• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.187-206
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• 2020

Under the on-going evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, estimating the economic impact of the pandemic is highly uncertain and challenging. This situation makes it difficult for policymakers, governors, and economic entities to formulate appropriate responses and decision makings. To provide useful information about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Korean economy, this study examined macroeconomic impact analysis stemming from the pandemic shocks with different scenarios for the Korean economy. Based on three scenarios using the growth rate of 2020 GDP and consumer expenditure patterns, the 2021 GDP by industry sector was forecast with two new approaches. First, the recovering process of the Korean economy from the shock was analyzed by applying a Flex-IO method. Second, a new forecasting approach combined with an IO coefficient matrix was applied to forecast the future GDP changes. The findings of this study are summarized as follows: First, the total GDP growth rate under the Pessimistic Scenario demonstrates less rebound from the shock than that of the Base Scenario. Second, agriculture, culture, and tourism-related sectors that are suffering from the severe losses of COVID-19 showed lower resilience than other different industries. Third, information and communications technology (ICT) industry maintains a stable growth trend and is expected to take the leading role for the Korean economy in the post-COVID-19 and the Industry 4.0 eras. The findings deliver that it needs to analyze how government expenditure responding the shock into the forecasting model, which can be more useful and reliable to simulate the resilience from the pandemic.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.187-198
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• 2022

This study attempted to examine whether the spread of infectious diseases and quarantine measures such as border blockade and restrictions on movement due to the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause of a decrease in product trade. To this end, a gravity model analysis was conducted using commodity trade statistics from Korea and major trading partners. As a result of the analysis, it was empirically confirmed that in 2020, the time of the spread of COVID-19, the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic was an obstacle to reducing Korea's trade. However, in the case of 2021, it was not possible to confirm whether the impact of the pandemic had a significant effect on commodity trade. As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 is different, the commodity trade situation in 2022 when the COVID-19 epidemic is stably managed is also likely to change. Since factors such as response to COVID-19 and the spread of vaccines vary from country to country, it is thought that such various factors should be fully considered in the process of establishing policies to end the COVID-19 era

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.317-324
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• 2023

Background: COVID-19 pandemic represented a unique stressful event that affected the physical health and psychological well-being (PWB) of individuals and communities. Monitoring PWB is essential not only to clarify the burden on mental health effects but also to define targeted psychological-supporting measures. This cross-sectional study evaluated the PWB of Italian firefighters during the pandemic. Methods: Firefighters recruited during the pandemic period filled out a self-administered questionnaire, the Psychological General Well-Being Index, during the health surveillance medical examination. This tool is usually used to assess the global PWB and explores six subdomains: anxiety, depressed mood, positive well-being, self-control, general health, and vitality. The influencing roles of age, gender, working activities, COVID-19, and pandemic restrictive measures were also explored. Results: A total of 742 firefighters completed the survey. The aggregate median PWB global score was in the 'no distress"" range (94.3 ± 10.3), which was higher than that observed in studies conducted using the same tool in the Italian general population during the same pandemic period. Similar findings were observed in the specific subdomains, thus suggesting that the investigated population was in good PWB condition. Interestingly, significantly better outcomes were detected in the younger firefighters. Conclusion: Our data showed a satisfactory PWB situation in firefighters that could be related to different professional factors such as work organization and mental and physical training. In particular, our results would suggest the hypothesis that in firefighters, maintaining a minimum/moderate level of physical activity (consisting of even just going to work) might have a profoundly positive impact on psychological health and well-being.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.103-112
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• 2023

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in late 2019, had a profound impact on global public health and disrupted the daily lives of people worldwide. Particularly, university students faced a challenging situation as their university life underwent a drastic transformation due to long-term remote learning and isolation measures. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between changes in daily life during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and depressive symptoms among university students aged between 19 and 29 in Korea. Methods: We analyzed data from the nationally representative 2020 Community Health Survey (CHS). Among the 229,269 participants, 9,279 university students aged 19-29, either enrolled or on leave, were selected. After excluding 401 cases with missing values, the final sample comprised 8,878 individuals. Using multivariate logistic regression with a complex sample design, we explored the association between daily life changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and depressive symptoms. Results: Changes in daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with depressive symptoms in Korean university students aged 19 to 29, even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health-related factors, and COVID-19-related aspects (OR=1.28, 95% CI=1.09~1.50). Conclusion: Our study suggests that when examining the impact of COVID-19 on health issues, it is crucial to consider the changes in daily life caused by the pandemic. These findings can provide insights into the psychological well-being of university students during times of crisis.

• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.19-24
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• 2022

Metaverse refers to a world that transcends reality. Metaverse is a compound word of meta (transcendence) and universe (universe). The impact of the corona pandemic has provided an opportunity to rapidly grow the metaverse based on realistic content along with online and non-face-to-face environments. Various content and service platforms reflecting the concepts of metaverse and digital twin are rapidly spreading around the world in line with the pandemic situation. As their needs accelerate in response to the COVID-19 situation, the technology of metaverse and digital twin is attracting attention again as an indispensable condition for business, culture and art, national industry, and public services. In particular, the metaverse requires the balanced development of ecosystem components based on various advanced convergence technologies. In this paper, the concept of metaverse and digital twin, types of platforms, and development status are examined, and trends of key element technologies are investigated and analyzed. As these key element technologies, XR sensory technology, avatar technology, and other XR devices and parts were examined. Through this, we want to clearly pinpoint the direction in which the metaverse will develop through future technologies, services, and follow-up research.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between wearing masks and subjective symptoms of halitosis in the COVID-19 situation. The survey was conducted from June 15 to July 31, 2022, among university students aged 19 years or older in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, 1. Subjective symptoms of halitosis were found to be higher in males and students being treated for periodontal diseases. 2. The subjective symptoms of halitosis were found to be higher in subjects with psychological anxiety, even though they did not have halitosis. 3. As a result of examining the subjective symptoms of halitosis, it was found that there were more subjects who were aware of halitosis while wearing a mask than those who were not. In view of the above results, it is thought that because of prolonged wearing of masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the difficulty faced in oral health management increases the symptoms of halitosis. Therefore, it is considered that oral health education in the era of corona should be accompanied by proper wearing of masks and halitosis management education.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.11-19
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims at exploring and understanding the effect of four independent variables related to dairy retail marketing and distribution (deep freezers, promotions, company support and distributor-retailer relationship) and one moderating variable Covid-19 lockdown on sales of dairy product during the Covid 19 pandemic situation. Research design and methodology: Personal interviews and door-to-door surveys and promotional tools were designed to publicise and collect data from the retailers. The sale data before, during and after promotion activity were all recorded and evaluated to draw an inferential conclusion. Factor analysis and multiple regression methods were adopted to analyses the data collected. Results: The research shows that four out of the five factors studied was found having significant impact on dairy retail sales. The highest impact on sales was contributed by promotions, secondly by the deep freezer impact followed by distributor-retailer relationship during the study period and lastly but not the least due to influence of Covid-19 lockdown. Conclusions: The study contributes to the body of knowledge in cold chain distribution process through utilization of right mix of tools and tactics for effective marketing and distribution of dairy products in developing countries especially during a pandemic situation.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.64-86
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• 2010

Korea has had problems with the price and supply of essential drugs such as Gleevec for leukemia, Fuzeon for HIV/AIDS, and Tamiflu for both avian flu and swine flu. The shortage or refusal of patented drugs supply is imposing a heavy burden in not only developing countries but also developed countries. Thinking over the serious results, we need to concern about the limited access to patented drugs by multinational drug companies' patent monopoly especially for pandemic and life threatening diseases. The effective response regarding to pandemic and life threatening diseases. The effective response regarding to pandemic situation requests collaborative and unbiased provisions of all countries in the world, however, sometimes patent monopoly may hinder the efforts. Compulsory licensing has been considered to be a useful alternative to the abuse of patent rights. However, the Korean experiences of compulsory licensing have left some controversial issues in connection with the availability of it in Korea. 'Flexibility' allowed in TRIPS and Doha Declaration has not come into effect in Korea for several reasons. Although the situation shows the limitations of compulsory licensing as a pharmaceutical supply policy, it is clear that compulsory licensing still has the possibilities of enhancing the access to medicines of all countries in need. Through searching the institutionalization process and experiments of compulsory licensing in Korea, this article explores the possibilities and the limits.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.191-205
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• 2020

The unexpected pandemic set off by the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused severe panic among people worldwide. COVID-19 has created havoc, and scientists and physicians are urged to test the efficiency and safety of drugs used to treat this disease. In such a pandemic situation, various steps have been taken by the government to control and prevent the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This pandemic situation has forced scientists to rework strategies to combat infectious diseases through drugs, treatment, and control measures. COVID-19 treatment requires both limiting viral multiplication and neutralizing tissue damage induced by an inappropriate immune reaction. Currently, various diagnostic kits to test for COVID-19 are available, and repurposing therapeutics for COVID-19 has shown to be clinically effective. As the global demand for diagnostics and therapeutics continues to rise, it is essential to rapidly develop various algorithms to successfully identify and contain the virus. This review discusses the updates on specimens/samples, recent efficient diagnostics, and therapeutic approaches to control the disease and repurposed drugs mainly focusing on chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine and convalescent plasma (CP). More research is required for further understanding of the influence of diagnostics and therapeutic approaches to develop vaccines and drugs for COVID-19.

• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.81-91
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine COVID-19 situation in temrs of war-theory and to find out ways to overcome it. Just as the war changes the paradigm in the international situation and the national crisis management system, the current COVID-19 pandemic is bringing about the entry of the so-called "New Normal" era having the characteristics including untact culture. Although academic research on COVID-19 is mainly dealt with in terms of medical, tourism, and economics, the military research has not yet begun from the perspective of military science or war theory. In the concept of a comprehensive crisis that COVID-19 can cause enormous damage to the life and property of a country, it can be regarded as a target or enemy to be overcome. Among various war theories, the similarities with COVID-19 incident are analyzed in terms of the nature and aspect of the war and the factors of victory. Qualitative and questionnaire analysis results show that the COVID-19 outbreak is very similar to war when considering a variety of war-characteristics. In addition this research proposes ways to overcome COVID-19 based on the victorious factors of the past war, and predicts the impact of the international community after the end of COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of analyzing the priority of overcoming factors through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) shows that clear goals and establishment of alliances should be prioritized for successfully overcoming COVID-19.