• Land and Housing Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.77-93
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• 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant social changes through government prevention and control measures, changes in people's risk perceptions, and lifestyle changes. In response, urban inhabitants changed their behaviors significantly, including their preferences for transportation modes and urban spaces in response to government quarantine policies and concerns over the potential risk of infection in urban spaces. These changes may have long-lasting effects on urban spaces beyond the COVID-19 pandemic or they may evolve and develop new forms. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential for urban spaces to adapt to the present and future pandemics by examining changes in urban residents' preferences in travel modes and urban space use due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study found that overall preferences for travel modes and urban spaces significantly differ between the pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods. During the pandemic, preferences for travel modes and urban spaces has decreased, except for privately owned vehicles and green spaces, which are perceived to be safe from transmission, show more favorable than others. Post-pandemic preferences for travel modes and urban spaces are less favorable than pre-pandemic with urban spaces being five times less favorable than transportation. Although green spaces and medical facilities that were positively perceived during the pandemic are expected to return to the pre-pandemic preference level, other factors of urban spaces are facing a new-normal. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on urban residents' preferences for travel modes and urban space use. Understanding these changes is crucial for developing strategies to adapt to present and future pandemics and improve urban resilience.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2023

Aggregate is used to produce stable materials like concrete and asphalt and is fundamental to meet the social needs of housing, industry, road, energy and health. A total of 42.35 billion tons of aggregate were produced in 2021 worldwide, an increase of 0.91% compared to the previous year. Among them, 2 billion tons were produced in China, India, European Union and United States, making up to 71.75% of the share. South Korea has witnessed a constant increase in aggregate production, overtaking Mexico and Japan for seventh place with 390 million tons and 0.85% of the share. The industrial sand and gravel produced globally amounted to 352.66 million tons. The top seven countries with the highest production were China, United States, Netherlands, Italy, India, Turkey and France, and their production exceeded 10 million tons and held a share of 74.69%. Exports of natural rock recorded $21.68 billion in 2021, increased by $2.3 billion compared to the previous year, while exports of artificial rock increased by $2.66 billion to $13.59 billion. Exports of sand reached $1.71 billion with United States, Netherlands, Germany and Belgium being the four countries with the highest exports of sand. The four countries exported more than $100 million in sand and took up 57.70% of the total amount. Exports of gravel totaled $2.75 billion, with China, Norway, Germany, Belgium, France and Austria in the lead, making up to 48.30% of the total share. The aggregate quarry started to surge in the 1950s due to the change in people's lifestyle such as population growth, urbanization and infrastructure delvelopment. Demand for aggregate is also skyrocketing to prevent land reclamation and flood caused by sea-level rise. Demand for aggregate, which was around 24 gigatons in 2011, is expected to double to 55 gigatons in 2060. However, it is likely that aggregate extraction will heavily damage the ecosystem and the world will eventually face a shortage of aggregate followed by tense social conflict.