• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.10 no.1_2
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• pp.1-14
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• 1995

The purpose of this research is to assess the health risk of pollutants in drinking water and recommend the guidelines and management plans for maintaining good quality of drinking water. This study has been funded as a national project for three years from 1992 to 1995. This study(the second year, 1993-1994) was conducted to monitor 32 species of carcinogenic chemicals such as volatile organic compounds(VOCs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), pesticides and heavy metals of drinking water at some area in six cities of Korea, and evaluate health risk due to these chemicals through four main steps of risk assessment in drinking water. In hazard identification, 32 species of carcinogenic chemicals were identified by the US EPA classification system. In the step of exposure assessment, sampling of raw, treated and tap water from the public water supply system had been conducted from 1993 to 1994, and 32 chemicals were analyzed. In dose-response assessment, cancer potencies, unit risk estimates and virtually safe doses of carcinogens were obtained by TOX-RISK (Version 3.1). In risk characterization of detected chemicals, health risk due to carcinogens such as vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane, 1, 2-dichloromethane, chloroform, benzene and arsenic of tap water in several cities exceeded 10$^{-5}$ level. We suggest that non-regulated chemicals which exceed 10$^{-5}$ excess cancer risk level, such as vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride and 1, 2-dichloroethane, should be monitored periodically and be regulated by the Drinking Water Management Act, and database for exposure parameter of our own situation should be established.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 2010

This study explores the gender differences in the relationship between social support, social networks and drinking behavior and illustrates gender differences in drinking behavior in order to provide evidence in planning a community health promotion program. Data was collected from 444 surveys (Male=190, Female=244) from a total of 1,899 adult residents in 738 households in the "Y" Apartment Complex in the Gangnam area of Seoul, Korea. Results show significantly higher rates of drinking frequency and alcohol consumption volume in males. Women with high-risk drinking behavior have fewer social relationships than women with normal drinking behavior. Within social networks, friends were significantly associated with drinking behavior and alchol abuse. Drinkers had more friends than non-drinkers in both genders. However, in association with alchol abuse, while male abusers had less friends than normal male drinkers, women abusers had more friends, indicating women who have drinking problems have a stronger social network. This pattern suggests gender differences in the association between social networks and alchol abuse. Therefore in approaching drinking issues, social support and social networks act as a key factor. For men, alcohol prevention programs should be aimed at achieving healthy drinking behavior at the aggregate level including people in his social support and social network groups. For women, the priority is alchol abuse. More attention is required in revealing the context between female social networks and alchol abuse and in developing coping strategies other than drinking.

• 수도
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• v.24 no.5 s.86
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• pp.29-44
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• 1997

Sewage sludge produced in Korea was 1,275,800 tons (dewatered sludge cake) per year in 1996, which is 3,495 tons per day, 0.303% of 11,526,100 tons per day of sewage treated in 79 sewage treatment plants. Sludge production has been and will be increasing in accordance with construction of new facilities for sewage treatment. Most of the sludge is currently disposed by landfill and ocean dumping, but it is becoming difficult to find suitable sites for landfill, particularly in big cities such as Seoul. In addition, rapid increase of landfill cost is anticipated in a near future. Current trend for sludge disposal in advanced countries is land application. Over the past 10 to 20 years in the United States, sludge management practices have changed significantly, moving from disposal to beneficial use. They use biosolid for utilization instead of sludge for disposal. Under the Clean Water Act of 1972, amended in 1987 by Congress, the U.S. EPA was required to develop regulations for the use and disposal of sewage sludge. The EPA assessed the potential for pollutants in sewage sludge to affect public health and the environment through a number of different routes of exposure. The Agency also assessed the potential risk to human health through contamination of drinking water sources or surface water when sludge is disposed on land. The Final Rules were signed by the EPA Administrator and were published (Federal Register, 1993). These rules state that sewage sludge shall not be applied to land if the concentration of any pollutant in the sludge exceeds the ceiling concentration. In addition, the cumulative loading rate for each pollutant shall not exceed the cumulative pollutant loading rate nor should the concentration of each pollutant in the sludge exceed the monthly average concentration for the pollutant. The annual pollutant loading rate generally applies to applications of sewage sludge on agricultural lands. The most popular beneficial use of sewage sludge is land application. The sludge has to be stabilized for appling to land. One of the stabilization process for sewage sludge is lime stabilization process. The stabilization process is consisted of the stabilizing process and the drying process. Stabilization reactor can be a drum type reactor in which a crossed mixer is equipped. The additive agents are a very reactive mixture of calcium oxide and others. The stabilized sludge is dried in sun drier or rotary kiln.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.634-644
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• 2021

Despite the increased social demand for strengthening the punishment for ghost surgery in Korea, the governmental management is very passive compared to other offenses of medical law, and the punishment for ghost surgery is insufficient, so that medical malpractices are continuously occurring. A plastic surgeon who posted the names of clinics performing ghost surgery and the number of deaths on the internet bulletin board, was charged with the violation of the Information Telecommunication Act(defamation). Thus, this study aimed to present the legal/institutional issues and implications of defamation by the release of ghost surgery, by initially examining the charged case after posting the contents showing the death of patients by ghost surgery in clinics on the internet bulletin board. This study aimed to understand how strictly the court approached the ghost surgery in the aspect of public interest, and also to understand the judgment standard of punishment for defamation by investigating the publicly alleging facts and public interest by the disclosure of ghost surgery. Moreover, this study aims to provide the basic data necessary for guaranteeing the national health right by arousing attention to ghost surgery.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.125-135
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• 2004

Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) in Korea has been used to improve environmental conservation and decision-making. Since environmental impact statement(EIS) was introduced in 1981 with the promulgation of the Environmental Preservation Act in 1977, which replaced the Pollution Control Act legislated in 1963. With a rapid growth of environmental perception as well as the diversification of development activities, however, it has recently bring about a strong demand for a new assessment process related to the strategic level of policies, plan, programs. Method of this study includes analyses of the situation of local EIA and its problematic issues through survey and analysis of information and data, analysis of the level of environmental awareness of professionals and case studies including analysis of foreign strategic environmental assessment. Accordingly, I have elicited a concept of SEA. In addition, I have studied on costs of environmental assessment, and efficiency of internalization of HIA. The survey was carried between September and November 2003, and 177 professionals were asks to complete a questionnaire. As a result of questionnaire survey of environmental pundits, it revealed that 83.8% of participants were in favor of introduction of strategic assessment. This result demonstrated more or less higher approval rate than those of awareness survey done by the Ministry of Environment, i.e. 86.0% ayes, and 14.0% nays. 22.8% of participants agreed to the opinion; "For introduction of this system, earlier is better," 50% reported having an opinion such as, "Will introduce this system in an earliest possible time after correcting problems," 26.3% reported having an opinion such as, "Let's decide the time for introduction of this system after correcting problems first,' and 0.9% reported having an opinion, "it's too early to introduce this system." Specifically, the ratio of ayes on introduction of the system marked 72.8%, and it revealed that a majority of respondents have an opinion such as, "Will introduce this system in an earliest possible time after correcting problems." As means of solutions for the problem regarding the limits of applications that existed in SEA System, factors, such as collecting a wide variety of opinions, securing experts, and faithful implementation, etc. were reported important, and in addition to these factors, respondents revealed having opinions such as, consistent research and development, reflection of public interest, establishment of professional organization, enforcement of after-management service, expanding investments in large, systemizing reference materials, and encouraging public participation, etc. To improve problems involving with present EIA system, it has been identified through this study that SEA is efficient and useful. In order to have SEA introduced successfully, it has been cleared that internalization of effectiveness of environmental cost together with HIA must be accomplished.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.181-185
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• 2021

Road fine dust is not simply a problem of air pollution, but is threatening the health and life of the public, including pedestrians using sidewalks. There are various policy proposals related to road fine dust reduction, but the actual effect cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, in order to ensure the safe and pleasant passage of the people, the pavement pavement (sidewalk pavement) for fine dust management on the road should be designed by considering the location, use, function, etc., and appropriate paving materials and construction methods should be selected and designed or sidewalk facilities should be prepared. Therefore, this study examines the concept and legal basis of sidewalk pavement, reviews the status of sidewalk pavement-related technologies that purify air pollution, and utilizes sidewalk pavement materials under the revised sidewalk pavement guidelines for reducing fine dust, 「Act on Promotion of Purchasing of Green Products」 We intend to establish a legal basis for early application of sidewalk pavement technology by proposing measures and amendments to local government sidewalk pavement management rules.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.5-62
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• 2018

Over the last 10 years, the fight against occupational diseases of semiconductor workers led by SHARPS(the Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor industry, NGO) has accomplished considerable achievements, especially in the legal and institutional aspects. First, the court and the government accepted the claims that 24 injured workers respectively filed, recognizing their 10 types of diseases as occupational illness. The court not only expanded the list of work places and diseases that it recognized, but also presented more progressive logic of recognition. The most remarkable achievement among them is the case ruled by the Supreme court in July, 2017. In terms of 'worker's right to know', which is the most important factor in preventing occupational diseases, there have been significant legislative bills, court rulings and government guidelines. The revised bill of the Industrial Safety and Health Act to strengthen workers' rights to know and to introduce the pre-review system on trade secret is currently under review by the National Assembly. The court recently ruled that the government should disclose its inspection results on safety and health management at semiconductor factories. The ministry of labor has drawn up internal guidelines to more actively open its safety and health data to public. This study looks over recent developments in such rulings, bills and guidelines and then, analyzes their implications, laying the groundwork for future actions for worker health in the electronic industry.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.3-28
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• 2022

Recently, the targets and clauses of negotiation between 'National Health Insurance Service (NHIS)' and Pharmaceutical companies has been expanded. Due to newly adopted 'Quality management clause', 'Compulsory supply maintenance clause' and 'Penalty for breach of contract clause', not only 'Ministry of Health and Wellfare (MOHW)'s 'drug listing' and 'Price cap' announcement, but also 'negotiation between NHIS and pharmaceutical companies' can be a legal sanction to the suppliers. Once secretary of MOHW order NHIS to negotiate with pharmaceutical company, NHIS notify this order to the company and enter into the negotiation. 'The order' exists in the public domain between the government (MOHW) and public institutions (NHIS) and does not constrain the legal rights of companies (Therefore companies cannot pile a lawsuit about the order). However, 'the notice' or 'negotiation' is an act which has a counterpart, can be a target of administrative litigation if the company get some disadvantages from the talks. Negotiations can be divided into four types according to "the target (whether it is listed on the insurance benefit list)" and "the purpose (whether the target is price or conditional)." In particular, negotiations on listed drugs, whose goal is to set unfavorable conditions for companies, can be illegal if there is no price. So we need to consider compensation for the company as an incentive to negotiate.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.477-481
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• 2015

Giardia is a major public health concern and considered as reemerging in industrialized countries. The present study investigated the prevalence of giardiosis in 202 sheltered dogs using PCR. The infection rate was 33.2% (67/202); Gyeongsangbuk-do and Daejeon showed 25.7% (39/152, P<0.0001) and 56% (28/50), respectively. The prevalence of infected female dogs (46.7%, P<0.001) was higher than in male dogs (21.8%). A higher prevalence (43.5%, P<0.0001) was observed in mixed breed dogs than purebred (14.1%). Although most of the fecal samples collected were from dogs of ${\geq}1$ year of age which showed only 27.4% positive rate, 61.8% (P<0.001) of the total samples collected from young animals (<1 year of age) were positive for G. intestinalis. A significantly higher prevalence in symptomatic dogs (60.8%, P<0.0001) was observed than in asymptomatic dogs (23.8%). Furthermore, the analysis of nucleotide sequences of the samples revealed that G. intestinalis Assemblages A and C were found in the feces of dogs from Gyeongsangbuk-do and Daejeon. Since G. intestinalis Assemblage A has been known to infect humans, our results suggest that dogs can act as an important reservoir of giardiosis in Korea. Hence, hygienic management should be given to prevent possible transmission to humans.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.13-19
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• 2001

The OECD defines regulatory reform as both better regulation and deregulation, and emphasizes that governments must continue to regulate in areas such as environmental quality and safety. In contrast, Korean regulatory reform in fire services in the 1990s shows quite a strange trend, having been carried out only to the direction of softening and abolishing regulations. In the UK, fire prevention legislation has been strengthened since the enactment of the Fire Precautions Act 1971, and the Building Regulations 1991, which apply to all new buildings including a private house, require that there should be at least one smoke alarm on each floor. This research shows that the tightening of fire prevention legislation in the UK has promoted fire safety, which is very instructive for Korean fire services. In order for Korean fire services to protect citizens'lives and property from fires, one of basic directions of regulatory reform, to improve the quality of regulations relating to safety, health and the environment, should be observed strictly. Moreover, the flexibility of the basic direction of regulatory reform should be ensured so that the regulations concerning safety could be even increased under the overall reform strategy of reducing all regulations.