• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.40-47
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• 2015

Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants not only emit less greenhouse gases and air pollutants than conventional coal-fired power plants, but also use low-price, low-quality, and internationally easily procurable coal. Thus we can benefit from safeguarding energy security through building the IGCC power plant. This paper attempts to value the benefits of energy security enhanced by IGCC power plant. To this end, we report here the results from a contingent valuation survey of randomly selected 600 households. A combination of a double-bounded model and a spike model is applied for the purpose of increasing statistical efficiency and dealing with zero(0) willingness to pay data, respectively. The results show that the respondents are additionally willing to pay 6.05 won for 1kWh of electricity generated from IGCC power plant. In other words, the benefits from safeguarding energy security through building the IGCC power plant are 6.05 won per kWh. Given that the expected amount of generation from the Taean IGCC power plant that is scheduled to be built in late 2015 is 2.27 TWh per year, the benefits are estimated to be 13.74 billion won per year.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 2017

This paper attempts to quantitatively assess the public value that has been assigned to this government plan by employing a contingent valuation technique. Data gathering performed that professional research firm administrated a face-to-face national survey of 1,000 randomly-selected households. A one-and-one-half-bound model was adopted to elicit willingness to pay (WTP) responses, and the payment vehicle used was income tax. The WTP model used in this study is based on a utility difference approach and the spike model. The results showed that the public value of conserving green turtles was estimated to be 2,570 Korean Won per household over the next 10 years as of 2016, statistically significant at the 1% level. Expanding the values considered to include the national population gives a public value of 48.7 billion Korean Won. Thus, the public value of rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing green turtles that have been caught by fishermen, collided with fishing boats, and died in nets through the government program is not small.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.681-691
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• 2022

Zostera marina (ZM), a type of seagrass registered as a marine protected species in South Korea, provides valuable ecosystem services to humans, such as improving marine water quality, providing food, spawning grounds and habitats for marine life, and absorbing carbon dioxide. Therefore, the government is seeking to preserve ZM by designating ZM-protected areas. This study examined the public willingness to pay (WTP) for the preservation of ZM using contingent valuation. The one-and-one-half-bounded model was adopted for WTP elicitation, and the single-bounded model was also applied for comparison. The spike model was employed to deal with many zero WTP responses. The household average WTP was estimated as KRW 4,087 per year, securing statistical significance. The national value was KRW 84.1 billion per year. The preservation value of ZM estimated in this study can be used as important data for economic analysis of various projects or policy implementation for its preservation.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.25-45
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• 2015

The government has implemented the projects of restoring the ecological integrity of streams to improve its water quality and provide resting places with local residents. Because the projects require huge public investments, their economic feasibility should be investigated through ex-post examination of their benefits. This study attempts to analyze the economic feasibility of restoring the ecological integrity using specific cases of Namyang stream in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi and Yugu stream in Gongju, Chungnam. The contingent valuation (CV) method is employed to measure the benefits. To this end, a professional polling firm conducted two CV surveys of 210 and 209 households for Hwaseong and Gongju, respectively. The willingness to pay (WTP) model used in the study is based on utility difference approach and the single-bounded dichotomous choice spike model. The results reveal that the WTP for restoring ecological integrity of the Namyang and Yugu streams are estimated to be 3,140 and 10,121 won per household per year. Interestingly, the latter is about three times greater than the former. The quantitative information can be used in economic feasibility analysis of the projects of restoring the ecological integrity of the Namyang and Yugu streams.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.645-654
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• 2015

This paper attempts to quantitatively assess the conservation value of Ellobium chinense (EC), which belongs to the endangered marine species designated by Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. To this end, we apply the contingent valuation (CV) method, an economic technique of valuing a non-market goods such as EC. A national survey of randomly selected 1,000 households was administered in order to derive the public's willingness to pay (WTP) for conserving EC. One-and-one-half-bound model was adopted to elicit the WTP responses and a spike model was employed to deal with the zero WTP responses. The results show that the conservation value of EC is estimated to be 2,346 won per household per year that is statistically significant at the 1% level. Expanding the value to the national population gives us an annual value of 43.8 billion won. We can judge that the Korean people are willing to pay a significant amount to conserve EC.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.138-149
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• 2023

In geoscience and engineering the geological characteristics of sediment strata is crucial and possible if reliable borehole logging and seismic data are available. To investigate the characteristics of the shallow strata in the Korea Strait, laboratory sonic logs were obtained from deep borehole data and seismic section. In this study, we integrated and analyzed the sonic log data obtained from the drilling core (down to a depth of 200 m below the seabed) and multichannel seismic section. The correlation value was increased from 15% to 45% through time-depth conversion. An initial model of P-wave impedance was set, and the results were compared by performing model-based, band-limited, and sparse-spike inversions. The derived P-impedance distributions exhibited differences between sediment-dominant and unconsolidated layers. The P-impedance inversion process can be used as a framework for an integrated analysis of additional core logs and seismic data in the future. Furthermore, the derived P-impedance can be used to detect shallow gas-saturated regions or faults in the shallow sediment. As domestic deep drilling is being performed continuously for identifying the characteristics of carbon dioxide storage candidates and evaluating resources, the applicability of the integrated inversion will increase in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.130-142
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• 2014

The Korean government is considering implementation of the marine ecosystem restoration technology program (MERTP) to analyze the current status of the marine ecosystems and causes for the ecosystem deterioration as well as to eventually establish a master strategic plan for restoring ecosystem functions and preventing ecosystem functional loss. In order to determine likelihood of successful implementation, it is essential to perform an analysis of the economic feasibility of the program. The present study assessed economic feasibility of the MERTP. To this end, the dichotomous choice contingent valuation (CV) method is used. In particular, dichotomous choice (DC) format is employed as a method of eliciting willingness-to-pay (WTP) response to incentive-compatible mechanisms. The study also employed the spike model to deal with zero WTP responses from the DC CV survey. This survey of 1,000 randomly selected households in accordance with the guidelines provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA) was carried out nationwide in 2013. And, the respondents were asked in person-to-person interviews about their WTP for implementing the MERTP. The results showed that the annual mean WTP was estimated to be 5,414 won per household. Consequently, the annual benefit from the MERTP would be about 98.6 billion won for the next five years. Economic feasibility assessment utilizing the MERTP investment cost and expansion cost of the value provided that net present value, benefit/cost ratio, and internal rate of return are 337.8 billion won, 5.20, and 65.9 %, respectively, which are bigger than 0, 1.0, and 5.5 %, and that the MERTP passes the cost-benefit analysis.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.225-233
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• 2023

Urban rivers and their surrounding environments have been altered due to factors such as rapid economic growth and urban development. This alteration have caused the rivers to lose their original value and become exposed to various pollution, resulting decrease in citizens' quality of life. This study aims to estimate citizens' Willingness To Pay (WTP) for water quality improvement in Suyeong River in Busan. To estimate the non-market value of the Suyeong River, the WTP of Busan citizens for water quality improvement was estimated, applying Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). The WTP for improving the water quality from Grade 4(polluted water) to Grade 2(game fish like bass can live in it) was estimated using the water quality ladder concept of the US Environmental Protection Agency, assuming annual donations for five years. For the CVM, the logistic distribution and Spike Model were adopted. As a result, citizens residing in the surrounding area of Suyeong River expressed a higher WTP. Considering more than half of the Busan citizens are aware of the "conservation of nature and ecosystems" as a major function of the Suyeong River, this higher WTP could serve as a basis for improving the value of urban rivers.

• Smart Media Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2022

The neuromorphic architecture uses a spiking neural network (SNN) model to derive more accurate results as more spike values are accumulated through inference experiments. When the inference result converges to a specific value, even if the inference experiment is further performed, the change in the result is smaller and power consumption may increase. In particular, in an AI-based IoT environment, power consumption can be a big problem. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a technique to reduce the power consumption of AI-based IoT by reducing the inference time by adjusting the inference image exposure time in the neuromorphic architecture environment. The proposed technique calculates the next inferred image exposure time by reflecting the change in inference accuracy. In addition, the rate of reflection of the change in inference accuracy can be adjusted with a coefficient value, and an optimal coefficient value is found through a comparison experiment of various coefficient values. In the proposed technique, the inference image exposure time corresponding to the target accuracy is greater than that of the linear technique, but the overall power consumption is less than that of the linear technique. As a result of measuring and evaluating the performance of the proposed method, it is confirmed that the inference experiment applying the proposed method can reduce the final exposure time by about 90% compared to the inference experiment applying the linear method.