• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate seasonal difference in linear trends in satellite-derived chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) and their related environmental changes in the South Sea of Korea (SSK) and East China Sea (ECS) for recent 15 years (Jan. 1998~Dec. 2012) by analyzing climatological data of Chl-a, Rrs(555), sea surface wind (SSW) and nutrient. A linear trend analysis of Chl-a data reveals that, during recent 15 years, the spring bloom was enhanced in most of the ECS, while summer and fall blooms were weakened. The increased spring (Mar. - May) Chl-a was associated with strengthened winter (Dec. - Feb.) wind that probably provided more nutrient into the upper ocean from the deep. The causes of decreased summer (Jun. - Aug.) Chl-a in the northern ECS were uncertain, but seemed to be related with the nutrient limitation. Recently (after 2006), low-salinity Changjiang diluted water in the south of Jeju and the SSK had lower phosphate that caused increase in N/P ratio with Chl-a decrease. The decreased fall (Sep. - Nov.) Chl-a was associated with weakened wind that tends to entrain less nutrient into the upper ocean from the deep. This study suggests that phytoplankton in the ECS differently changes in response to environmental changes depending on season and region.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.53-61
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• 2006

Geochemical and sedimentological analyses of sediment piston core were used to trace paleoceanographic environmental changes in the East China Sea. The analytical results revealed three lithostratigraphic units (I, II, and III) corresponding to a highstand stage, a transgressive stage, and a lowstand stage, respectively. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) $^{14}C$ dated the boundaries between the units as 7 ka and II ka. That is, Unit I extended from the present to 7 ka, Unit II occupied a transitional episode from 7 to 11 ka, and Unit III was older than 11 ka. The transitional episode was characterized by sudden fluctuations in various geochemical proxies. Most strikingly, there was a gradual upward increase in both carbonate and total organic carbon (TOe) contents post-7 ka, during which time the ${\delta}^{l3}C$ values of organic material increased to a constant value. The gradual upward increase in the TOC and $CaCO_3$ contents in Unit I were accompanied by slight variations in grain size that probably reflect a stable modern oceanographic environment. Within Unit II (7 to 11 ka), the geochemical signals were characterized by abrupt and steep fluctuations, typical of a transgressive stage. Vertical mixing may have provoked an increase in productivity during this interval, with large amounts of terrigenous organic matter and/or freshwater being supplied by neighboring rivers. The geochemical signals remained stable throughout Unit III but exhibited different patterns than signals in Unit I. The high terrigenous organic matter content of Unit III suggests correspondence to a lowstand stage.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.135-145
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• 2019

We investigated the mass occurrence of the salp Salpa fusiformis during spring in the southern waters of Korea and the northern East China Sea. Abundance of S. fusiformis and dominant taxonomic groups including copepods, ostracods, euphausiids, and appendicularian was examined along with environmental factors (e.g., temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll-a concentration). The abundance of S. fusiformis at 27 stations ranged from 0 to $183\;inds\;m^{-3}$. Both aggregate and solitary forms of S. fusiformis occurred with a mean abundance of $62\;inds\;m^{-3}$ and $4\;inds\;m^{-3}$, and mean body length of 6.5 mm and 15.4 mm, respectively. Redundancy analysis showed that the abundance of S. fusiformis was negatively correlated with chlorophyll-a concentration, indicating the intensive grazing impact of S. fusiformis on phytoplankton. While the abundance of S. fusiformis increased, the species diversity of zooplankton community decreased. The abundances of total copepods and the dominant copepod species (e.g., adults and/or copepodites of Paracalansus parvus s.l., Calanus sinicus, Oithona similis, and Corycaeus affinis) also decreased with the increase of S. fusiformis abundance. However, the abundance of ostracods, euphausiids, and appendicularians was not affected by the mass occurrence of the salps. These results suggest that the mass occurrence of S. fusiformis in spring could negatively affect ecosystem conditions by changing trophodynamics in the zooplankton community.

• Strategy21
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• s.30
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• pp.177-199
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• 2012

As is generally known, the sovereignty dispute over the Senkaku Islands between China/Taiwan and Japan was triggered by a report commissioned by the UN in 1968, which reported the possibility of a substantial amount of petroleum and natural gas buried in the South China Sea. When the administrative authority over the Ryukyu Islands was transferred from the US to Japan in 1972, jurisdiction over the Senkaku Islands was also transferred. A dispute ensued between China (Taiwan) and Japan over the Senkaku Islands except during the period in which formal relations were established between the two states. This paper will take a look particularly at the events that occurred in the 2000's and discuss their recent trends and aspects of the dispute. Though China and Japan agreed to joint resource development in 2008, the agreed zone was a very small area adjacent to the Korea-Japan Joint Continental Shelf Development Zone, and the points of agreement have not been implemented. China has been developing four oil fields including Chunxiao in its waters adjacent to the median line asserted by Japan. However, China also has been excluding the participation of Japan, while Japan has been strongly objecting to the unilateral development of oil fields by China. If indeed the oil fields on China's side are connected past the median line asserted by Japan, then China's unilateral development will infringe upon the potential sovereign rights of Japan, thereby violating international law.

• Strategy21
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• s.33
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• pp.113-147
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• 2014

While China's military rise is an issue of growing importance to regional security, it is worthwhile to note that it is not China's military modernization per se, but its capacity to project and sustain power along and beyond its borders--in particular, the possibility to resolve forcefully its outstanding maritime disputes and various contingencies. This essay argues that China's "anti-access capability"--a U.S.-coined term originally developed for a Taiwan contingency--is equally applicable to other major regional cases such as the Spratly disputes and a North Korean contingency. Furthermore, notwithstanding China's continuos efforts to develop and deploy various types and classes of weapons/platforms, it is the Russian systems and technologies that are most capable and thus likely assigned to the highest mission-critical areas. In assessing China's current and likely future military capability as well as their implications for the region, it is necessary to take note of the following: • There exists asymmetry of military capability between China and its weaker neighbors. While the PLAN is weak in several important aspects, for instance, many of its neighbors' navies are weaker still. • Some have argued that China's foreign policy behavior apparently became more "assertive" in 2009-2013, but it is wiser to keep in mind that China has almost always been assertive and aggressive when it comes to what China defines as "sovereignty and territorial issues" as well as its newest "core interests." • On the South China Sea disputes it is the function of U.S. presence in the theater--in the form of overseas bases and the freedom of navigation--and the PLA's own limitations to project and sustain power for an extended period of time that have largely prevented armed. • While Taiwan remains the idee fixe of China's diplomacy and military, it is and will be a tough nut to crack. China's recent creeping attempts for economic integration with Taiwan should be seen in this context. • China and Japan, the two regional heavyweights and traditional rivals, will likely have a bilateral relationship that is replete with difficulties and tension. China's unilateral announcement of its ADIZ in November 2013 as well as the occasional yet persistent disputes with Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyudao/Diaoyutai islands are only the latest manifestation of this deeper and difficult relationship. • For Korean security it is imperative to take into account the geostrategic and historical factors. On top of the existing military threats from North Korea, the ROK should be able to employ a) hedging strategy, b) "limited defense sufficiency" strategy, and c) rock-solid relations with the United States.

• Atmosphere
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.439-446
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• 2011

NCEP reanalysis data were analyzed in order to provide distribution of global wind resource and wind speed in the surface layer for the years 2000-2009. Wind speed at 10 m above ground level (AGL) was converted to wind speed at 80 m above the ground level using the power law. The global average 80 m wind speed shows a maximum value of $13ms^{-1}$ at the storm track region. High wind speed over the land exists in Tibet, Mongolia, Central North America, South Africa, Australia, and Argentina. Wind speed over the ocean increased with a large value in the South China Sea, Southeast Asia, East Sea of the Korea. Sea surface wind in Western Europe and Scandinavia are suitable for wind farm with a value of $7-8ms^{-1}$. Areas with great potential for wind farm are also found in Eastern and Western coastal region of North America. Sea surface wind in Southern Hemisphere shows larger values in the high latitude of South America, South Africa and Australia. The distribution of low-resolution reanalysis data represents general potential areas for wind power and can be used to provide information for high-resolution wind resource mapping.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.89-102
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• 2007

The surface circulation of northern South China Sea (hereafter SCS) for the period 1987-2005 was studied using the data of more than 500 satellite-tracked drifters and wind data from QuikSCAT. The mean flow directions in the northern SCS except the Luzon Strait (here after LS) during the periods October_March was southwestward, and $April{\sim}September$ northeastward. A strong northwestward intrusion of the Kuroshio through the LS appears during the $October{\sim}March$ period of northeasterly wind, but the intrusion became weak between April and September. When the strong intrusion occurred, the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) in the LS was $388cm^2/s^2$ which was almost 2 times higher than that during the weak-intrusion season. The volume transport of the Kuroshio in the east of the Philippines shows an inverse relationship to that of the LS. There is a six-month phase shift between the two seasonal phenomena. The volume transport in the east of the Philippines shows its peak sis-month earlier faster than that of the LS. The strong Kuroshio intrusion is found to be also related to the seasonal variation of the wind stress curl generated by the north easterly wind. The negative wind stress curl in the northern part of LS induces an anticyclonic flow, while the positive wind stress curl in the southern part of LS induces a cyclonic flow. The northwestward Kuroshio intrusion in the northern part of LS happened with larger negative wind stress curl, while the westward intrusion along $20.5^{\circ}N$ in the center of the LS occurred with weaker negative wind stress curl.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.139-152
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• 2008

China's rapid growth of economy and developing logistics facilities such as sea and air ports can give the good effects to increase the trade and logistics cargo volumes within Pan Yellow Sea Economic Bloc which consists of Korea, China, Japan and Russia. These phenomenon also stimulate the development of the West Coastal Integrated Belt in South Korea. In the past 20th century, South Korea's advanced and developed areas were located on the Kyeong-Bu Axis, the straight line of Seoul and Busan. However, due to the china's effect, this axis is moving into the West Coast area between Incheon (Seoul) and Mokpo, which is closely located to China. In this aspect, sea ports located in West Coast of Korea have shown the steep increase in container and non-container cargo volumes. With regard to the changing environments in sea ports, this paper's aim is to investigate the developing potential of Gunsan (Saemangum) area located on mid of West Coast. As results, targeted area have shown the potential in terms of port network, supply chain management and transferring location for container cargoes. Moreover, for implementing the suitable roles, construction of New Saemangun port, closely located in Gunsan port, is needed to overcome the limitations of Gunsan port.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.365-372
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• 2019

We have conducted faunistic study of sea lice collected from marine plankton samples of western and southern coasts of Korea. These specimens were identified as Caligus undulatus Shen and Li, 1959, belonging to family Caligidae and order Siphonostomatoida with worldwide distribution. The range extension of C. undulatus is reported in addition to the previously known distributional range from the Northwest Pacific (China, Japan, and Korea), India, Brazil, and Mexico. This species can be distinguished from all previous reports with characteristics such as overall body proportions of both sexes, structure details of mouth appendages, armature of legs, and some variation in body size. The distributional range of C. undulatus is now given with its northern and south hemisphere limit being 40 to $10^{\circ}N$ in the Indo-Pacific and $30^{\circ}S$ in the Southwest Atlantic. This is the first record of its female occurring in Korea.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2000

Assuming that summer surface waters in the South Sea (northern East China Sea) are formed mostly by a mixing of three source water (Changjiang Discharge Water; Kuroshio Water and Yellow Sea Surface Water) we apply optimum multiparameter (OMP) analysis to calculate the mixing ratio of each source water to a given surface water. Since OMP requires more parameters than the number of water types (three in this study), we utilize two radium isotopes of dissolved $^{226}Ra\;and\;^{228}Ra$ along with temperature and salinity. Parameter values of each source water are deduced from in situ and historical data. Results with three source of waters on the surface waters are quite promising with less than $1\%$ of unanswered portions. Results not only reproduce the measured temperature and salinity faithfully but also discern the water masses of similar T and S according to their source water mixing. Extending OMP analysis to a whole water column obviously requires more parameters because more source waters are involved in the water mass formation. Original OMP routine utilized dissolved oxygen and nutrients. However, they seem to be perturbed too much by biological activities in the case of shallow waters. We discussed the use of other potential parameters. Also the benefit of parameter substitution is briefly introduced for the future OMP application on shallow waters.