• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.73-87
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• 2017

The Korean Academic Multimode Open Survey (KAMOS) is a national survey first conducted in 2016. Stratified cluster random sampling was used in an initial face-to-face survey during which panel members were recruited. The second survey allowed invited panel members to answer online or by phone. KAMOS includes both longitudinal items and omnibus items, i.e., researchers can propose questions to include on KAMOS. This paper seeks to establish that KAMOS is representative of the South Korean adult population. The demographic variables from the first survey were comparable to demographic variables from two well-respected surveys in South Korea: the KOSTAT Social Survey and the Gallup Korea Omnibus Survey. To ensure that there was no substantial difference between those who answered the first survey and those who answered the second survey, we compared the results of 22 items from the first survey. The 2,000 panel members who were invited to participate in the second survey had similar responses to the 1,008 of those who responded to the second survey. Based on our findings, KAMOS can be considered a representative sample.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.297-323
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• 2020

The relationship between compliance with behaviors recommended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and media exposure, negative emotions, and risk perception was examined using regression analyses of data from KAMOS, a nationally representative survey of South Korean adults. The strongest predictor of preventive behaviors in general was negative emotions, which had the largest βh (.22) among the independent variables considered. The eight negative emotions, identified using factor analysis of a series of 11 emotions, were anger, annoyance, fear, sadness, anxiety, insomnia, helplessness, and stress. Negative emotions themselves were influenced most strongly by the respondent's anxiety over social safety (βe=.286), followed by prediction of COVID-10 spread (β=.121, p<.001) and perceived risk of COVID-19 infection (β=.70, p=.023). Females (β=-.134) and those who felt less healthy (βo=-.097) experienced more negative emotions. Media exposure and increased media exposure both have significant relationships with negative emotions and both a direct and indirect impact on the adoption of preventive measures. Women, older people, and healthier people perceived greater risks and engaged in more preventive behaviors than their counterparts.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.175-191
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• 2018

This exploratory study considers the difference between personal and perceived societal values related to South Korean women's role in the home, workplace, and society using eight items asked on the Korean Academic Multimode Open Survey (KAMOS), May-July 2017. Factor analysis showed that these eight items could be grouped into two categories: women's role in her family and women's in the outside world. Of the 2,000 respondents, 54.1% personally agreed that "Both the husband and wife should contribute to their family income." People in their 30s felt the largest gap between their personal and societal values; women also felt a larger gap than men. Those who watched television more were generally more conservative than those who used the Internet more. People who felt a smaller gap between societal and personal values were more likely to feel proud to be a Korean citizen. People who believe that it is better not to marry felt a bigger gap between some societal and personal values on items relating to whether a wife should work, whether a woman's housework or paid job is more valuable, and whether women's job performance is equal to men's. People who believe that divorce is sometimes acceptable were also more likely to feel a bigger difference in two items: the item about job performance and an item about whether a married woman's social status is dependent on her husband's.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2018

As societal interest in inequality increases in Korea, both public and academic discussion on inequality is also on the rise. In order to more effectively discuss the problems of rising inequality, however, it is essential to study the consequences and implications of inequality. This study examines one of the consequences of inequality, particularly on individuals - the relationship between an individual's perception of inequality and his/her evaluation of societal health, such as social trust and social mobility. According to a statistical analysis of the Korean Academic Multimode Open Survey for Social Sciences (KAMOS), those who perceive the level of income and wealth inequality in Korea as more unequal tend to have a lower level of trust toward Korean society and Korean people, as well as a lower expectation for both intra- and intergenerational social mobility. This study, which shows that rising inequality could have a negative impact at the individual level, not only extends the scope of the consequence-of-inequality studies from the society-oriented toward the individual-oriented, but it also has significant implications for the field, suggesting a new direction for future studies.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.208-245
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• 2017

Background: Attitudes toward breastfeeding in public are one potential barrier to optimal breastfeeding rates and durations. Method: Questions about breastfeeding experience and attitudes toward breastfeeding in public were asked in face-to-face interviews as part of the Korean Academic Multimode Open Survey (KAMOS), May-July, 2017. The response rate was 65.8% (2000 respondents nationwide). Results: A majority of Koreans disagreed (1 or 2 on a 4-point scale) with the statement "Women should not breastfeed their child in open, public places" (53.9%) and agreed (3 or 4 on the 4-part Likert scale) with the statements "I do not feel uncomfortable seeing women breastfeed their child in open, public places" (64.0%) and "Breastfeeding a baby, instead of letting the baby cry, in public places is better for other people" (71.8%). However, despite these generally positive attitudes, the majority also said that they would not breastfeed in public (57.4% of women) or, in the case of men, would not want a close female relative to do so (63.8% of men). Breastfeeding in public was positively correlated with the duration of breastfeeding. People were more positive about breastfeeding in public if they: were parents; did not use formula and breastfeeding a similar amount; had children who had been breastfed in public; were older; were Buddhists rather than Christians. An attempt was made to compare attitudes toward breastfeeding in public and breastfeeding durations internationally, but was inconclusive due to not perfectly comparable data. Conclusion: Our results may be useful in planning public health campaigns in South Korea or future attempts at international comparisons to better understand and address the effect of public opinion regarding breastfeeding in public on breastfeeding rates and durations.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.75-93
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• 2019

Background: Since 2010, Korea has maintained a DNA database of those convicted of or awaiting trial for certain crimes. There have been proposals to expand the list of crimes included in this database, or conversely, omit certain crimes if they are committed during protests. An understanding of the feelings of the public as we consider the ethical, legal, and social aspects of a DNA database and as revisions to laws are made is required. Methodology: Questions related to the DNA database were included in the nationally representative Korean Academic Multimode Open Survey (KAMOS) panel (June-August 2016). Results: Of 2,000 randomly selected panel members, 1,013 respondents participated in this survey, including 89.2% who supported the existence of a criminal DNA database. The current system of storing DNA profiles until a suspect's acquittal or a convict's death was supported by 79.5% of respondents. In addition, 70.8% of respondents agreed with the expansion of crime categories included in the criminal database. Many (93.4%) respondents favored genetic testing and data storage to determine the identity and cause of death for people who die of unnatural causes. Some differences in attitude related to social class were noted, with those who self-identified as members of the upper class more likely to support the database and its expansion to include additional crimes than those who self-identified as middle or lower class. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Koreans generally support the criminal DNA database.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.188-211
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• 2021

Decreasing response rates to traditional survey methods, like face-to-face and telephone interviews, have led survey practitioners around the world to seek new ways of conducting surveys in recent years." The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this problem because it made conducting face-to-face interviews even more difficult than before. For example, it made conducting face-to-face surveys infeasible in 2020 in South Korea, and so the Korean Academic Multimode Open Survey (KAMOS) was unable to conduct a planned face-to-face survey to recruit new panel members. The entire 8,514-member panel, established via two-stage probability-based sampling from 2016 to 2019, was invited to take three online/telephone surveys in 2020. Of these panel members, 1,352 responded to at least one survey in 2020. To test to what extent the panel remained representative of the adult South Korean population, we compared the two groups of panel members: those who responded to at least one survey in 2020 and those who did not. After weighting both groups on the basis of age, sex, and geographical area, we analyzed their responses to some of the questions that were asked during multiple rounds of the face-to-face panel-recruiting interviews. Using Cohen's d for survey items that could be analyzed numerically and Cramér's V for categorical items, we were able to conclude that the respondents to the 2020 surveys were equivalent to the non-respondents in terms of both demographics and in the answers they originally gave to substantive questions on a variety of topics related to social science or public opinion research, including questions about quality of life, societal issue, and politics (Cohen's d items <0.2, 95% CI; Cramér's V items <0.1, 95% CI). This analysis may provide a model for others who wish to test the continued representativeness of their panel or who would like to use a different survey mode or change some other aspect of their methodology and test whether it is equivalent to their former methodology. Our success in building a panel that retained its representativeness may be useful to those in other countries where face-to-face surveys had previously been the norm but are becoming increasingly difficult to conduct.