• Title/Summary/Keyword: Threat level

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Ecological Risk of Alien Apple Snails Used in Environmentally-friendly Agriculture and the Urgent Need for Its Risk Management in Korea (친환경농법용 외래 왕우렁이의 생태위해성 및 위해성 관리의 필요성)

  • Bang, Sang-Weon;Cho, Mi-Kyeoung
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.129-137
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    • 2008
  • Alien apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata, Pomacea insularus) used in environmentally-friendly agriculture are different from indigenous snails found in Korea. Due to high herbicidal effects and cost-effectiveness, the number of farmers using the snails has been growing every year since 2000. Moreover, in 2008, because of the outbreaks of avian influenza throughout the country from March to May, 2008, central and local governments recommended the use of alien apple snails in agriculture as an alternative to the ducks-oriented environmentally-friendly agriculture. Therefore, it is expected that the use of alien apple snails in agriculture should be expanded in a near future. Since alien apple snails lay eggs with 95.8% of eclosion rate, they are considered to be potential pests unlike indigenous snails. In addition, Japan, Taiwan and most of the southeast Asian countries had already experienced severe ecological and agricultural damage by the alien apple snails. Subsequently, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) designated P. canaliculata as one of "the 100 of the world's worst invasive alien species". It seems highly likely that the alien apple snails in Korea pose a potential threat to conservation of ecosystem and biodiversity since the snails were either found or invaded into the natural environments in some regions of Gangwon-Do and southern parts of Korean Peninsula. However, just recently, agricultural authorities and farmers using alien apple snails in agriculture opposed a proposition of designating the alien apple snails as an ecosystem-disturbing animal described by the Wildlife Protection Act. This is because there has been no concrete evidence of the ecological risk imposed by the alien snails up to now in Korea. Subsequently, in this paper, we analysed the ecological and agricultural risks imposed by the alien snails from the studies done in domestic and abroad. In addition, we proposed an urgent need and reasoning for ecological risk management of the alien snails at the national level as well as using the snails in agriculture.

Inbreeding Levels and Pedigree Structure of Korean Indigenous Chicken Population (한국 토종닭 집단의 혈통구조 및 유효집단크기 추정)

  • Cha, Jaebeom;Park, Byoungho;Park, Mina;Kang, Hayoun;Kim, Yongmin;Kim, Chongdae;Heo, Kangnyeong;Choo, Hyojun;Kang, Boseok
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.44 no.2
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    • pp.83-92
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    • 2017
  • The purpose of this study was to estimate the inbreeding level and effective population size of Korean indigenous chickens. In the study, two variables were considered to evaluate the pedigree completeness: (1) the proportion (%) of animals with complete pedigree, and (2) the proportion of animals with inbreeding coefficients greater than zero. In the proportion of animals having complete pedigree, all strains reached almost 100% completeness in 1~2 years. In the proportion of animals with inbreeding coefficients greater than zero, all strains reached almost 100% completeness in 5~6 years. We considered that the pedigree recoding system is well managed and that the inbreeding coefficient is a reliable measure. Over the past 20 years, the increase of inbreeding coefficients in Korean indigenous chicken strains has been 7.6~10.9%. The S strain showed the most rapid increase of inbreeding coefficient of 8.2% in 10 years. The reason for this rapid increase is considered to be associated with the fact that the numbers of sires and dams involved in reproduction was 115 and 91, respectively, which are lower than those of the other strains. According to average rates of increase in inbreeding coefficients (${\Delta}F$), all strains have ${\Delta}F$ values of 0.39~0.85%, which is lower than 1%, and the effective population size is above 50. The results showed that inbreeding levels were within the acceptable range and that Korean indigenous chicken population scan be regarded as safe from the threat of extinction.

Population Structure and Habitat Characteristics of Deutzia paniculata Nakai, as an Endemic Plant Species in Korea (한반도 특산식물 꼬리말발도리 개체군 구조 및 서식지 특성)

  • Jung, Ji-young;Pi, Jung-hun;Park, Jeong-geun;Jeong, Mi-jin;Kim, Eun-hye;Seo, Gang-Uk;Lee, Cheul-ho;Son, Sung-won
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.49 no.1
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    • pp.31-41
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    • 2016
  • Deutzia paniculata is an endemic species to the Korean Peninsula. Despite of importance for conservation, the population structure and habitat characteristics of D. paniculata have not been determined yet. We analyzed the ecological characteristics of the species based on the literature review and field survey. Field survey was conducted on May to October 2014 during which 11 quadrats of size $15{\times}15m$ were studied in six regions. Each of the quadrats were further divided into $5{\times}5m$ small quadrats and population characteristics were recorded. The population and habitat characteristics were analyzed, including species abundance (density and coverage), demographic attributes (flowering rates and fruiting plants), vegetation (structure, species composition), light availability (transmitted light and canopy openness) and soil characteristics (temperature and humidity). We found that D. paniculata mainly distributed in Gyeongsangdo (including Taebaek in Gangwondo) along a broad elevational range of 290~959 m (mean: 493 m) above sea level. In preferred habitat the species grows within the slope range of $7^{\circ}$ and $35^{\circ}$ with the average of $16^{\circ}$. D. paniculata was generally distributed on talus deposits and low adjacent slopes. The average number of individual plants per small quadrat was 12.5 with the mean density $0.5stems\;m^{-2}$. The vegetative reproduction was frequent in D. paniculata and mean flowering rate was as low as 15%. Altogether 138 taxa were found in whole observation area with the dominant tree species mainly spring ephemerals, such as Cornus controversa (importance value: 25.5%) and Fraxinus rhynchophylla (importance value: 15.8%). Although, C. controversa usually grows on steep slopes and F. rhynchophylla mostly distributed at high-altitudes, however, both species distributed in disturbed environments and among talus deposits. Thus based on our results, we concluded that D. paniculata is a disturbance-prone species, primarily existing in habitats subjected to natural disturbances, such as floods. The species occurs less at anthropogenically disturbed sites, thus there is no apparent threat to the populations and habitat of D. paniculata.

A Study on the Estimation of Ecological Footprint in Gyeongsangbuk-do for Comparison of Environmental Capacity of Each Local Government (자치단체별 환경용량 비교를 위한 경상북도지역 생태발자국 추정연구)

  • Kang, Kee-Rae;Kim, Hee-Chae;Kim, Dong-Pil;Oh, Hyun-Kyung;Cho, Kwang-Jin;Shin, Young-Ho
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.28 no.6
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    • pp.769-778
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    • 2014
  • The rapid urbanization and increase in population due to industrialization have led to the extension of cities and the reduction in naturality as a necessity. Now, it is the biggest threat to virtuous circle of ecosystem. With the expansion of common recognition that this ecological crisis would be accompanied by the crisis of mankind, many countries all around the world are conducting researches to indicate the optimum consumption level of individual as an index in addition to cross-national environmental indicators such as ESI, EPI and SDI, by measuring environmental consumption of state, local government or individual, and comparing each region. Based on this background, this research was carried out to estimate the environmental capacity of 23 local government in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The result of EF estimation showed that EF value necessary for life per head in Gyeongsangbuk-do was 0.9534, and it showed an ecological deficit of 25.3 percent when analyzing it in consideration of the ecological capacity. Also, among the local governments in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Youngduk-gun displayed the highest EF, and Ulleung-gun displayed the lowest EF. But when analyzing the ecological deficit in consideration of the ecological capacity of each region, Gumi-city showed the greatest ecological deficit, and Youngyang-gun showed the biggest ecological capacity. The environmental capacity estimated in this study is to digitize the ecological capacity and ecological deficit of each local government in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The estimated optimum environmental capacity of each local government suggests the scale of environmental preservation and proper development and furthermore, could be used as fundamental data for persuading members of each local government when selecting a location of development facility or preservation area.

An Analysis of Terrorism against Korea to Overseas and its Implications - Focusing on the companies advancing to overseas - (한국을 대상으로 한 국제테러리즘의 분석과 시사점 - 해외진출기업을 중심으로 -)

  • Chang, Suk-Heon;Lee, Dae-Sung
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.28
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    • pp.153-179
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    • 2011
  • Korea has been a victim of State supporting terrorism by North Korea even before international society realize the terrorism threats because of 9.11 in US. However, state supporting terrorism against South Korea by North Korea went along with East/West Cold War System by US and the Soviet Union. It is because socialism that Kim Il-sung who established a separate government in North Korea with the political, economic, social and military support of the Soviet Union selected as his political ideology justifies terrorism as the tool to complete the proletariat revolution. North Korea's state supporting terrorism is being operated systematically and efficiently by military of North Korea. It gives big worries to international society not only by performing terrorism against Korea but also by dispatching terrorists and exporting terrorism strategies to the third world countries. In this situation, terrorism against Korea has met a new transition point at 9${\cdot}$11 in US. As South Korea is confronting North Korea and the war has not ended but suspended, the alliance between US and Korea is more important than anything else. Because of this Korea decided to support the anti-terrorism wars against Afghanistan and Iraq of US and other western countries and send military force there. The preface of the anti-terrorism war has begun as such. On October 7, 2001, US and UK started to attack Afghanistan and Taleban government in Afghanistan was dethroned on December 7, 2001. US and western countries started a war against Iraq on March 20, 2003. On April 9, 2003 Baghdad, the capital of Iraq fell, and Saddam Hussein al-Majid al-Awja government was expelled. During the process, the terrorism threat against South Korea has expanded to Arab terrorists and terrorism organizations as well as North Korea. Consequently, although Korean government, scholars and working level public servants made discussions and tried to seek countermeasures, the damages are extending. Accordingly, terrorism against Korean companies in overseas after 9${\cdot}$11 were analyzed focusing on Nation, Region, Victimology, and Weapons used for the attacks. Especially, the trend of terrorism against the Korean companies in overseas was discussed by classifying them chronologically such as initiation and termination of anti-terrorism wars against Afghanistan and Iraq, and from the execution of Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein al-Majid al-Awja to December 2010. Through this, possible terrorism incidents after the execution of Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, on May 2, 2011 were projected and proposals were made for the countermeasures.

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Chronic pain control in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (만성통증 환자의 통증 조절)

  • Eun, Young
    • Journal of muscle and joint health
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.17-40
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    • 1995
  • Rheumatoid arthritis is the one of the chronic diseases, one of its major symptoms is a chronic pain. Despite developing medical treatment and surgical techniques, it is suggested that to control the pain is the goal of the treatment. But pain is an inner experience and even those closest to the patient cannot truly observe its progress or share in its suffering. The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine's report on Pain and Disability concluded that there is no objective measure of pain-(exactly) no pain thermometer-nor can there ever be one, because the experience of pain is inseparable from personal perception and social influence such as culture. To explore chronic pain experience is to understand the process and property of the patient's perception of pain through the response to pain, the coping with pain, and the adaptation to pain. Therefore a qualitative study was conducted in order to gain an understanding of pain experience of patients with RA in korea. I used naturalistic inquiry as a research methodology, which had 5 axioms, the first is that realities are multiple, constructed, and holistic, the second is that knower and known are interactive, inseparable, the third is only time and context bound working hypotheses(idiographic statements) are possible, the forth is all entities are in a state of mutual simultaneous shaping, so that it is impossible to distinguish causes from effects and the last is that inquiry is value-bound. Purposive sampling was conducted as a sampling. 20 subjects who experienced pain over 10 years, lived in middle-sized city and big city in Korea, and 17 women and 3 men. The subject's age was from 32 to 62 (average 48.8), all were married, living with their spouse and children, except two-one divorced and the other widow before they became ill. I collected data using In depth structured interview. I had interviews two or three times with each subject, and the interviews were conducted at each subject's home. Each interview lasted about two hours an average. A recording was taken with the consent of the subject. I used inductive data analysis-such as unitizing and categorizing. unitizing is a process of coding, whereby raw data are systematically transformed and aggregated into units. Categorizing is a process wherby previously unitized data are organized into categories that provide descriptive or inferential information about the context or setting from which the units were derived. This process is used constant comparative method. The pain controlling process is composed of behavior of pain control. The behaviors of pain control are rearranging of ADL, hiddening role conflict, balancing treatment, and changing social relation. Rearranging of ADL includes diet management, sleep management, and the adjustment of daily life activities. The subjects try to rearrange their daily activities by modified style of motions, rearranging time span & range of activities, using auxillary facilities, and getting help in order to keep on the pace of daily life. Hiddening role conflict means to reduce conflicts between sick role and their role as a family member. In this process, the subjects use two modes, one is to control the pain complaints, and the other is to internalize the value which is to stay home is good for caring her children and being a good mother. To control pain complaints is done by 'enduring', 'understanding' the other family members, or making them undersood in order to reduce pain. Balancing treatment is composed of two aspects. One is to keep the pain within the endurable level, the other is to keep in touch with medical personnel in order to get the information of treatment and emotional support. Changing social relation is made by information seeking and sharing, formation of mutual support relation, and finally simplification of social relationships. The subjects simplify their social relationships by refraining from relations with someone who makes them physically and psychologically strained. In particular the subjects are apt to avoid contact with in-laws, and the change of relation to in-laws results in lessening the family boundary. In the course of this process, they confront the crisis of family confict result in family dissolution. This crisis is related to the threat of self-existence. Findings from this study contribute to understanding the chronic pain experience. To advance this study, we should compare this result with other cases in different cultural contexts. I think to interpret these results, korean cultural background should be considered. Especially the different family concept, more broader family members and kinship network, and the traditional medical knowledge influences patients' behavior.

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A Study on Perception Change in Bicycle users' Outdoor Activity by Particulate Matter: Based on the Social Network Analysis (미세먼지로 인한 자전거 이용객의 야외활동 인식변화에 관한 연구: 사회네트워크분석을 중심으로)

  • Kim, Bomi;Lee, Dong Kun
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.28 no.5
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    • pp.440-456
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    • 2019
  • The controversy of the risk perception related to particulate matters becomes significant. Therefore, in order to understand the nature of the particulate matters, we gathered articles and comments in on-line community related to bicycling which is affected by exposure of the particulate matters. As a result, firstly, the government - led particulate matter policy was strengthened and segmented every period, butthe risk perception related to particulate matters in the bicycle community has become active and serious. Second, as a result of analyzing the perception change of outdoor activities related to particulate matters, bicycle users in community showed a tendency of outdoor activity depending on the degree of particulate matters ratherthan the weather. In addition, the level of the risk perception related to particulate matters has been moved from fears of serious threat in daily life and health, combined with the disregard of domestic particulate matter levels or mask performance. Ultimately, these risk perception related to particulate matters have led some of the bicycling that were mainly enjoyed outdoors to the indoor space. However, in comparison with outdoor bicycling enjoyed by various factors such as scenery, people, and weather, the monotonous indoor bicycling was converted into another type of indoor exercise such as fitness and yoga. In summary, it was derived from mistrust of excessive information or policy provided by the government or local governments. It is considered that environmental policy should be implemented after discussion of risk communication that can reduce the gap between public anxiety and concern so as to cope with the risk perception related to particulate matters. Therefore,this study should be provided as an academic basis for the effective communication direction when decision makers establish the policy related to particulate matters.

An Empirical Comparative Study of the Seaport Clustering Measurement Using Bootstrapped DEA and Game Cross-efficiency Models (부트스트랩 DEA모형과 게임교차효율성모형을 이용한 항만클러스터링 측정에 대한 실증적 비교연구)

  • Park, Ro-Kyung
    • Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.29-58
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    • 2016
  • The purpose of this paper is to show the clustering trend and the comparison of empirical results and is to choose the clustering ports for 3 Korean ports(Busan, Incheon and Gwangyang Ports) by using the bootstrapped DEA(Data Envelopment Analysis) and game Cross-efficiency models for 38 Asian ports during the period 2003-2013 with 4 input variables(birth length, depth, total area, and number of cranes) and 1 output variable(container TEU). The main empirical results of this paper are as follows. First, bootstrapped DEA efficiency of SW and LT is 0.7660, 0.7341 respectively. Clustering results of the bootstrapped DEA analysis show that 3 Korean ports [ Busan (6.46%), Incheon (3.92%), and Gwangyang (2.78%)] can increase the efficiency in the SW model, but the LT model shows clustering values of -1.86%, -0.124%, and 2.11% for Busan, Gwangyang, and Incheon respectively. Second, the game cross-efficiency model suggests that Korean ports should be clustered with Hong Kong, Shanghi, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Port Klang, Singapore, Kaosiung, Keelong, and Bangkok ports. This clustering enhances the efficiency of Gwangyang by 0.131%, and decreases that of Busan by-1.08%, and that of Incheon by -0.009%. Third, the efficiency ranking comparison between the two models using the Wilcoxon Signed-rank Test was matched with the average level of SW (72.83 %) and LT (68.91%). The policy implication of this paper is that Korean port policy planners should introduce the bootstrapped DEA, and game cross-efficiency models when clustering is needed among Asian ports for enhancing the efficiency of inputs and outputs. Also, the results of SWOT(Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat) analysis among the clustering ports should be considered.

Analysis of the Weight of SWOT Factors of Korean Venture Companies Based on the Industry 4.0 (4차 산업혁명 기반 한국 벤처기업의 SWOT요인에 대한 중요도 분석)

  • Lee, Dongik;Lee, Sangsuk
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.115-133
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    • 2021
  • This study examines the concept and related technologies of the 4th industrial revolution that has been mixed so far and examines the socio-economic changes and influences resulting from it, and the cases of responding to the 4th industrial revolution in major countries. Based on this, by deriving SWOT factors and calculating the importance of each factor for Korean venture companies to prepare for the forth industrial revolution, it was intended to help the government and policymakers in suggesting directions for establishing related policies. Furthermore, the purpose of this study was to suggest a direction for securing global competitiveness to Korean venture entrepreneurs and to help with basic and systematic analysis for further academic in-depth research. For this study, a total of 21 items derived through extensive literature research and data research to understand what are the necessary competency factors for internal and external environmental changes in order for Korean venture companies to have global competitiveness in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution. After reviewing SWOT factors by three expert groups and confirming them through Delphi survey, the importance of each item was analyzed by using AHP, a systematic decision-making technique. As a result of the analysis, it was shown that Strength(48%), Opportunity(25%), Threat(16%), Weakness(11%) were considered important in order. In terms of sub-items, 'quick and flexible commercialization capability', 'platform/big data/non-face-to-face service activation', and 'ICT infrastructure and it's utilization' were shown to be of the comparatively high importance. On the other hand, in the lower three items, 'macro-economic stability and social infrastructure', 'difficulty in entering overseas markets due to global protectionism', and 'absolutely inferior in foreign investment' were found to have low priority. As a result of the correlation verification by item to see differences in opinions by industry, academia, and policy expert groups, there was no significant difference of opinion, as industry and academic experts showed a high correlation and industry experts and policy experts showed a moderate correlation. The correlation between the academic and policy experts was not statistically significant (p<0.01), so it was analyzed that there was a difference of opinion on importance. This was due to the fact that policy experts highly valued 'quick and flexible commercialization', which are strengths, and 'excellent educational system and high-quality manpower' and 'creation of new markets' which are opportunity items, while academic experts placed great importance on 'support part of government policy', which are strengths. The implication of this study is that in order for Korean venture companies to secure competitiveness in the field of the 4th industrial revolution, it is necessary to have a policy that preferentially supports the relevant items of strengths and opportunity factors. The difference in the details of strength factors and opportunity factors, which shows a high level of variability, suggests that it is necessary to actively review it and reflect it in the policy.

The Crisis of AIDS and responses of South African Churches in the task of new national building (새로운 민주주의 국가건설의 과제 속에 직면한 AIDS와 이에 대한 교회의 반응과 과제: 남아프리카 공화국을 중심으로)

  • Kim, Dae-Yoong
    • Journal of the Korean Association of African Studies
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    • v.29
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    • pp.27-53
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    • 2009
  • At the start of the new century, South Africa probably had the largest number of HIV-infected people of any country in the world. The only nation that comes close is India with a population of one billion people compared to South Africa's figure of 57 million. The tragedy is that this did not have to happen. South Africa was aware of the dangers posed by AIDS as early as 1985. In 1991, the national survey of women attending antenatal clinics found that only 0.8percent were infected. In 1994, when the new government took power, the figure was still comparatively low at 7.6 %. The 2004 figure which has been published is 26.5%. This article tracks the epidemic globally, in the region and in South Africa. I explain some of the basic concepts around the disease and look at what may happen with respect to numbers. The situation is bad, and the number of people falling ill, dying and leaving families will rise over next few years. This will impact on South Africa in a number of important ways. This article assesses the demographic, economic and social consequences of the epidemic. It disposes of a number of myths and present the real facts. The AIDS in South Africa is not related to individuals only. It warns that AIDS in Africa is becoming a community and systemic problem. The acuteness of the problem does not stem merely from the fact that communities are affected, or could even be wipe out by the end of this decade, but from the fact that AIDS will place incredible burdens and obligations upon medical services, health care and religious communities such as churches. The facts confront churches' mission with the important question: who is going to take care of all the patients and where? The reality is that people dying of AIDS will have to be cared for at home by relatives and friends. A further question that arises is whether our people are prepared for this. AIDS was considered to be a homo-plague and the hunt was on for a scapegoat in the light of the fatal implication of the disease. At present we are in the strategic phase where we all realize that it will be of no avail to scare people with the ominous threat of AIDS AIDS destroys the optimism of our achievement ethics. This exposure of the culture of optimism is also an exposure of the so-called 'human basic fear which accuses Christianity that their concept of sin is a damper on man's search for liberation and basic need to be freed from all Imitation. AIDS is also a test for our ecclesiastical genuineness and the sincerity of our mission sensibility. It poses the question: How unconditional is Christian love? Is there room for the AIDS sufferer in the community of believers, despite the fact he is an acknowledged homosexual? The question to put to the church is whether the community of believers is an exclusive to put to the koinonia which excludes homosexuals. They may be welcome on principle, but in actual fact are not acceptable to the church community. As South Africa enters the new century, it is clear that the epidemic is not having a measurable impact. However, the impact of AIDS is gradual, subtle and incremental. The author's proposal of what is currently most needed in South Africa is that the little things will make a difference. It's about doing lots of little things better at grassroots level, with the emphasis on doing. There are so many community, churches and NGOs initiatives worth building on and intensifying. One must not underestimate the therapeutic value of working together in small groups to overcome a problem