• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2015

Objective: The goal of this study is to evaluate the comprehensibility of the newly introduced water-sport prohibitive signs by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE, later merged into the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) among Koreans and westerners, and to check whether the comprehensibility is affected by cultural differences. Background: The Ministry of Knowledge Economy had newly introduced fourteen water-sport prohibitive signs at the end of 2011 to alert people to potentially dangerous situations. However, no studies had been found so far to review or assess their comprehensibility. Method: Comprehensibility tests of fourteen water-sport prohibitive signs were conducted with forty Koreans and forty Westerners in two sequential sessions. In session I, participants were asked to guess the meaning of each sign verbally in an open-ended test. In session II, participants were encouraged to provide feedback for each sign after its intended meaning was given. Results: Only two out of fourteen signs satisfied the comprehension rate (67%) recommended by ISO standard for both groups (Koreans and Westerners). Cultural difference between Koreans and westerners significantly affect the comprehension rates of the investigated signs, and Westerners exhibit better overall comprehension than Koreans. Five poorly comprehended signs for both Korean and Western groups were identified. Conclusion: The recently introduced water-sport prohibitive warning signs by MKE still need a lot of improvements in order to be implemented nationally or internationally. There were significant differences in the signs' comprehensibility between Koreans and westerners. Application: The findings may serve as a useful input for researchers and watersport sign designers in creating easy-to-comprehend safety signs.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.175-199
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• 2000

Acupuncture and moxibustion play an important role not only in the medical service and health care of Korea, China and japan but also in those of many western countries such as Germany, France, United States of America. An unexpected results induced by careless acupuncture and moxibustion treatments may be mild or severe, and are due to practitioner's mistake and particular body condition of a patient. This study was performed to establish a preventive measures against medical accident induced by acupuncture therapy. Total 23 acupuncture points which are included in a J${\bar{l}}$n-Zh${\dot{e}}$n-Xu${\acute{e}}$-G${\dot{e}}$ were selected as prohibited acupuncture points. Although the records in J${\bar{l}}$n-Zh${\dot{e}}$n-Xu${\acute{e}}$-G${\dot{e}}$ are an important data historically which show dangerous acupuncture points, there are few a full investigation on J${\bar{l}}$n-Zh${\dot{e}}$n-Xu${\acute{e}}$-G${\dot{e}}$ up to the present. So present study was done for literature review to understand a feasibility of the records in J${\bar{l}}$n-Zh${\dot{e}}$n-Xu${\acute{e}}$-G${\dot{e}}$ in association with dangerous acupuncture points. Based upon the locations of these acupuncture points, the dangerous region were classified three categories, head, soma and limb. And abnormal signs related to the improperly performed acupuncture treatment on each point were investigated by using historical reference books on acupuncture and moxibustion. And then names, locations, depth of insertion, operation methods and side effects of each point were investigated.