• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.235-243
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• 2016

In the near future, many countries, including the Republic of Korea, will face a significant increase in low level radioactive waste (LLW) from nuclear power plant decommissioning. The purpose of this paper is to look at blending as a method for enhancing disposal options for low-level radioactive waste from the decommissioning of nuclear reactors. The 2007 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission strategic assessment of the status of the U.S. LLW program identified the need to move to a risk-informed and performance-based regulatory approach for managing LLW. The strategic assessment identified blending waste of varying radionuclide concentrations as a potential means of enhancing options for LLW disposal. The NRC's position is that concentration averaging or blending can be performed in a way that does not diminish the overall safety of LLW disposal. The revised regulatory requirements for blending LLW are presented in the revised NRC Branch Technical Position for Concentration Averaging and Encapsulation (CA BTP 2015). The changes to the CA BTP that are the most significant for NPP operation, maintenance and decommissioning are reviewed in this paper and a potential application is identified for decommissioning waste in Korea. By far the largest volume of LLW from NPPs will come from decommissioning rather than operation. The large volumes in decommissioning present an opportunity for significant gains in disposal efficiency from blending and concentration averaging. The application of concentration averaging waste from a reactor bio-shield is also presented.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

Attempts were made to analyze the national policy of soil contamination prevention and management of inactive or abandoned metal (IAM) mines in Korea. This approach focused on legal systems and legislation, remediation technology development, and the arrangement or distribution of budgets pertaining to national policy since the mid 1990's. Prevention of Mining Damage and Recovery Act enacted. Defines the roles, responsibility and budget of the government when recovering mine damages. However, in 2005 there still remains to improve the national policy of soil contamination prevention and management of IAM mines. Analysis of national and industrialized foreign countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands suggest the following improvements: i) arranging distinct regulations between strict and non-strict liability criteria for potentially responsible parties; limiting innocent and non-strict liability depending on the period of incurred mining activity, ii) enhancing participation of local communities by enforcing law and legislation, iii) establishing a national database system of (potentially) IAM contaminated sites based on the Website-Geographic Information System, iv) carrying out site-specific risk assessments and remediation of IAM contaminated sites, v) preparation and distribution of clean-up fund at mine sites adequately, and vi) technology development for the cleaning of IAM contaminated sites; awarding positive incentives of a legal nature for participants applying newly developed technology in IAM mines.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.367-380
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• 2013

In this study, sub-indicators, and thematic mid-indexes to evaluate the water use characteristics were selected through historical data analysis and factor analysis, and consisted of the subject approach framework. And the integrated index was developed to evaluate water use characteristics of the watershed. Using developed index, the water use characteristics were assessed for 812 standard basins with the exception for North Korea using data of 1990 to 2007 from the relevant agencies. A sensitivity analysis is conducted for this study to determine the proper way through various normalization and weighting methods. To increase the objectivity of developed index, the history of the damage indicators are excluded in the analysis. In addition, in order to ensure its reliability, results from index with and without consideration of the damage history were compared. Also, the index is also applied to real data for 2008 Gangwon region to verify its field applicability. Through the validation process this index confirmed the adequacy for the indicators selection and calculation method. The results of this study were analyzed based on the spatial and time vulnerability of the basin's water use, which can be applied to various parts such as priority decision-making for water business or policy, mitigations for the vulnerable components of the basin, and supporting measures to establishment by providing relevant information about it.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.589-603
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• 2014

Expressions for determining the value of the impact force as reported in the literature and incorporated into code provisions are essentially quasi-static forces for emulating deflection. Quasi-static forces are not to be confused with contact force which is generated in the vicinity of the point of contact between the impactor and target, and contact force is responsible for damage featuring perforation and denting. The distinction between the two types of forces in the context of impact actions is not widely understood and few guidelines have been developed for their estimation. The value of the contact force can be many times higher than that of the quasi-static force and lasts for a matter of a few milli-seconds whereas the deflection of the target can evolve over a much longer time span. The stiffer the impactor the shorter the period of time to deliver the impulsive action onto the target and consequently the higher the peak value of the contact force. This phenomenon is not taken into account by any contemporary codified method of modelling impact actions which are mostly based on the considerations of momentum and energy principles. Computer software such as LS-DYNA has the capability of predicting contact force but the dynamic stiffness parameters of the impactor material which is required for input into the program has not been documented for debris materials. The alternative, direct, approach for an accurate evaluation of the damage potential of an impact scenario is by physical experimentation. However, it can be difficult to extrapolate observations from laboratory testings to behaviour in real scenarios when the underlying principles have not been established. Contact force is also difficult to measure. Thus, the amount of useful information that can be retrieved from isolated impact experiments to guide design and to quantify risk is very limited. In this paper, practical methods for estimating the amount of contact force that can be generated by the impact of a fallen debris object are introduced along with the governing principles. An experimental-calibration procedure forming part of the assessment procedure has also been verified.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.50 no.10
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• pp.701-708
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• 2022

Since the propellant tank structure of the projectile is mainly subjected to a compressive force, there is a high risk of damage due to buckling. Large and lightweight structures such as propellant tank have a complex manufacturing process. So it requires a non-destructive test method to predict buckling load to use the structure after testing. Many studies have been conducted on Vibration Correlation Technique(VCT), which predicts buckling load using the relationship between compressive load and natural frequency, but it requires a large compressive load to predict the buckling load accurately, and it tends to decrease prediction accuracy with increasing internal pressure in structure. In this paper, we analyzed the causes of the decrease in prediction accuracy when internal pressure increases and proposed a method increasing prediction accuracy under the low compressive load for being usable after testing, through VCT combined testing and FEA result. The prediction value by the proposed method was very consistent with the measured actual buckling load.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.106-116
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• 2022

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have actively responded to global climate change, and developed and operated the Common Principles for Climate Finance Tracking. They estimate climate finance in a granular manner with a conservative view. In other words, the MDBs track their financing only for those elements or proportions of projects that directly contribute to or promote climate adaptation or mitigation. The MDBs have reported jointly on climate finance since the first edition in 2012, which reported for 2011 and up to the 10th edition in 2021, which reported for 2020. MDBs apply two difference methodologies for adaptation and mitigation. For adaptation, the methodology is based on a context and location specific approach and captures the amounts associated with activities directly linked to vulnerability to climate change. For mitigation, it is evaluated in accordance with a comprehensive list of activities thatreduce greenhouse gas emissions. The result of climate risk assessment is one of the major due diligence items for MDBs alongside with that of environmental and social impact assessment. Under the circumstance that many countries endeavor to deal with climate change at project level, it is meaningful to understand how MDBs have addressed climate change issues in their project approval process. This would be a good reference to establish a methodology for responding to climate change and to expand scope of environmental and social impact assessment.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.325-345
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is a exploratory study for understanding the process of the social isolation of the socially isolated elderly through the approach to their life history. The research was analyzed by one of the methods of qualitative research on life history, the conceptual framework of 'Dimensions, turning, and adaptation' of Mandelbaum(1973). According to the results of this study, the socially isolated elderly people were found to be socially isolated by experiencing complex difficulties such as family disconnection, poverty, poor job and health deterioration. Specifically, in the area of life, there was experience of poor relationship with parent, absence of family, poverty of family and unfavorable relationship with surrounding people in life with original family before isolation. They had bad jobs in the labor market, such as hard labor, delivery, business, and chores. In the area of turning point, we experienced family break due to the separation of the original family and the spouse due to various reasons such as financial crisis, parental divorce and death, spouse affair, economic difficulty. In a transitional stage in the life, many reasons such as the financial crisis, the death of parents, the extramarital affair and economic difficulties led to the disconnection from their original family and their spouses. In an adaptive phase, participants accepted the changed life at each turning point in their lives, carrying out their roles, compromising and trying to adapt properly. He said that their current life, which has entered the social safety net system of the people's basic recipients, has led him to live a more stable life and is adapting to personal hobbies and vicarious satisfaction through networks. This result is somewhat different from previous studies in which isolated elderly people were severely exposed to the risk of depression and loneliness. However, we should also consider the characteristics of this study that interviewed elderly people with relatively low isolation. Based on the results of this research, he presented various practical policy implications.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.106-119
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• 2024

Drug shortage is a persistent phenomenon that poses a public health risk worldwide and occurs due to a range of causes. The purpose of this study is to review key policies to prepare for and respond to drug shortages in selected countries, such as the United States, Canada, and some European countries in order to draw implications. This study reviewed the reports and articles derived from search engines and Google Scholar by using keywords such as drug shortage and stock-out. Over the last decade or so, the United States have strengthened requirements on advance notification for disruption and interruption of drug manufacturing, established the Inter-agency Drug Shortages Task Force to promote the communication and coordination of responses, and expedited drug regulatory processes. Similarly, Canada established the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee on drug shortages by involving representatives from central and local governments and private sectors. Canada also adopted a tiered approach to the communication of drug shortages based on the assessment of the severity of the shortage problem and released a detailed information guide on communication. In 2019, the joint task force between the European Medicines Agency and the Heads of Medicines Agencies issued guidelines on drug shortage communication in the European Economic Area. The countries reviewed in this paper focus on communication across different stakeholders for the monitoring of and timely response to drug shortages. The efforts to protect public health from the negative impact of the drug shortage crisis would require multi-sectorial and multi-governmental coordination and development of guidelines.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.18-29
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• 2024

The aggravation of coastal erosion due to climate change has recently emerged as a global issue, and the international community is aware of the risk and is applying national consultations and various policies. In the case of coastal countries located in the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea, coastal buffer zones and coastal management plans are established at a national level, and the United States is establishing coastal area management plans at the city level. In Korea, coastal erosion management areas are designated and managed to prevent coastal erosion and coastal disasters, but the number of designated areas and policies for coastal land areas are lacking. Therefore, in this study, we study policy cases applied to coastal land to prevent and reduce coastal erosion and coastal disasters through policy status and overseas cases, and seek ways to improve coastal buffer zone policies. As a result of the study, implications were drawn that expansion of the coastal buffer zone for coastal land areas and standards for establishing buffer zones based on scientific analysis are necessary.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.409-421
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• 2024

Background and Objectives: The recent developments in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are emphasizing the multidisciplinary team. We report on the changes in clinical practice following the development of a multidisciplinary team, based on our 7 years of experience. Methods: Multidisciplinary team was established in 2015 offering both balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) and pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) with technical upgrades by internal and external expertise. For operable cases, PEA was recommended as the primary treatment modality, followed by pulmonary angiography and right heart catheterization after 6 months to evaluate treatment effect and identify patients requiring further BPA. For patients with inoperable anatomy or high surgical risk, BPA was recommended as the initial treatment modality. Patient data and clinical outcomes were closely monitored. Results: The number of CTEPH treatments rapidly increased and postoperative survival improved after team development. Before the team, 38 patients were treated by PEA for 18 years; however, 125 patients were treated by PEA or BPA after the team for 7 years. The number of PEA performed was 64 and that of BPA 342 sessions. World Health Organization functional class I or II was achieved in 93% of patients. The patients treated with PEA was younger, male dominant, higher pulmonary artery pressure, and smaller cardiac index, than BPA-only patients. In-hospital death after PEA was only 1 case and none after BPA. Conclusions: The balanced development of BPA and PEA through a multidisciplinary team approach proved synergistic in increasing the number of actively treated CTEPH patients and improving clinical outcomes.