• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.377-388
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• 2023

Carbon management is emerging as an important factor for global warming control, and land use change is considered one of the causes. To quantify the changes in carbon stocks due to development, this study attempted to calculate carbon storage by borrowing the formula of the InVEST Carbon Storage and Sequestration Model (InVEST Model). Before analyzing carbon stocks, a carbon pool was compiled based on previous studies in Korea. Then, we estimated the change in carbon stocks according to the development of Osong National Industrial Park (ONIP) and the application of alternatives. The analysis shows that 16,789.5 MgC will be emitted under Alternative 1 and 16,305.3 MgC under Alternative 2. These emissions account for 44.4% and 43.1% of the pre-project carbon stock, respectively, and shows that choosing Alternative 2 is advantageous for reducing carbon emissions. The difference is likely due to the difference in grassland area between Alternatives 1 and 2. Even if Alternative 2 is selected, efforts are needed to increase the carbon storage effect by managing the appropriate level of green cover in the grassland, creating multi-layered vegetation, and installing low-energy facilities. In addition, it is suggested to conserve wetlands that can be lost during the stream improvement process or to create artificial wetlands to increase carbon storage. The assessment of carbon storage using carbon pools by land cover can improve the objectivity of comparison and evaluation analysis results for land use plans in Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment. In addition, the carbon pool generated in this study is expected to be used as a basis for improving the accuracy of such analyses.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2012

While the ability to develop nanomaterials and incorporate them into products is advancing rapidly worldwide, understanding of the potential health safety effects of nanomaterials has proceeded at a much slower pace. Since 2008, Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) started an investigation to prepare "Strategic Action Plan" to evaluate safety and nano risk management associated with foods, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics using nano-scale materials. Although there are some studies related to potential risk of nanomaterials, physical-chemical characterization of nanomaterials is not clear yet and these do not offer enough information due to their limitations. Their uncertainties make it impossible to determine whether nanomaterials are actually hazardous to human. According to the above mention, we have some problems to conduct the human exposure risk assessment currently. On the other hand, uncertainty about safety may lead to polarized public debate and to businesses unwillingness for further nanotechnology investigation. Therefore, the criteria and methods to assess possible adverse effects of nanomaterials have been vigorously taken into consideration by many international organizations: the World Health Organization, the Organization for Economic and Commercial Development and the European Commission. The object of this study was to develop risk assessment principles for safety management of future nanoproducts and also to identify areas of research to strengthen risk assessment for nanomaterials. The research roadmaps which were proposed in this study will be helpful to fill up the current gaps in knowledge relevant nano risk assessment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.656-671
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• 2015

Discussions on sustainability in the fashion industry highlight the need for a holistic and strategic approach. This study investigated consumers' perception of fashion companies' sustainability and its relationship with value and perceived consumer effectiveness as well as with consumer trust, preference, and purchase intention. The assessment scale of fashion companies' sustainability was developed for this study and data were obtained from 645 consumers in their 20's to 60's in Korea. As a result, consumers' value and perceived consumer effectiveness had significant effects on consumers' perception of fashion companies' sustainability. Universalism, security/benevolence and perceived consumer effectiveness were variables that had significant effects on all four dimensions of sustainability. Consumer's perception of fashion companies' sustainability significantly influenced consumer trust, preference and purchase intention. Especially, environmental, societal, and cultural sustainability (rather than economic dimension) were shown to have a greater impact on consumers' trust, preference and purchase intention.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.159-168
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• 2014

Pesticides have provided significant benefits including plant disease control and increased crop yields since people developed and utilized them. However, pesticide use is associated with many adverse effects, which necessitate precise toxicological tests and risk assessment. Most of these methods are based on animal studies, but considerations of animal welfare and ethics require the development of alternative methods for the evaluation of pesticide toxicity. Although the usage of laboratory animals is inevitable in scientific evaluation and alternative approaches have limitations in the whole coverage, continuous effort is necessary to minimize animal use and to develop reliable alternative tests for pesticide evaluation. This review discusses alternative approaches for pesticide toxicity tests and hazard evaluation that have been used in peer-reviewed reports and could be applied in future studies based on the critical animal research principles of reduction, replacement, and refinement.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.3-23
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• 2014

TThe CCS, gathering attention as a practical measure against climate change, has various potential risks within itself. Identifying those risks and developing proper countermeasures for each one, therefore, is essential. Failure to take proper measures against such risks may result in significant damages and accidents, causing social anxiety and unwillingness to accept CCS. This study proposes the precautionary principle as a fundamental principle for CCS risk management. While the justifications for the precautionary principle are acceptable, there have been criticisms on its limitations including its impracticality. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to identify detailed application strategies to overcome those limitations. The risk factors related to CCS consist of quantifiable risk domains as well as a number of those with high uncertainty and ambiguity. Thus, there is a need to develop differentiated coping measures, meaning that the precautionary principle should be applied. The risk assessment and management applying the precautionary principle has implication of social appraisal based on wide participation and communication among the interested parties, which may be a useful approach for expanding social applicability.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.87-92
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• 2010

As the Concept "how environmental friendly" becomes more and more important in road construction. However, so far there is no estimation method. Environmental friendly concept can be incorporated at the plan level in order to influence decision making, and support policies that affect environment. The overall goal of this study was to develop environmental friendly concept measures for the national highway and to develop a methodology to implement a more environmental friendly concept. The research identified 8 performance measures through a project analysis that could address environmental impact assessment system's ten strategic goals - Topography, Wildlife, hydrology, landuse, air quality, water quality, soil, waste, noise, landscape. The qualitatively and quantitatively evaluation approach was selected as the decision support framework and performance measure were investigated using the AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process) and pilot corridor for a 10 section and calculate the index values. The methodology was applied to a pilot corridor comprised of a 120km section of national highway in korea. The methodology made it possible to identify the specific performance measures that need improvement to enhance the overall environmental friendly concept. It is fairly intuitive, based on readily available data, and is easy to apply. It provides a powerful tool for government to assess the relative environmental friendly conceptof their transportation corridors now and in the future. It allows for comparisons within a corridor and with other corridors and identifies the improvements needed to enhance the environmental friendly concept.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.425-442
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• 2017

This study analysed the linkage between national forest policy in Korea, namely the $5^{th}$ National Forest Master Plan, 2016 Korea Forest Service Performance Management Plan, the $3^{rd}$ National Sustainable Development Plan, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 7 strategies of the $5^{th}$ National Forest Master Plan were related to 11 Goals of SDGs, and 5 strategies of 2016 Korea Forest Service Performance Management Plan were associated with 7 areas of SDGs, and 4 strategies within $3^{rd}$ National Sustainable Development Plan were linked to 7 Goals of SDGs. Among 87 national forest indicators compiled from three respective forest-related policies of Korea, 45 national indicators were related to 18 SDGs indicators. This indicates that 52% of national indicators of Korean forest policy are reflecting the language of SDGs. However, seeing from SDGs perspective, only 18 out of 241, which accounts for 7.8% of SDGs indicators are related to national indicators. The findings imply that a number of national forest-related indicators do not meet the diverse dimension of SDGs which provides potential areas for forest to contribute. Based on the findings, following recommendations were suggested: 1) the term used in forest policy should be aligned to SDGs targets so that it can be embedded in national policies, and 2) indicators should be further contextualized as well as in its assessment system. Lastly, it suggests for leveraging 3) '5 Processes of sub-national climate change adaptation plan' and the core concept of REDD+ MRV which could provide fundamental background for implementing SDGs framework to national forest policy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.282-294
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• 2010

The purpose of SAICM (Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management) is to minimize the health and environmental hazards from the production and the consumption of chemicals by improving the chemicals management capability of developing countries and implementing a system of the risk assessment and the management based on the precautionary principle until 2020. To achieve this purpose, the UN has prescribed the principles, objectives and establishment of an action plan for the chemicals management strategy which must be carried out at international, local, and national levels, and requested the implementation of the Global Plan of Action (GPA) comprising of 273 recommendations in 36 work areas. SAICM is currently based on voluntary participation, but is expected to become the basic framework of international order in relation to chemicals management in the future. This study aims to analyze the practice in the occupational safety and health area relating to implement 273 recommendations of the GPA, and propose complementary measures for the system in order to provide political advices for establishing future plans to manage industrial chemicals. Twenty three areas of total 36 work areas and 161 items of 273 recommendations have relevance to occupational safety and health areas. We have found that, as a national implementation level, 157 of 161 industrial safety and health items are being implemented at a satisfactory level in regard to the implementation of the GPA, while 4 items, including the ratification of the ILO Conventions 170, 174, 184, and support for GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of chemicals) implementation of developing countries, require additional complementary measures for the system and operation.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.5-14
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• 2019

This study attempted to study the soil erosion dynamic in the Bagmati Basin of Nepal. In this study, an inclusive methodology that combines Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and GIS techniques was adopted to determine the distribution of soil loss in the study basin. As well, this study attempts to study the intensity of soil erosion in the seven different land use patterns in the Bagmati Basin. Soil loss is an associated phenomenon of hydrologic cycle and this dynamic phenomenon possesses threats to sustainability of basin hydrology, agriculture system, hydraulic structures in operation and overall ecosystem in a long run. Soil conservation works, and various planning and design of watersheds works demands quantification of soil loss. The results of the study in Bagmati Basin shows the total annual soil loss in the basin is 22.93 million tons with an average rate of 75.83T/ha/yr. The computed soil loss risk was divided into five classes from tolerable to severe and the spatial pattern was mapped for easy interpretation. Also, evaluation of soil loss in different land use categories shows barren area has highest rate of soil loss followed by agriculture area. This is a preliminary work and provides erosion risk scenario in the basin. The study can be further used for strategic planning of land use and hydrologic conservation works in a basin.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.138-147
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• 2024

Objectives: Fine particulate matter pollution has emerged as a significant life-threatening issue in Thailand. Recognizing the importance of environmental health literacy (EHL) in disease prevention is crucial for protecting public health. This study investigated EHL levels and aimed to identify associated factors among village health volunteers (VHVs) in the upper northern region of Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from 710 VHVs using the EHL assessment tool developed by the Department of Health, Thailand. Results: The overall EHL score was moderate (mean, 3.28 out of a possible 5.0), with the highest and lowest domain-specific mean score for the ability to make decisions (3.52) and the ability to access (3.03). Multiple linear regression revealed that the factors associated with EHL score were area of residence (urban areas in Chiang Mai: B=0.254; urban areas in Lampang: B=0.274; and rural areas in Lampang: B=0.250 compared to rural areas in Chiang Mai), higher education levels (senior high school: B=0.212; diploma/high vocational certificate: B=0.350; bachelor's degree or above: B=0.528 compared to elementary school or lower), having annual health checkups compared to not having annual health check-ups (B=0.142), monthly family income (B=0.004), and individuals frequently facing air pollution issues around their residence (B=0.199) compared to those who reported no such issues. Conclusions: The VHVs exhibited moderate EHL associated with residence area, education, health check-ups, family income, and residential air pollution. Considering these factors is vital for enhancing VHVs' EHL through strategic interventions.