• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.3
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• pp.494-503
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• 2011

This study was aimed at applying the IUCN category system to the Baekdudaegan Protected Area. A classification key was developed to apply the system to the overlapped designated protected areas inside of Baekdudaegan Protected Area. Korea national parks and forests managers' and experts' opinions were collected and they all agreed to the use of multiple classification in Baekdudaegan Protected Area. For example, the type of natural forests among the Forest Genetic Resources Reserves was classified to be IUCN Category Ia while other types of Forest Genetic Resources Reserve was classified to be Category IV. And the Protected Forest Landscape was classified to be Category V while the other types of protected forests were classified to be Category VI. The study suggests the need of classification of forest protected areas including Baekdudaegan Protected Area using IUCN system accompanying with protected areas management effectiveness evaluation.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.71-96
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• 2007

This study aimed at effectively applying the IUCN category system to the protected areas in Korea. In addition, in order to change IUCN category of national parks to IUCN category II and to review the application of IUCN category classification key, a case study was conducted in Sobaeksan National Park. In order to apply the IUCN category system to the protected areas in Korea, a flexible approach appropriate to characteristics in Korea is required for management objectives of protected areas, including protection of wildemess, sustainable use of resources and preservation of cultural and traditional features. In addition, considerations of restrictions on use area and use districts, relative comparison of use types (visit, use of resources, residence) by IUCN category and use of combined classifications are necessary. Principles for the application of the IUCN category include (1)exclusion of wilderness protected areas (Ib), (2) extremely limited use regarding the sustainable use of natural resources(sum of natural preservation area and natural environment area is over 95%), (3) considerations of management conditions, including residential occupation level, (4) preservation of ecosystem services, and (5) use of combined classifications. In addition, in accordance with these principles, IUCN category classification key was suggested. When this was applied to the case study area, Sobaeksan National Park was classified as IUCN Category II and Taxus cuspidata community, which is designated as a natural monument, was classified to be Category Ia. Classification key suggested in this study may be used as basic data for applying categories in the future. Since detailed review on the practical improvement direction of laws and regulations and systematic alternatives, which are required before introducing IUCN category, are poor, in order to manage the protected areas efficiently by applying the IUCN category in the future, studies on management means appropriate to the conservation objectives of each category are necessary. This would allow management differentiated for each category.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2002

This study was conducted to compare protected areas of South and North Korea based on international conservation criteria and recommend new fundamental directions for nature conservation policy. International conservation criteria used by this research were the 1994 IUCN protected area categories, composed of 6 management categories. Despite a variety of types and names of protected areas created by different domestic legislations, South Korea was revealed to have only two types of protected areas, Category IV and V, indicating the significant lack of ecological diversity and representativeness in its protected area system. Shockingly, there are no national parks meeting IUCN criteria in South Korea. On the other hand, North Korea has three IUCN Categories of II, III, IV and thus more balanced and ecologically representative protected area network than South Korea. Especially, North Korea maintains 9 national parks to be officially recognized by IUCN and UN. However, both South and North Korea should make sincere effort to have new and well-designed protected area system including all IUCN Categories I -Ⅵ and particularly a minimum area in the stricter protected area categories.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.779-786
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• 2011

This study aimed at comparing protected areas of Korea and Australia based on international conservation criteria by IUCN and analyzing what we need to improve for future management of protected areas of Korea. The registration status of protected areas of Korea listed on IUCN were 11 places in the Ia, 17 in II, 7 in IV, 7 in V; in total 42 places were recorded. However, the lists were missing many important areas. In Korea, we have only 4 protected area categories out of 6 indicating ecological diversity and management in its protected area system are insufficient. On the other hand, 9340 protected areas of Australia were listed on IUCN and evenly distributed in the total of six categories. Therefore, Korea should investigate measures for system establishment which ensures the diversity and indicative of our natural ecosystems and establish balanced system of protected areas including all IUCN categories I-VI through revaluation of natural, cultural, economic and social conditions and the needs.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to seek the application of IUCN categories of overlapping protected areas which is legally designated in South Korea. Different government departments in South Korea have managed and designated as protected areas. However, the protected areas due to different management agencies can be confused with restricting behaviors and supporting residents. The IUCN presents the reasonal standardization classifying the protected areas which could be applied all over the world. Six categories issued by the IUCN could be applied to deal with the problems of the overlapping protected areas. We suggested the application of the IUCN categories compared with legal frame in South Korea. Most areas are overlapped in designation, but the areas are important for ecology and landscape. Moreover, each protected areas in South Korea have zone districts. Comprehensively considered all these things, we made rationale matrix correlated with the IUCN categories and the zone districts of the protected areas in South Korea. For the result of this study, this matrix could be helped to the application of the IUCN categories in domestic protected areas. Although the protected areas has been recognized as regulatory regions, it is expected to expand and sustain the areas based on the matrix.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.191-200
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• 2014

This study aims to analyze the current status of government-designated cultural heritage that are protected as sacred natural sites, focused on natural monuments and scenic sites, and provide basic research for these cultural heritage to be included in the protected area category. First, among natural cultural heritage that are designated and protected by Cultural heritage Protection Law, there are 40 scenic sites and 126 natural monuments that have been selected as sacred nature sites. Second, the study showed that sacred nature sites are sacred places that have been long associated with happiness and misfortune of the villagers, including Dangsan Forest, Seunghwanglim(Forest), and, as physical environment and combination of cultural value, rules, and attitude and belief system toward the land that protect the people. The unique folk beliefs of the region provide strong protection of the place. Third, although the natural monuments of old and large trees are not included in the protected area as they are recognized sparsely, but can be designated as world protected area as protected areas are set around sacred nature sites. Fourth, in order to be included in IUCN category, sacred natural sites of scenic sites will need to be managed by specific categories of each area according to the interior status of the designated areas and maintain the sustainability of the natural heritage by protecting both physical and spiritual elements.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.377-389
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• 2010

Understanding the factors relevant to endangerment and the patterns of habitat locations in relation to protected areas is critically important for the conservation of rare species. Although 64 plant species have recently been listed as endangered species in Korea, this information has, until now, not been available, making appropriate management and conservation strategies impossible to devise. Thus, we collected information on potentially threatening factors, as well as information on the locations in which these species were observed. The potentially threatening factors were classified into seven categories. National parks, provincial parks, ecosystem conservation areas, and wetland conservation areas were defined as protected conservation areas. Korean digital elevation model data, along with the maps of all protected areas were combined with the maps of endangered plant species, and analyzed via Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Excluding the category of "small population", endangered plant species in Korea were associated more frequently with extrinsic factors than intrinsic factors. Considering land surface only, all conservation areas in Korea totaled 4.9% of the land, far lower than International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)'s 10% coverage target. At the species level, 69% of the endangered plant species were detected in conservation areas, mostly in national parks. However, this result demonstrates that 31% of endangered species inhabit areas outside the conservation zones. Furthermore, at the habitat level, a large proportion of endangered species were found to reside in unprotected areas, revealing "gaps" in protected land. In the face of rapid environmental changes such as population increases, urbanization, and climate changes, converting these gap areas to endangered species' habitats, or at least including them in habitat networks, will help to perpetuate the existence of endangered species.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.291-307
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• 2016

Evaluation of the extinction risk of endangered plants at international, national as well as at regional levels is essential to the implementation of plans for direct conservation activities. Reports indicate that 34 endangered plants are distributed in the middle eastern area of Korea. For each endangered plant, we investigated the sites, area of extents, population size, and factors that affect population extinction. We assessed risk factors based on 10 evaluation criteria including the results from the investigation and the life traits each endangered plant has. As a result of evaluating the risk factors, these 34 endangered plants are classified into 3 groups: the first category comprises 12 endangered plants that require active and urgent conservation of habitats due to multiple risk factors; the second group has 16 endangered plants that should be able to persist with the removal of a few direct risk factors; the third category has 6 endangered plants that can persist with minimal management due to comparatively large distributed area and numerous individuals. It was found that most major risk factors in the population of endangered plants are caused by disruption of habitats and population extinction due to the increase of human habitation in the concerned areas, development and illegal harvesting. Futhermore, ecological collapse from decreasing habitats and malfunctioning mechanism of extinction and regeneration due to the changes of vegetational environment can be the other causes. From the area of the present investigations, we selected 5 regions according to the number of species and the frequency of appearance and importance of conservation measures. Also, we suggested a conservation strategy according to the regional characteristics. We suggest that the method for evaluating extinction risk of endangered plants includes distributional data and life traits of species. In addition, we underscore the necessity for understanding population dynamics and ecological niche of the each target species.