• Title/Summary/Keyword: North Korea Science and Technology

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Spatio-Temporal Changes and Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in North Korea (북한 산림의 시·공간 변화와 황폐화 추동)

  • Yu, Jaeshim;Kim, Kyoungmin
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.18 no.6
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    • pp.73-83
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    • 2015
  • The objective of this study is to establish implications for forest restoration planning in North Korea by analyzing spatio-temporal forest changes and detecting bio-physical factors driving forest degraded. We measured the relationship and spatial distribution between shifting cultivation and sparse forest. We also analyzed between degraded forest land and ecological variables by binary logistic regression to find biophysical drivers of forest degradation and deforestation in North Korea. Between the sparse forest and the shifting cultivation, a positive relationship is found (r=0.91) and scattered discontinuously throughout the country (Moran's I = -1, Z score = -13.46 (p=0.000)). The sparse forest showed a negative relationship with the warmest month(bio 9), the coldest month(bio10), and the minimum of soil water contents (swc_min), while the shifting cultivation had a negative relationship with the warmest month(bio 9) and the minimum of soil water contents(swc_min). However, the most critical drivers convert forests into sloping farmland were the three months rainfall in summer(bio8) and the yearly mean of soil water contents. Such results reflect the growth period of crops which overlaps with the rainy season in North Korea and the recent land reclamation of uplands where the soil water contents are maintained with a dense forest. When South Korea aids forest restoration projects in North Korea, in consideration of food shortage due to North Korea's cropland deficiency, terrace farmlands where soil water contents can be maintained should be excluded from the priority restoration area. In addition, an evaluation method for selecting a potential restoration area must be modified and applied based on multiple criteria including altitude and socio-economic factors in the respective regions.

Relationship between Interannual Variability of Phytoplankton and Tropical Cyclones in the Western North Pacific

  • Park, Jong-Yeon;Kug, Jong-Seong;Park, Ji-Soo;Chang, Chan-Joo
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.34 no.1
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    • pp.29-35
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    • 2012
  • We investigated the interannual relationship between chlorophyll concentrations in the western North Pacific and tropical cyclones (TCs) in the western North Pacific by analyzing data collected for >12 years. Despite the short-term scale (2~3 weeks) in the contribution of tropical cyclones to phytoplankton, the current study revealed that the long-term chlorophyll variability in the western North Pacific is profoundly related to long-term variability in the frequency of TCs. It was also found that the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) tends to control such relationships between the 2 bio-physical systems. This result suggests a significant climatic relationship between TC activity and marine phytoplankton, and also suggests the possibility of more accurate estimations of primary production in the western North Pacific.

Application of the Polarised Potential-pH Diagrams to Investigate the Role of Sulfate and Dissolved Oxygen in the 3550-ppm NaCl Solution on the Corrosion Behaviour of AISI 316L Stainless Steel

  • Chandra-ambhorn, S.;Kumpai, K.;Muangtong, P.;Wachirasiri, W.;Daopiset, S.
    • Corrosion Science and Technology
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.45-49
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    • 2008
  • The cyclic polarisation technique was applied to determine the corrosion, primary-passivation, transpassive, and protection potential of AISI 316L stainless steels immersed in 3550-ppm NaCl solution containing sulfate in the content up to 3000 ppm. The solutions were kept constant at $27^{\circ}C$ and saturated by laboratory air. The solution pH was varied from 3 to 11. Each type of potentials was plotted in function of pH and linked as lines to determine the different zones in the constructed potential-pH diagram. The predominant regimes of the immunity, general corrosion, perfect passivation, imperfect passivation, and pitting corrosion were determined based on those lines of potentials. Comparing to the potential-pH diagram of specimens immersed in the aerated and deaerated 3550-ppm NaCl solutions, the addition of 3000-ppm $Na_2SO_4$ to these solutions increased the overall, perfect and imperfect, passivation regime by shifting the transpassive-potential line to the noble direction. However, it also widened the imperfect passivation area. The addition of $Na_2SO_4$ did not significantly affect the corrosion potential. It was found that the dissolved oxygen tends to negatively shift the transpassive-potential and protection-potential lines at all studied pH. The considerable effect of dissolved oxygen on corrosion and primary-passivation potentials could not be observed.

Military Load Classification (MLC) on Concrete Bridges in North Korea (북한 콘크리트 교량의 군용하중급수 평가)

  • Park, Hyo Bum;Kwak, Hyo Gyoung
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.513-520
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    • 2017
  • For the last 60years, North Korea has constructed a lot of roadway bridges with different standard from that used in South Korea, and since North Korea prefer to take advantage of train more than truck for long distance transport, the construction and maintenance of roadway bridges have not been constructed effectively. Upon these situations, an exact evaluation of the resisting capacity for bridges in North Korea has been required to check of any bridge can be used in time of war. This paper introduces an evaluation of bridges in North Korea on the basis of Military Load Classification (MLC). Three different types of concrete bridges are considered, and the numerical analysis and design calculation give the military loadings which can pass through the bridges in North Korea.

The Utilization of Dental Hygienists in Oral Healthcare Exchanges between the South and North Korea

  • Ahn, Eunsuk;Han, Ji-Hyoung;Kang, Kyung-Hee;Jang, Young-Eun;Jeon, Ki-Ha;Park, Jeong-Ran
    • Journal of dental hygiene science
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.63-69
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    • 2021
  • Background: This study aimed to identify the role of dental hygienists in exchanges between North and South Korea to lower gaps in the level of dental healthcare between the two countries by conducting a Delphi survey with specialists and identifying alternative policies regarding the utilization of dental hygienists in such exchanges. Methods: Two Delphi surveys were conducted with the participation of nine specialists, and descriptive statistical analyses including mean and standard deviation were performed on the collected data. Results: Among methods of exchange and cooperation regarding oral healthcare under the current North Korean medical system, the issue considered most urgent was the "establishment of oral healthcare infrastructure." The most important short-term strategy was identified as the "selection and formation of partnerships in the field of inter-Korean oral health exchange and cooperation." The mid-term strategy was identified as the "establishment of cooperation in the dental industry, centered on educational cooperation projects." The long-term strategy included "joint R&D projects, oral health surveys, and business development." In order to determine how best to use dental hygienists during inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, the respondents placed urgency on the "establishment of joint cooperation projects for oral health promotion and early examination and the treatment of dental diseases and planning of community research projects" and "the role of oral health education and media development for residents." Conclusion: Cooperation is necessary regarding the preparation of oral healthcare exchanges that aim to encourage unity between North and South Korea and reduce the gaps between the North and South regarding oral health conditions. Therefore, continuous and reasonable discussions and research are needed regarding the utilization of dental hygienists in such exchanges.

A Hierarchical Bilateral-Diffusion Architecture for Color Image Encryption

  • Wu, Menglong;Li, Yan;Liu, Wenkai
    • Journal of Information Processing Systems
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.59-74
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    • 2022
  • During the last decade, the security of digital images has received considerable attention in various multimedia transmission schemes. However, many current cryptosystems tend to adopt a single-layer permutation or diffusion algorithm, resulting in inadequate security. A hierarchical bilateral diffusion architecture for color image encryption is proposed in response to this issue, based on a hyperchaotic system and DNA sequence operation. Primarily, two hyperchaotic systems are adopted and combined with cipher matrixes generation algorithm to overcome exhaustive attacks. Further, the proposed architecture involves designing pixelpermutation, pixel-diffusion, and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) based block-diffusion algorithm, considering system security and transmission efficiency. The pixel-permutation aims to reduce the correlation of adjacent pixels and provide excellent initial conditions for subsequent diffusion procedures, while the diffusion architecture confuses the image matrix in a bilateral direction with ultra-low power consumption. The proposed system achieves preferable number of pixel change rate (NPCR) and unified average changing intensity (UACI) of 99.61% and 33.46%, and a lower encryption time of 3.30 seconds, which performs better than some current image encryption algorithms. The simulated results and security analysis demonstrate that the proposed mechanism can resist various potential attacks with comparatively low computational time consumption.

Proposal for Specification of Counter-measurement in Frost-Heave System in Railway Underpass Box Structures in North Korea Considering Climate Condition (북한지역 기후조건을 고려한 철도횡단구조물의 동상방지방안 제시)

  • Kim, Mun-Su;Cho, Kook-Hwan
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.99-110
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    • 2017
  • As a part of several Eurasian initiatives, the Korean government is trying to reconnect railways through North Korea to the Asian continent. If South Korea could build a network using railway, it would be a chance to develop a robust economic environment and to motivate economic growth. In the railway reconnection project between North and South Korea, the most important part of the railway roadbed sector is repair or improvement, and then construction of a new line through North Korea. There are not many big differences in the geological conditions; however, climate condition varies greatly during winter. The most significant condition in the safety of railway operation is frost-heaving. However, since South Korea has a relatively mild climate condition compared with North Korea, design and construction specifications under severe weather conditions in winter have not been prepared. This study proposes a plan for revising the railway design standard for underpass structures through an analysis of international standards, leading to site construction to prevent frost-heave.

Evaluation of stingless bee (Tetragonula pagdeni) honey properties and melissopalynological analysis from different geographical origins in Thailand

  • Jakkrawut Maitip;Amonwit Polgate;Woranika Promsart;Jinatchaya Butdee;Athitta Rueangwong;Tanatip Sittisorn;Wankuson Chanasit;Satasak Jorakit;Prapai Kodcharin
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.48 no.1
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    • pp.24-31
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    • 2024
  • Background: Honey from different geographical origins can have distinct characteristics due to variations in the floral sources available to stingless bees in different regions. The most abundant stingless bee for meliponiculture in Thailand is Tetragonula pagdeni. However, only a few studies about the properties of honey from a different origin were carried out. The objective of this study was focused on a comparative study to evaluate the melissopalynological, physicochemical, antioxidant activities, and total phenolic contents (TPCs) of stingless bee honey produced by T. pagdeni from different parts of Thailand. Results: Fifty honey samples were collected from five locations, and the physicochemical properties of T. pagdeni honey samples are acidic (pH 3.02-4.15) and have a high water content (18.42-25.06 %w/w), which is related to the regions of meliponary. Melisopalynological analysis reveals the predominant pollen from Melaleuca quinquenervia, Cocus nuciferca, Nephelium lappaceum, Salacca wallichiana, and multiflora honey. All honey samples were analyzed for their TPC and 2,2-diphenyl1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. The results show that all samples had high TPC and antioxidant activities with a strong correlation (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The data from this study indicates the importance of geographical origin, which links physicochemical properties, phenolic compounds, and functional characteristics to their floral. Besides, the floral sources and harvesting location affected the properties of stingless bee honey. Our results identify Melaleuca honey as a promising source of phenolic content and antioxidant activity that can be used as a functional food, as well as multiflora and Cocus honey. However, further studies are required to characterize the phenolic compound and its biological potential, which could be a stingless bee honey biomarker and quality control, simultaneously with the physicochemical analysis.

Variability of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High in the CMIP5 Coupled Climate Models (CMIP5 기후 모형에서 나타나는 북서태평양 아열대 고기압의 변동성)

  • Kim, Eunjin;Kwon, MinHo;Lee, Kang-Jin
    • Atmosphere
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.687-696
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    • 2016
  • The western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) in boreal summer has interannual and interdecadal variability, which affects East Asian summer monsoon variability. In particular, it is well known that the intensity of WNPSH is reversely related to that of summer monsoon in North East Asia in association with Pacific Japan (PJ)-like pattern. Many coupled climate models weakly simulate this large-scale teleconnection pattern and also exhibit the diverse variability of WNPSH. This study discusses the inter-model differences of WNPSH simulated by different climate models, which participate in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5). In comparing with reanalysis observation, the 29 CMIP5 models could be assorted into two difference groups in terms of interannual variability of WNPSH. This study also discusses the dynamical or thermodynamics factors for the differences of two groups of the CMIP5 climate models. As results, the regressed precipitation in well-simulating group onto the Nino3.4 index ($5^{\circ}N-5^{\circ}S$, $170^{\circ}W-120^{\circ}W$) is stronger than that in poorly-simulating group. We suggest that this difference of two groups of the CMIP5 climate models would have an effect on simulating the interannual variability of WNPSH.