated to figure out characteristics and for management ecologically from July to October 2013 in a mixed forest, Geochang, Gyeongnam Province, Korea. Pinus rigida was most frequently founded, and rubbing trees, both conifers and deciduous, were mainly located in 200~600 m above sea level. DBH was no significant difference between rubbing and control trees. The use intensity of conifers was higher than that of deciduous. The coverage of foliage layers and the number of woody plants within a radius of 2.5 m of trees (rubbing and control) were also investigated and compared to determine ecological characteristics. There were 1,332 individuals founded from 25 families. In the coverage of foliage layers, the understory and midstory showed statistically significant, but not in the subover and overstory. The number of Shrubs and saplings are higher in rubbing trees than those of control, but no difference in stems. Total individuals, the number of species, species diversity index(H') within a radius 2.5 m is considerably higher in rubbing trees with high intensity than those of low intensity and control. Our results show that wild boar mainly selected and used conifers more frequently as rubbing trees. Wild boar also modified the physical environments around rubbing trees. Consequently, the positive effects such as species diversity is increase. Thus the conservation policies is required after the intensive population reduction every 3-4 years for forest ecological management rather than annual sustainable hunting.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.650-660
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• 2017

In this study, simplified LCA (life cycle assessment) tool was developed to increase accessibility and availability on LCA timber construction. The result of simplified LCA was compared with commercial program on LCA (Simapro.7) to verify its availability. As a result of evaluating environmental impacts with the Life Cycle Inventory of all processes, gap between LCA and simplified LCA tools of timber construction was about 1%. Therefore, the simplified LCA tool could analyse greenhouse gas emissions of timber construction and to expand number of data set through improved conveniency of users for developing database of timber construction in Korea. The reduction effects of greenhouse gas emissions of timber construction was about 53% of total emission offset up to construction phase. The results of this study would support decision making process to expand to timber construction policy to showcase environmental friendliness of timber construction. It was expected to contribute to response to the New climate regime in forestry.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.3
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• pp.342-349
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• 2006

The survey guideline of forest products statistics suggests a certain type of standard to aggregate production amount of each item such as dry bracken, raw dates, cracked nuts, It does not, however, give any information about transition ratios, which would apply to convert weights of fresh bracken into dry one, or cracked nuts into the non-cracked. This has been one of the main factors which would make the statistics unreliable. The purpose of this study is to examine the aggregation realities and to put forward some proposals to improve forest products statistics with transition ratios. Targets of this study are 10 forest products that are strongly related to the mentioned problems. With the calculated transition ratios and some assumptions the changing rate of the official statistics of 2004 production amounts ranged from -41% to 474% for the 10 subjects. The suggested figures for transitions are based only on one-year analysis results. Therefore more periods are required to improve the accuracy and the reliability, and this study would be a good starting point.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.4
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• pp.401-407
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• 2007

This study analyzed an economic efficiency of oak mushroom cultivation in order to provide data needed for formulating related policies. 88 farmhouses in major producing areas were interviewed with. The average production cost per 100 bed-logs was 151,699 won. Among production costs, material costs accounted for 56.0% and labor costs 41.8%. Oak mushroom cultivation was labor-intensive and labor input was a significant factor determining the production costs. There was 3 7.2% gap in production costs between Chungbuk, the highest cost area and Gyeonggi, the lowest cost area of oak mushroom due to difference in labor input. Average revenue per 100 bed-logs was 178,627 won. Average income per 100 bed-logs, which is variable production costs of 116,613 won subtracted from the revenue, was 62,014 won and thus income rate was 34.7%. Income rate in Jeonbuk, the highest area, was higher than that in Gyeonggi, the lowest area, by 15.8% points due to difference in quantities produced, grade, and variable production costs, in particular, labor costs. The result of the economic analysis indicates that reduction in establishment and labor costs, accounting for the highest portion in production costs is priority issue for the enhancement of the competitiveness of the oak mushroom industry.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2010

Members used for the Korean traditional joints have been processed by handicraft, especially with domestic red pine species. Dovetail joint is most commonly used in woodworking joinery and traditional horizontal and vertical connections. It is able to be processed much easier to cut by handicraft and machines. However, although it is processed straight forwards, it requires a high degree of accuracy to ensure a snug fit. Also, tenons and mortises must fit together with no gap between them so that the joint interlocks tightly. A few scientific studies on the dovetail joints have been conducted so far. For the effective applications of traditional joints and domestic plantation wood species, dovetail joints were assembled by larch glulam members processed by machine pre-cut. To identify the tensile properties of through dovetail joints, larch glulam with 150 150mm in cross section were prepared. Furthermore, various geometric parameters of dovetai joints such as width, length, and tenon angle, were surveyed. The ends in the mortise was cracked mainly at a low strength level in the control specimens without reinforcements. The maximum tensile strengths of reinforced specimens considering real connections such as capital joint and headpiece on a column, increasedby handicraft, especially with domestic red pine species. Dovetail joint is most commonly used in woodworking joinery and traditional horizontal and vertical connections. It is able to be processed much easier to cut by handicraft and machines. However, although it is processed straight forwards, it requires a high degree of accuracy to ensure a snug fit. Also, tenons and mortises must fit together with no gap between them so that the joint interlocks tightly. A few scientific studies on the dovetail joints have been conducted so far. For the effective applications of traditional joints and domestic plantation wood species, dovetail joints were assembled by larch glulam members processed by machine pre-cut. To identify the tensile properties of through dovetail joints, larch glulam with 150 150mm in cross section were prepared. Furthermore, various geometric parameters of dovetai joints such as width, length, and tenon angle, were surveyed. The ends in the mortise was cracked mainly at a low strength level in the control specimens without reinforcements. The maximum tensile strengths of reinforced specimens considering real connections such as capital joint and headpiece on a column, increased by two times with shear failures on the tenon than the control specimens. The maximum tensile strength was obtained in the specimen of 25 degrees, and no difference was observed in the changes of neck widths.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.258-268
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of sawdust size and moisture content, pelletizing temperature and time on the durability of the pellets fabricated with larch and tulip tree sawdust. The durability of larch-pellet was significantly higher than that of tulip tree-pellet. For the larch-pellets, the durability of the pellets fabricated with > 18 mesh sawdust was higher than that of 8~18 mesh sawdust. With the increases of pelletizing temperature and time, the durabilities of larch- and tulip tree-pellets steadily improved. The durabilities of larch- and tulip tree-pellets also increased as the moisture content of sawdust increased. In the comparison of durabilities between commercial pellets and larch- or tulip tree-pellets, the pellets fabricated with larch and tulip tree sawdusts in our study were less denser than commercial pellets, but the durability of most larch-pellets was satisfied with the 1st-grade pellet standard designated by Korea Forest Research Institute. In addition, the durability of tulip tree-pellets were higher than that of the 3rd-grade pellet standard. From the scanning electron microscopic observation of larchand tulip tree-pellets, the gap between the sawdusts of each pellet was reduced with the increases of pelletizing temperature and time. In particular, it was visually confirmed that the surface of the pellets made with the pelletizing temperature of $180^{\circ}C$ for 3 min did not differ from that of commercial pellets.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.85 no.2
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• pp.260-270
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• 1996

Structure and dynamics of Pinus densiflora community in Mt. Kaya were studied to provide the information needed for management of Pinus densiflora forest in the southern inland of Korea. Stratification structure of Pinus densiflora community in the lower and middle slope consisted of tree layer(10~15m), subtree layer(4~10m), shrub layer(1~4m), and herb layer(below 1m), while in the rock zone of ridge and top area consisted of tree layer(7~10m), subtree layer(2~7m), shrub layer(1~2m), and herb layer(below 1m). According to the diameter distribution of tree species in Pinus densiflora community, secondary Pinus densiflora forest will gradually decline. Its forest may be replaced by Quercus mongolica, Quercus serrata, Carpinus laxiflora, C. cordata, and Fraxinus rhychophylla in the lower slope, and by Quercus mongolica in the middle slope. Pinus densiflora forest has its seedlings and saplings in ridge and top area, so it may be sustained. By taking cores from Pinus densiflora trees in research area, it could be obtained that in the lower and middle slope, age of Pinus densiflora forest was about 80~90 years old. When the age of its trees was about 72~80 years old, withering trees of standing dead occurred. Disturbance regime of Pinus densiflora community in Mt. Kaya consisted of standing dead, uprooting and limbfall, these were 70.6%, 17.6% and 11.8% respectively. It takes about 100~110 years for advance growth of Pinus densiflora in ridge and top area to reach tree layer. During the period, it has twice chances of disturbance in standing dead. Annual diameter growth of Pinus densiflora was 2.45~2.9mm in the lower and middle slope, while it was 1.75mm in ridge and top region, by measuring cores.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.687-698
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was conducted to understand the public awareness of landslide and check dams in 2015-2020 using the big data platform 'Hyean' and to confirm the utilization of this platform in disaster prevention areas. Method: The total amount, number of detection by period by media, and affirmative and negative trends of a search for 'landslide' and 'check dam' in 2015-2020 were analyzed using a keyword search of 'Hyean.' Result: There is significant lack of public awareness of check dam compared to landslide, and the trend is more noticeable in the conspicuous gap of data amount between the news and SNS media. The number and the timing of the search for 'landslide' coincided with the actual occurrence of landslide, while the detection of 'check dam' was less related to it. Relatively affirmative preception for the check dam is inferred, but it was difficult to confirm accurate statistical affirmative and negative trends in the disaster prevention field using 'Hyean.' Conclusion: Unlike the experts who expect positive public awareness of check dam, the statistic results show that the public awareness of the check dam as an effective countermeasure against landslide was extremely low. Active promotion of erosion control projects should be carried out first, and a balanced sample survey should accompany online and periodic field surveys. Since there is a limit to grasping the effective perception in the field of disaster prevention area using 'Hyean', it should be very cautious to establish local/governmental policies using it.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.69-85
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• 2014

Carbon stocks of NFI plots can be accurately estimated using field survey information. However, an accurate estimation of carbon stocks in other unsurveyed sites is very difficult. In order to fill this gap, various spatial information can be used as an ancillary data. In South Korea, there is the 1:5,000 forest type map that was produced by digital air-photo interpretation and field survey. Because this map contains very detailed forest information, it can be used as the high-quality spatial data for estimating carbon stocks. In this study, we compared three upscaling methods based on the 1:5,000 forest type map and 5th national forest inventory data. Map algebra(method 1), RK(Regression Kriging)(method 2), and GWR(Geographically Weighted Regression)(method 3) were applied to estimate forest carbon stock in Chungcheong-nam Do and Daejeon metropolitan city. The range of carbon stocks from method 2(1.39~138.80 tonC/ha) and method 3(1.28~149.98 tonC/ha) were more similar to that of previous method(1.56~156.40 tonC/ha) than that of method 1(0.00~93.37 tonC/ha). This result shows that RK and GWR considering spatial autocorrelation can show spatial heterogeneity of carbon stocks. We carried out paired t-test for carbon stock data using 186 sample points to assess estimation accuracy. As a result, the average carbon stocks of method 2 and field survey method were not significantly different at p=0.05 using paired t-test. And the result of method 2 showed the lowest RMSE. Therefore regression kriging method is useful to consider spatial variations of carbon stocks distribution in rugged terrain and complex forest stand.